Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-12-02
COURT PROCEEDINGS.
The Townsend nlurdSr.

0VVnB PRVVEEBuW04s
The Townsend Nurdsr.
CONCLUSION OF TEE oAsr-AHRxx AND wxIrxI
Acou1rTED-THE JuaY OUT 1OSH HouRs.
We broke of, last week, In the midst Of the
Testimony in the murder case which occurred
near Townsend, last Summer.
J.E. Townsend WAS called in behalf of the State
He testified % follows: Am Constable; ON the
night Of the 10th Of August had Just returned
from Middletown ; was informed that there
was man lying dead 1t the switch Nicholas
Barlow, myself and some others went and found
the man lying in ditch by tho west side line,
$40 yards from Kirkwood station; took
him TO tho station and locked him up in q
freight car when l got to where the man was
lying. found wound in tho right side Of the
head near tho temple went to squire Wilson
was supposed to have been guilty got posse
and went to Ahren's house about IL o'clock and
got them both from bed went back to TOWN.
send and passed the place where the man was
lying d. @. Rhoads said "this il the place
where the body WAS !" Weitel said "Yes, the
stones"
DIR. Geo. T. Chamberlain sworn Am prsc.
tisng physician made the post mortem exam
nation on the body Of the deceased found \
depression on the skull the skull WIS fractur-
cd, 1t was = ixcersted bruise the wound was fA-
tai.
Here the State rested when W. c. Spsuance.
Esq opened in defense Of Ahren and B. Nields,
Esq stated the facts In defense OF Weitel. The
defense is an dliJi,
At the re-sssembling Of Court, clock the
xoamination OF witnesses was begun.
Dennis Ahren was called: Know George Wei
tel !; took him from an orchard to work on the
road until 10Th Of August he was an indus
trious, pescesble man Wetel waa in my porch
when my wife went to Conwsy's.
Thomas Scott sworn: Live at Middletown !;
was at Lorels Drying House, close to Black bird
station Ahren came there on tho night Of the
lsth Of August. about P. N. he stayed an
hour iu pleasant conversation, but nothing
about any trouble with tramp.
Richard Warren, Jr.. sworn Know Patrick
Ahren, and saw him that evening st Black
bird station talked there, but nothing
heard female voice from the n. r. ; Ahfen
went over to the woman, who Was his mother.
Aunie Ahren sworn: Am mother Of Patrick
Ahren he is 20 years old he is the second Of
eight children remember 18th Of August had
supper at Pat ate his supper with the men
and dressed himself and wont out in little
while went out to the station with pitcher of
milk to take to Mrs Conway's; saw = crowd
standing stand, there called, Paddy, arc you
he SAID he would go We walked along the rail
road two Of my children Joined me when
got to Conway's, they said Paddy had been
there ! said, /" He came with me ! along the
way nothing was said about tramps was at Con-
ways 10 OF 10 minutes was waiting for down
train to pass before crossed the railroad bridge,
1t was dark when went away from ConwAy's |;
we all went home, eat watermelon and went to
bed PADDY with US and Weitel in the barn Af-
ter IL O'Clock heard = knock At our door, and
awakened my husband went down and saw Mr.
Townsend aud several men there +; l asked what
they wanted Townsend asked il Paddy was in
said Yes, why?" he said there had been .
man hurt and that Patty and George had been
charged called Pat and a. he did not wake
went up and shook him ; he said f" what 10 the
matter3" told him Mr. Townsend wanted to
see him; he said, "well, will get up and go
barn.
John Ahren sworn remember the night OF
August 10 ; went with mother to Mrs. Conway's;
nothing said about tramp heard Of trouble
next morning John corroborsted his mother.
Catherine Conway testified the night the tramp
was found dead, Ahren came 10 her door about 8
o'clock; he WAS standing at the door; my bus.
band was mending his boots and Paddy joked at
him for not buying new pair; he then asked
for Murphy, . boarder, who was not In, and
started ~ | thought around the house 10 call
him; he WAS no more than gone when his mother
VAAoA
she started home; the down train had then pass
ed; whom went out With her, Patrick Ahren wal
waiting outside; went with Patrick, his mother
and John and Danny ~ far ~ the r. r. bridge
Oh their way home.
George Conway corroborated tho preceding
witness as to Ahrens presence at his door, aud
his mothers coming and going know We:tel
told him to come and zee me, and look out ~
had a bad dog believe him to be quiet, in
dustrious man.
Robert Fulton testified ~ to time Of train; No
being at Townsend at 7.60, and that this train
had to go of on siding to let other trains pass
there was a great deal Of shifting there during
this season on the side tracks, ~ it was peach
time and the cars did not rnn on their time Of
ten.
Samuel Townsend testified as to the frequent
shifting OF cars and had often seen them hurled
violently down the side track against other cars
He also spoke Of Ahren's remarkably good char
acter.
James McCarty sworn know Bidwell; had
conversation with him he told mo he did not eet
Ahren or Weitel do anything to the tramp; new
er told Bidwell it would not hurt his evidence Il
cay he did not see them do ANYTHING to the
tramp.
John B. Price sworn Bidwell told me hs
only saw Ahren throw one stone, and that die
not hit him; Bidwells reputation for truth Il
bad.
WIN. L. Riggs testified to TESTERS bad reputs
ton.
Bernard Sweeney sworn Jester told me q
Clayton, before this trouble, that he had hat
& revolver for Ahren and that he had hs,
some trouble with him.
Jacob Richardson, George D. Collins, Johl
Naylor, John Mshoney, and William Z. Evan
testified to Ahren's good character.
Bernard Sweeney testified to TESTERS bad rep
utatiou and said hs would not believe him on hi
oath.
Tho defense here closed, when the State cAllet
James O. Townsend to prove TESTERS good repu
tation but did not succeed we'll.
The State closed at about $50 Z. II. and coun-
sel then proceeded to argue the case finishing
ut 10 o'clock on Wednesday night.
The case was then given to the jury, win
remained out until 10 30 on the following Mon
day, returning then with . verdict OF not guilty
The Attorney General asked that the jury b.
polled, to which nine answered "yes, under th
circumstances" Tho verdict WAS ccmpromise'
one.
This Jury was out 1885 hours, being the long
est absence on record in this State.