Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1873-01-16
THE SWEENEY MURDER TRIAL.
Especial to the Commercially


BRDaEToS, N. j., Jan. II.
At the opening Of the Court, this morning,
Henry Henderson was placed upon the stand,
who testified that he was in the dining room,
on the 14th Of August; the defendant was at
the right Of Davis, with his fist drawn; lady
was pressing against him heard Davis say ''ar-
rest him !" the officer said "show me the man" !;
he could not quite reach him the defendant had
his back to Davis George WAS nearer to the
defendant than was /; I was struck at by man
who came on the excursion but do not know
who be was did not hear Sweeney say anything
in the room saw the contest in the street Davis
took hold of the defendant and helped to take
him 70 the lookup; the defendant was in his
shirt sleeves, and had light moustache.
Henry A. Jorden testified TO dressing the
wounds OF Charles Davis it was confused
wound which appeared haggRred, and - IL
made ty blunt instrument.
smith A Beekham testified that he was we'll
acquainted with deceased and that he was about
5 feet inches high, and weighed about 1875
pounds.
The prosecution here rested
john s. Mitchell, Esq, addressed the jury in
few words, saving that he would endeavor to
move that the blow was struck by another man
than Hugh F. Sweeney and that the blow was
inflicted with = blackjack. He would produce
the evidence of a scientific man, who would show
to the Jury the conclusiyeness OF this fact, and
would show there Was no striking on the part OF
Sweeney.
He called ~ the first witness, Hugh f. Swee-
new who said that previous to the eXcurtisn he
| worked in Philadelphia at carpentering while
| in the dining room talking to George Davis about
seeing q friend, Davis told him to go OUT he
beck0ned to his friend, John Mcguire, TO come
| to him. who held him by both arms; that Lewis
p LegR got up from the table and come over to
| the carving table and struck Davis with black
lack; that Philip Baker stood between Davis and
himself and he said to Baker to go out with
| him that when arrested in the street by the
4 officers he told them they had hold OF the wrong
| man; he had OH light pants, purple vest, and
white thirt, but had no coat on that he saw
/ Legg put blackjack in his pocket when he came
| down here; that the doctor examined his knuckles
| in prison, aud told the doctor in answer to a
| question that they did not hurt him he never
/ struck a blow with them.
| DR.. John j. Reese, practising physician Of
| PhilSdelphia, said he was present when the ca
| animation Of the body was made thought the
| fracture Of the skull was made by blackjack,
and did not bear evidence Of having been made
| with the list if it had been made by the first,
/ the knuckle would have been bruised
Miss Ella Turner testified she lived in Will
mington and was here on the excursion, and that
she sat at the table with Lewis b. Legg she did
not know Sweeney Legg went up to the carving
| table where Davis was standlngi knew Sweeney
| when a boy.
|
| come here with the excursion; saw Mcguire have
| hold OF Sweeney; told her brother Philip to come
| out as he was talking very loud she knew Legg
but did not see hun that day until she got to the
| boat.
John Mcclure testified to holding Sweeney
/ by both arms during the trouble, because he wac
1 noisy and quarrelsome, and that he took him out
| of the dining room; saw Legg at the table
| Baker was At the left Of hun, he looked like
Sweeney heard man in the street order Swoe'
| ney's arrest.
VIM. Riley testified that he saw Sweeney, but
| did not see anyIof the trouble between Davis
and him he did not see hun do anything saw
| Legg when he was at the carving table.
| William Quinn said he was merchant tailol
| in Wilmington, aud had known Sweeney Il
| years, and liIs character was good.
| Savoy Evans sad he belonged in Wilmington
| and came here On the excursion ON coming
| from the boat. saw the crowd Sweeney wal
holding two men saw the officers arrest Swee
| uey knew him from boyhoOd, and Away,
| thought his character good
Lewis Mason was sworn and said he lived il
Philadelphia; saw tile fracas IN the hotel, bn
did not see Sweeney there.
Leighton Grimes testified that he saw Sween
| ey in the new dining room, and saw him ant
Maguire go out the door; saw Legg eating hi
dinner few minutes before the trouble.
| Hugh Sweeney, ST., the father of the prsone
testified that he always knew bis sons characte
to be good.
At this point the evidence closed, when Mr. Hoag
land the prosecutor Of the pleas, began summing
up for the State. He claimed that the prosecution
had made out their case that they had prove
, Sweeney guilty Of the crime charged. He aske
that the jury would render justice to ali partie
concerned. He did not come there in spiri
7 of vengance. The testimony of his witnesse
, was unimpeachable, but some one has evident
ly lied He asked the jury to weigh well the ev
idence on both Sides and only asked justice il
the rendering OF the verdict.
The associate counsel for the defence, John 5
Mitchell, ESD, in summing up, thought tina
the evidence OF the defence could leave d
F., doubt in the minds OF the jury as to the limo
. venienoe of the accused. They had hear
how contradictory was the testimony
the prosecution. The testimony OF Swet
ney was a plain, unyarnshed story, as We
I as that Of the other " illnesses, some OF whol
i testified to the character OF the defendant
being good. There was nothing in Sweeney
y evidence indicative of lie. There was nothln
o in it that bore the semblance of lie. 1t was nj
picture Of the imagination. 1t was reatio
of the doings OF the defendant on that da
They had shown by their evidence that Leg
!. struck the fatal blow, and that it was done /
: the use OF blackjack.
. The Court at this point adjourned till Wed
d nesdAy, at 10 A. NJ. CHARLES