The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-21
MURDER TRIAL IN NEW JERSEY.
Oyer and Terminsr os Hsdse. County.

Seudder, Esq, closed the summing mp OF tine case
for the prosecution and WAS followed by the charge
of Judge Ogden, who lsgalized the act OF the pri-
soDer MS murder 10 the first degree, to which the
counsel for the ncetook several exceptions The
jury, after absence OF hour returned int court
with verdict of guilty Of murder in the hrst de-
gree. The prisoner was then remandod for sentence
Iyiai # Robert I'm Cantcn-The trial OF this
nan far the murder Of the c,l)red waiter Charles
Williams, a. Hoboken, on the 4th ofJuly last was
then called on.
The following jurors were sworn William
Griffith, John HslermaD, Enoch Earle, jacob
Newkirk. Michael ID Vreeand. Henry q Nevkirk,
Henry Demarest Henry Drayten, John V. Met
Ter, John McGuigau-l2 The case was operfed Oy
District Attorney Wright for the people, whocalcd
Herman Myers, whe testified that he recollected
that man killed on the ith of July last, at
the Eysian Fields was there at the time, and saw
prisoner there before; he came there with several
white walters the above named morning; I
think there were ten or twelve white walters;
they had been walters up to the Sunday before
the 4th of July; l belonged to the house the
celored walters were acting there on the 4th of
July; Williams was killed in the forenoon; the white
waters, of whom Canton was one, asked me how
many colored walters there wero; told them ten or
twelve they made threats to whip the white
walters; heard them say they could whip the
whole party; can't say how many were there, nor
who said tho words; they were talking among them
selves; tho white walters in the barro0m at
this time; recognized one face in particular;
can't say whether defendant was among them or not;
within hour afterwards heard Of the lighting be-
tween the white and coored walters; | stood there
for while and saw tLe fighting, and found could
not quiet it, and let it go on; saw stones in the
hands of the white walters; | saw nothing in the
hands of the black waitors the defertian
fighting among the whites and the blacks; saw tn,
defendant stab Williams several tmos; the deceased
had hold of Canton when Canton stabbed aim; the
deceased said Canton had knife, and turned
around and fell; saw him dead about half an hour
afterwards; Williams had hold of Canton by tho
shoulder, and Canton had hold Of him by the arm;
this was about a hundred yards from the barroom;
4 sal .,% hn kn~
many people in the crowd around the deceased and
prisoner; the place where the fight was, was on the
path to the cave
Cross examined by defence-The route to the
cave leads also to tho ferry; the first | saw OF
Canton that day was at the place where they were
fighting; saw Canton there on one Sunday before;
ii the custom to engage extra walters Tor Sum
day; saw deceased before The fight; think he was
little taller than prisoners there were about twen-
ty persons around tho parties, besides CantGa and
deceased there were two or three other persons
engaged in tie fight; there three four ooored
walters fighting; was within eight ten yards of
saw other persons strike Canton afterwards; they
were sideways from me; Canton had hold of him
with his lett hand; saw no struggling between
them; the blow was side blow; saw three or four
blows with the knife; all the bio VS. were given in
the same way; when the fight commenced called
out, eco in, Benz" told this man. Warren, to
stand back as "he ought to DO licked, too' he saw
Warren doing something to the colored people, this
was after the deceased had been stabbed.
Direct knew that Warren was one of the men
in the barroom; Warren stayed around there with
the rest of them, and demanded their wages can't
soy whether Canton demanded his wages or not l
did not see all the white walters in the ARRAY; de-
ceased and Canton were standing south of the line
from the house towards Hoboken, at the time Of the
aRray; the SYPHILIS cave is also South towards Hobo
ken; in going to the cave you would pass near the
place Of the ARRAY.
Cross examned-The road to the cave is q public
road for passengers the distance to thecave nearly
n quarter of n mile
James Dunlap called-Lives at II Perry street; was
ut Hoboken on the 4th Of July last; there about
seven o'clock; keep the oyster stands there; my
stands were towards the river the ARRAY took place
between and O'Clock; saw the black walters ut
work there; the white walters came over about 8
O'Clock, and went into the house there
were from twelve to fourteen white walters
the white walters went after the green,
towards tho ferry; soon afterwards l saw two
three colored walters leave tho house with wheel
barrow Of ice cream to 90 to the cave, and then
they returned with the empty wheelbarrow; before
they got to the house the white men left to 70
towards the colored men; as soon ~ they met, one
Of the colored men was attacked by them, and then
another; when went down to stop the nuss one Of
the white walters struck ut me, and struck back;
Williams laid on his back, near to the place,
afterwards, dying; ! helped to get the knife away
from Canton; there was colored man fighting with
him on the beach at this time; he had the knife in
his hand, striking round at me; picked tho knife
up this is the knife; kicked it out of his hand;
saw stones thrown by the white walters at the first
Cl6uCu U6tW00u
negroes and the whites; did not soc the knife until
the deceased cried out " Hes got knife;" pri-
soner ran to the beach himself, and one of the
colored men was chasing him; he ran from the
place where they had been fighting; saw the knife
as he jumped over tho wall.
Cross examined-Can't say who cnched first,
the whites the blacks; think all tho white wait
ers were there; did not hit Buger, Regsn, nor
on the prisoner when he was down; the 6rst time
saw Canton was as he went over the WALL there
from five to six men who chased him; the men we're
nearly all black; one Of their names was Ben, the
other Peter; Ben is larger man than Canton;
heard the negroes say skill the damned Irish thief
after they gos the knife away; don't think Canton
had his hat on whom he went over the wall; he was
cut ever the eye and the lip saw Ben fighting on
the green before the deceased was stabbed. there
were two or three colored men fighting beside.
Mrs Sarah McCarty called-Resides at the Ely
the 4th; told them the Sunday previous that l
did not want them again until sent for them; when
they came told them they ought not to have come
until sent for them; some Of them wanted to be
| paid for their day; told them / should not pay
them because had not hired them; there was man
named Parker, who had acted as head waiter on
the Sunday previous.
| Benjamin Blane-Was at the Elysian Fields on the
18th day Of July last; was head waiter there; was
employed by Mrs. McCarty as q waiter in the early
part Of the season; went to the that morning
with Peter Ashley and two other colored walters;
the four Of US returned while we were on the
| walk we met two of the white walters who asked,
"what the hell looking at!' after they pass
cd along they said so again; said we didn't come
to insult them; Canton, the prisoner then struck
me; the blow staggered nae round; Canton was not
Of the two that We met; then clinched Canton;
then two or three jumped on me, and then went in
the same as any man would, and fought my way
through; | then saw Canton and Charles Williams
fighting together; Williams said he had knife;
saw Williams stagger, then, and some one caught
him; did not zoe any knife, nor see Canton strike
with knife; one colored man that went with me
UAmed Wili M and khn khArxw ad uup
ter.
Cross examined. Williams was left on the green
washing tables; Canton Wa walking from the house
alone when he met us had sat the barrow down
when Canton came up; Williams was one hundred
feet of Ut this time; had my coat Of; Canton had
his cost on; he said nothing to before he struck
me he only struck maefnce ct first; he struck me
behind he was fon my left ide when he struck
me WAS talking With thu two Hhita HaitAra Hhan