The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-26
yICTON AND SENTENCE OF AARON JACKSON
FOR THE
DER OF FRANCIS JOHNSTON.
Court OF Oyer and Termlnep.
Before Judge Roosevelt.

louse, No. So Anthony street, kept by woman
Parker.
prisoner appeared easy and cheerful in manner.
urt room was half filed with colored spectators,
lale and female.
Jonas b. Phillips appeared for the defence, and
strict Attorney for the prosecution
following jurors were empannelled in this
Hutchings, ]. " Rogers,
els Bodins, G. W. Browne,
!. Parker, y. Rockport
!. Moore, P. w. Livingston,
Il G. Cloudesly, +. NJ Jones,
Fairgricye, George w. Dorr.
District Attorney in opening the case said-ln one
,e vile and miserable dens which infest our city,
4 the scene OF this tragedy. The time Of this
&c was on the l4th Of February last between the
OF three and four o'clock In the morning. The
nv assembled upon the occasion consisted Of some
or thirty male and female blacks, engaged In
q and the principal actors in the drama we're per.
the name OF Peter Thompson, Rob ert Matthew'S
Jackson, the prisoner at the bar, and Francis
ON, the deceased. The circumstances which led
occurrence were ~ follows-The deceased, John
vas engaged In q cotillon, and when SO engaged
Thompson and Robert Matthews came up towards
4 the room-in the rear part Of the rosm-and
son remarked that Johnston had trod upon his foot
ply was "You ne.n Whereupon Johnston said
Id lick him. The deceased replied he could not;
6hnston, Matthews standing by ct the time, calling
one or the other Of them not to strike. They
err clinched and fought, and while these Thompson
ceased, were engaged in lighting, i is stated that
soner at the bar, who had no part In the original
came up from behind, drew clasp knife from his
struck with his left hand at the deceased, and
nth the right hand, stabbing him in two places on
( side, Of which wounds, on the 10th Of February,
d, at the New York City Hospital II these facts
ide out, it would seem strang &c indeed that this
hould have thus intruded himself, without any ap-
cause at the time, into this ARRAY between two
and thus wantonly have used this deadly instru-
But as am advised by the testm ony, there was
ige previously existing between the deceased and
prisoner. 1t is elss averred that sabse-
to this he stated, In manner indicating
morse and regret Although indicted In the
OF February last he was not arrested until some
like eight or ten days ago. II the testimony Of
before the Coroner's Jury and before the Grand
it would be difficult to arrive at any other cenclu-
han that the prisoner at the bar had evidently
ed these blows. Whatever may have been tho
nay have been, the law, which respects not per-
looks upon his life a. equally sacred with that Of
lrest.
ard W. Darby, sworn-Am resident surgeon at
" Hospital; deceased, Francis Johnston, was ad-
to the hospital on the 18th February; Il was In
orning; saw him about 10 O'Clock; there were two
Is on the left side Of the chest, posterior be-
/. the ninth and tenth, and another between the
and eleventh ribs he died on the evening Of the
made the post norton the next day; the wounds
found to have penetrated the cavity OF the chest
oIinds were each about an inch in length; they
such as would be likely TO be produced by such an
lment as this, (knife shown to witness) the cause
death was pneumonia, caused by these wounds.
