The daily gazette., 1875-10-09
THE TRIAL OF A MAIDEN.
A BEAUTIFUL GIRLS ESCAPE
FROM A FELON'S CELL.


THE YOUTHS UL PRIsoNER A PLAN fRL
Waterman CAPTURED p-ACCUsAT1oNsl
OF BURGLARY WHICH WERE PROMPT
LII DrsMIssKD By JURY.
Miss Anna Connect, a pretty girl of
fourteen years 8, was tried for burglary
in the Court of Special SESSIONS at
Elizabeth last week. She lives with
her father and mother in cottage in
Pearce street, o beautiful little maple
shaded avenue in Plainf1eld. Her
father has property, and the family are
highly respectable. Anna had always
bore an unexceptional reputation. She
was constant attendant at the Second
Presbyterian Church, and shc stands
high in her class In the Sunday school
Adjoining the cottage Of her father is
the house of Ephraim and Elizabeth
Whittemore, couple who travel q
modest walk in life OIL the proceeds
derived from selling milk and keeping
few boarders. They are of frugal
disposition, and being unwilling to
trust their savings to banks and brok-
ers, they laid them away in their home
Their small change they stored up in
q little fancy colored and covered
basket ON shelf under the pantry
window. The window remained
open.
For year or more they missed small
sums from the house, and in the sum-
mer there were several petty thefts
from the fancy basket under the win
Idow. They watched and waited to
discover the thieves, but in vain, and
at length they decided to appoint Mr..
Darby night watchman. The pantry
In which the money was deposited Is
an extention of the house, and as it
adjoins the kitchen, the window of the
one is diagonally across from that of
the other.
It was thought best to post MIR. John
. R. Darky under the window of the
kitchen. On the sultry evening of
Aug. 10, between 8 and O'Clock, Mr..
Darby slowed himself away in his
position. and looked directly into the
pantry, scarcely an arms length away.
For some time the stiffness WIS intense
but at length he heard soft step on
: the gravel. A light form cleaned out
of the darkness, maiden's foot was
A placed on the stone abutment, and Mr.
d Darby alleges a head and pair ol
shoulders went carefully into the pan
try window.
"Then, Mr.. Darby says, he leaned
noiselessly through his own loophole,
tcaught the night visitor by the arm
J and dragged the form of Miss AIMS
Connett into view, and she cried OH
In alarm, "Oh, l wasn't going to ge
i it." He maintained his hold, ant
shouted at the top Of his voice, Eliza
beth, Ephraim, come, bring light.
], Mrs. and Mr.. Whittemore and severe
others streamed into the kitchen an,
stood about the prisoner and took
good look at her to be sure that it wa
surely Miss Anna Connect. Mrs
) Whittemore then went into the pantr,
ID and returned with the fancy basket
and its contents were examined.
Ill She said that she had placed fift.
cents in the basket as decoy, and a
proof In case the thief should be al
prehended. The money had not becl
IN touched, and Mrs. Whittemore chide'
her watchman, "Why didn't you lie
her take the money before you caugh
lherp" Mr.. Darby was crest fallen
and said nothing. Miss Connect ex
3 planned her action by saying that sh
~ had little pet dog that she confine
in the woodshed at night; that sh
went out of the house that evening I
catch the terrier, but it ran away frol
ne her and she followed it to the pantr
he window, and then she was seized b
mt the strong armed Darby.
She denied that she had crawled II
.. to the window or that she knew whsI
the money was kept. When Ann
rs went out she told her mother that oh
ri;ee was going to shut up her pet, and afte
he she returned from the pantry winde'
she informed her that the dog ha
90 been safely housed. This fact WI
. used at her trial.
nc The grand Jury indicated her o
II, 1.-TWO counts: first for breaking into an
rat entering a house in the night tim
with intent to steal, and second, II
r entering, without breaking into Il
house. The trial was before Judge
W. Runyon and Justice Farnham ar
Kownc.
Mr.. ]. Augustus Fay W Is counsel Il
Oh the State, and VIM. B. Maxson. Esq
'' an old California lawyer OF Plainfiel
. appeared for the defence. The cou
room was packed. The youth al
:. beauty of the defendant, the gravi
N. Of the alleged offence, and the novel
of the case, combined to produce
powerful impression upon the spec'
tors. The counsel for the State,
;, summing up, said he should aband,
tho first count, but should sue I
conviction on the second. He revie'
Del ed the testimony, which, In mai
points, was almost conclusive of gui
Cd and when he concluded, there was
, murmur OF disappointment over t
. seeming impossibility of acquittal.
Mr.. Maxson followed. He spoke
the promising life of his client in t
past, her spotless reputation, her po
ltion, her associations, and of the 1
I I possibility of so sudden desce
Through all the gradations of crime
the level of the midnight burglar a
robber.
As the lawyer concluded, with bo
ed head and In earnest tones, the Ell
was electrical. Half the jurym
were in tears. The jury retired,
almost instantly returned. ~