The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-09-17
COURT PROCEEDINGS

Commonwealth vs.. Joseph Van Sickle
Larceny of "ten dresses" from Mrs. Rachel
Howell, at the burning of the Normal School
dormitory. We think the following speci-
men explains the whole matter.-It is the
testimony in full Of a single witness mot
more than onc-tenth of the casc,) for the de-
fence, who seems to be singularly clear
headed, although little singular in his Eng
:. sh L. Il. Ikeler, Esq conducted the ex-
H,minaton.
"AIr Frank Slayman, were you at the fire
last Saturdays"
81 was
care you acquainted with Joseph Van
Sickle, the defendant hcre?'
81 am"
"Did You see him thcre?'
81 didn't see him there, but saw him on
the way going there when was going there.
GLOW long had he been then at work ?"
"IAat | can't tell"
"Wcll, about,-as near as you can"
"Can't say how long he was there at ALL
| met him when | was going there"
Did you assist him any with this bundle
of clothes?"
81 did"
"Whercabouts did you help carry them? ?"
81 assisted him with helping them over
the fence between the corn field and wheat
stubble."
"Will you state from your own knowl-
edge, what his object was in taking the
clothes and removing them"
"Well, from the story that he told met
looked plausible-tlat he were trying to
save them for Mrs. Howell and her daughter
Rachel"
"With that impression did you assist him?'
81 did Charles Dcckar and | started
from the planning mill in East BIoomsburg,
ut the time Of the fire and, instead Of going
up East Street, we struck right out below
and crossed up through the fields in direct
course from the planing-mil the building
that was on fire; and, when we got up to
| the fence between the cornheld and wheat
stubblc, we saw some one, I'VE didn't know
who it was at that timc) with large bundle
that | supposed he got at the fire, and il
somewhat amused Us at his eXcrtons, trying
to roll that bundle of clothing (it proved to
J be altcrward) away from the fire. And Mr.,
Dcckar made the remark to me that that lel-
low was cxerting himself very much with
| the bundle, but neither him nor knew who
it was at the time, We stayed there for q
few minutes at the fence, and this fellow
Van Sickle it proved to be aiterwards) hol-
| Tered and made q motion for one of us Ia
come up Tor both of Us to come up) to assist
him to get that bundle away, and DeckaI
told me he would go up and see what the
fellow wanted, and | stayed still. What
passed between him and Deckar | can't say,
but Dcckar helped him down toward the
fence where | stood, and | saw then that il
was Van Sickle, the man there, the prisoner
now, and Us soon as he came, | says, says |
Joe, what's the matter" Said he, have
got Mrs IIowels (RachePs) clothes here
and, says he, am going to take care OF them
That was the amount of il then. Well, say
/, how far are you going to take them Say
/ he, / ulll going " lNhC llAClil AoNA ~ WV 80"
side Says | he should leave them here
But he said, no, am going to take then
down to Fourth Street, to Johns. No, h'
said, they are Rachel Howell's, and the ole
lady's and am not going to take my eye
OIL them. | am going to take them dow
there, then | shall know they are safe TIL,
bundle had come open and the clothes wer
dirty some. tolu him to tie them up, an'
F. helped him tic them up. lie said, am 60
ing to do them up right nicely and take car
of them. Well, said |, that's all right
With that | started on, and went up to tn
fire"
"Did you think he was under the inAu
/. ence of liquor? Did you notice tina. h
was?"
"Well, he might have been, very slightly
not so much so but what he knew what h
= was about. lie was little excited like ey
cry body else there but don't think the in
nuence of the liquor hurt him at all.