50 exsmined.-HAd ne conversation with the de-
as to the cause Of his death
xina Parker sworn-l am married; in February last
at 81 Anthony street; occupied the whole house;
two story wooden house, Il s between Church street
lest Broadway; kept porter house on the first floor;
dance room In the back part knew Francis John
have known him since was ten or eleven years
Q belonged to Baltimore; he was at my place on
til Of February last; was in the room ct the time
stabbed; it was three or four O'Clock in the
., dancing; had an orchestra there; the bar was
he door, there were three musicians In the orches-
ohnston was dancing; Matthew'S and Peter Thomp-
,me in and leaned against the bar where stood;
ton was In the back part of the room near the or
70; Matthews and Thompson went down towards
leard deceased say he didn't want to fight; that
he frst heard; then saw Peter Thompson strike
n the face with his fst deceased still said he did
ish to 6ght, and an oficer was sent for; the girl
vas sent could not find an officer, and when I re-
d found Johnston on the floor; Thompson had q
uplifted over him and said, "Don't kill the manu-
TO him to run out; then saw jackson aloneside OF
when deceased got up he put his hand TO his side
aid 'I'm stabbed be commenced 70 cry, and then
her all night; / had waited on them several times;
deceased said he was stabbed jackson went out;
pson and Matthews went out Jackson left his over
behind; as soon the officer took deceased away q
came in for the coat said would give the coat to
q but the owner; Jackson then came in for 1t him
he stood BY the bar and looked ct him; he asked
by Hooked ct him so, and said "Nothing;" he had
on his pants; think saw some on his hands, saw
on his thumb saw his thumb cut; saw him no
from that time until now.
40 -examined-The blood ON the pants was near the
It and below the knee hrst saw the deceased and
ner at nine O'Clock, and perhaps later they treated
Dk1.o~ In har and ToeH tran al "a
entity that evening; there had been no quarrel be-
the prisoner and deceased that night In my pre-
; saw Thompson strike deceased but once; when
pson struck deceased his mouth bled after the blow
deceased was lying on the floor heard him cry
err when called out not TO hurt the man, Matthews
10 was too ssucy; generally heard that Matthews,
pson, and deceased were not on good terms; Thomp-
,at one Of the party had stabbed him; did not say
e coroner's examination that deceased had said It
thompson; have kept female boarders; do not now;
usband Is In Philadelphia; his name ID Robert Par.
have gone by the name Of AlexinA Sewell; had had
minstrels there that evening; had three or four
s OF music, the Ministries had nothing TO do with
ng for the dance; James Dorsey was one Of the min
81 the room he was In that night he Is banjo play
" Peter Thompson In my house last Friday.
n Petty sworn-In February last lived at No. n
lrd street, between West broadway and Hudson
& knew Johnston; was at Mrs. Parkers the night he
stabbed; danced In the same set with him. Peter
lpson and Robert Matthews came in; they came
lgh the set, and It appears that Johnston step
on Thompson's fott; Peter Thompson told him
ID stepped on him. snd deceased said he had; Peter
him he had better keep back, and callei him
* Of b-h;' Francis called him the same; saw
we're about TO quarrel, and went to look for my
l. while was looking for II saw Thompson and
scd clinch; don't know which struck hrst; saw de-
d down on the floor; he got up and said, "Gentle-
Pm stabbed" the NJ p. came and took him to the
tal; at this time Matthews was standing up; heard
say to deceased not to strike Thompson; did not see
son near the deceased did not hear Johnston say
stabbed him.
,mas barton sworn-Lvcd in September last at IS
ony street, and tended bar for Robert Matthews;
deceased at the time / first heard Of the Diff
next door l was putting up the shutters;
nd said he was going to the dance; heard
there that attracted my attention, and thought
Frank and Pete were fighting; knew there was q
ulty between Frank and Pete; heard Frank threaten
Zip Pete Richard Arthur was sitting in the bar
. time, and woke him up and told him OF II;
dance room; there were very few people In 1t;
Johnston standing against the wall, With
hand to his left side; he had coat on;
I'D he had been stabbed and did not know who had
It; he said he got stabbed in the fight with Thomp
lad Matthews; know the prisoner saw him after
nd he seemed as II he had been drnkng gave him
TO wrap mp his finger, and he gave me q knife and
me to wash the blood OF; there was coed deal Of
on IT. 1t was white handled knife with two blades;
liz blade was open, had the knife before In
osseesion; washed the knife and gave It to him. he
Q Coroner; (knife shown to witness) that La the
Nothing material was elicited the cross exami-
N Of this witness.
liam Arthur sTorn-In September last was tend
AR for Matthews, at No. Sc Antheny street; knew
dece ased and the other parties; was asleep at the