The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-27
THE LATEST JERSEY SCANDAL.
Arrai gnment of Surrogate HOlcOmb, Of
Middlesex County, for q HeinOus Crime
Openin0 Of the Case.

Opening Of the Case.
At halfpast ten O'Clock yesterday morning Fer
dinand 8. Holcomb, Surrogate OF Middesex county
N j., was arralgned before Judge Scudder on a
charge OF violating young lady at New Brunswick
The affair In which this gentleman figures so prom
inently although occurring In May last has assumed
an importance that was entirely unanticipated.
lie has filed the Office he now occupies for many
years with credit and the charge brought
against him has created intense excitement
in political as well as domestic circles
throughout the county. The young lady, who
also figures in an unfavorable light, is wen
known In New Brunswick, and the facts eliminated
Yesterday afternoon upon her examinl ton show
conclusivey that the Surrogate IS either an unmit
gated villain and bertne that his accuser Is an
accomplished ''blackmaiern
Upon the bench sat Judge Scudder and Associate
Judge Cowenhaven. The court room was crowded.
The announcement that the trial of the Surrogate
would begin ut ten O'Clock drew together a con-
course that has seldom been witnessed In that
particular judiciary apartment. The indicted Sur
rogate entered the court room at hali.past ten
bridge Strong and @. b. Adrian, Of New Brunswick.
The young lady, Miss Anna Bechtell, only fifteen
years OF age the alleged victim OF his lust, next
followed. She was accompanied by Joseph and
Anna L. Bechtell, her foster parents. They occupied
seats adjoining that OF District Attorney SchenCk.
Miss Bechel Is petite blonde. with beautiful golden
hair, mild blue eyes, fine form and was neatly
dressed On her fingers were one or two fine chased
gold rings, and suspended In her ears were two
pearls or Jdc-sInttes OF that gem; she sat rest
essly and eyed the vast crowd uneasily. The Sur
rOgate sat silent and moody and scarcely raised his
eyes from the floor save now and then when his
counsel interposed an objection to the District
| Attorneys interrOgatiOns to witnesses.
THE FIRST WITNESS
called to the stand by the District Attorney was
the girl Ann Bechte: Upon being questioned by
him she stated that she was born on the 10th OF
September. 1857; that her mother died when she
was ten months old. After that she was adopted
In hro foil ThrAn asI,<s
removed from Trenton with her foster parents and
resided in oyer street. New ., Brunswick ON the
sent on an Grand by her adopted Ell" motS %a:
While passing through the square, adjacent to the
Court House she saw surrogate Holcombe stand,
ing on the steps of the SurrOgates office. She had
previously seen him. He spoke to her teasiDgly
and playfully and finally invited her into his ONCE.
She said that she went in but did not intend stay
Ing but a few minutes. When the clerks had de-
parted and after she was there but a few minutes,
TSsd She n saa tSa s
screamed and impored him TO save her, as he was
married man and was the fathef Of grown-up
children, but that he needed net her entreaties.
She was afterwards 50 pros.rated that she was
ashamed to go home.
se did the surTSgae oo
her to a Mrs Johnson, a widow who lived near
George and Washington streets. This lady, not
lance, as she discovered that something was
wrong. She Miss BechtelD afterwards, as she
stated, lost sight OF her destroyer and wandered
throughout the night in by-streets, afraid to be
SEEN until found by her father and an officer tho
following Monday.
MRS. ANNA ELIZABETH BECHTELL,
q TALL mddle-aged lady, OF modest demeanor and
neatly dressed, then gave her testimony. She said
that she sent her daughter on an errand, ana was
not aware OF anything being wrong until she stayed
away so long; she then acquainted her husband or
her suspicious In regard to IIolcombes attentions
to Anna, and the police were informed, which re-
suited in finding her.
JOSEPH BECHTELL
followed the above witness and corroborated his
wifcs testimony In every particular as regards thd
story OF the wrongs Of their adopted daughter
MISS LIZZIE STOUT,
aged fourteen, handsome and neatly -attred girl,
was the next witness. She said that three weeks
before the outrage, while en- roMe 70 cinirch. she
saw Hocomb stop IN front OF the Bechtell man
sion, and there saw him In conversation with tho
plaintiff, but did not remember hearing any con-
versation between them.
MRS. BO0RAM,
lady who Is well acquainted with both iamlles.
testified that two weeks before Miss Bechtel was
outraged she informed her foster parents that tho
Surrogate was receiving btUets d0uLp rom Miss
Anna, and also that he was in the habit OF throw
ing kisses to her, which she invariably threw BACK.
This closed the case for the prosecution. to-day
cloud OF witnesses will be examined on UOtn
sides, but IL Is dificult matter 70 ore'eI now IL
fhee juft 4 composed OF some of the stanchest
farmers OF Middlesex county, and Consists o. sha
following named gentlemen:-Wnllam h0e, james
Conover, William c. Foreman, John D. Hoagland,
Patrick HaughtOn, II. s. Disbrow, :. 7: Christian,
M Craven u. McGiDnis. @, Z. Cottreii' u d. bSrM
! and Max Marts