The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-28
Pious Ruffians in the Grip
of the Law
THE WOMEN IN THE CASE.
Jersey Justice Again at Fault-The Infamous
Authors of the Rock Mill Outrage
Admitted to BAIL
STATEMENTS OF THE PRISONERS

yesterday afternoon, before Justice Covert, OF Har
hngen, village the new line OF tho Central Rail-
voad OF New Jersey and some three miles from Rock
Mills II is about fortytwo miles from New York. 1t
expected that the confronting Of the accused and
The rigid examination proposed would astcn the crime
on tho men now in custody even more firmly than
their confessions have done and definitely settle
the real authorship OF the outrage Al tho last mo-
mont, however, by the advice of State Attorney
Voorhees,, the formal hearing deferred until
further steps be taken TO the swo implicated
parties still at largo, and for the additional that
Hon, ono Of the men In Somervie Jail, is pros
tratcd by an attack Of scarlatna and cannot DO
moved.
THE ALLEGED usrl0AToRs OF THE CRIME
On Thursday last Justice Covert issued warrants for
the apprehension OF Fanny Conover. Jacob Shepherd
and James Tuttlc Peak, OF Rock Mills, charge Of
causing the entrance into the house Of Amos n. Shep
herd and the subsequent violence done 10 his wife
Tho warrants issued the affidavit OF William
Docherty, the eldest Of the Docherty brothers, OF
shch the following Is a copy
DocHERrY's STATEMENT.
con the 10th OF January 1877, started from here
with the intention of going the donation party at
the parsonage and stopped at tho store Richard Van
LEW and my brother Howard IN the store
asked them II they would 60 with to tho donation
party Richard Van Ltcw said they intended to have
was going do. He said Mrs Shepherd had come up
the mountain and Fanny Conover had offered half
gallon OF rum TO and feather her, and ho IVA LEVI
said he going up TO Jacob Shepherds, and would
stay there until they back what he Jacob
shepherd) said about it, and stayed until he came
BACK and said Shepherd would como down in half an
hour Shepherd came down and said he would 60
Fanny Conover and find what she said about It,
When he came back he said Fanny Conover said. go
ahead with 1t and she would pay all expenses. Then
Van Liew sent up TO Shepherds house to got
cider. When l got there called Shepherd out and
told him they agoing with it, and they wanted
him to give them come cider He let me have
The cider and said nothing about 1t. Then
went back to futile Peaks barn. There We a-Rich-
ard Van Lew Isaac Peak John Corbit, Charles HoY,
Alfred Cray, Howard Docherty and mysef-drank tho
cider. After drinking we all went In futile Peaks
store. There Richard Van L,ow called mo and
told that Dory Stout had been there and told him
that Fanny Conover had sent him down with word
60 ahead with 1t and she would pay all expenses.
Stout said he would give hall dollar too. Then Tut
tie Peak told could black ourselves In his
house. He (Peak) said he would disguise himself
and 60 with Then blackened our
selves and Peaks VITO told him he
should not 90, but should stay at home and have
things ready for wash of with when returned,
and told US must around by the back door
when got back. Then Peak went up stairs, got
some feathers and gave thcm TO Richard Van LEV.
Then went to the house Of Amos Shepherd and
haloed TO Shepherd. He asked what wanted.
Some said wanted TO come and get warm.
Shepherd said ne had wood aud no fire, and told
10 60 down to the store and warm there Then Alfred
Cray asked him II ne would lend him his gun. shep-
herd asked who wanted the gun. Cray said Jerry
Cray. Then Shepherd SAID he would not lend his gun.
Isaac Peak then broke open the door and all went into
The kitchen. Isaac Peak struck match and looked to
and lamp. Did not lind one anu commenced
kicking at the stair door. Some haloed srhere
Shepherd and his wife were both in the road Mrs
Shepherd slipped on the Ice and fell and Isaac Peak
took hold of her. Then she shouted Tor Amos, her
husband. Shepherd stopped and looked around
Charles Hon SAID, There goes the OF -, catch
him. aud ran after HIM Shepherd ran again and
shouted murder aud Alfred Cray went right down
tho road Tutte Peaks store, aud lett the crowd.
We went 10 washing or tho backing. In about fifteen
Peak asked II we had done It, They said they had
and had carried her back and put her in the house.
AVE az go. up We %sr F nome
Con0ver's. told her We had done the job. sup
posed she would stand good Tor half gallon of rum.
She SAID If they had tarred and feathercd her sh0
would pay for tho whiskey. Shc said she had
change, but would come down the store OF futile
met Jacob Shepherd. He said he would 60 and
Fanny Conover and get the money Tor us: Richard
Van Lew and Isaac Shepherd asked me II would go
along with Shepherd and bring the money back.
Shepherd and went over there. We called Mrs Con-
pver out, and shepherd told her thom fellows wanted
Their money for doing the Job OF tarriDg. She said
n she paid II Mr. Hegeman would say she
had ured the boys to do it. She did not pay then,
but down to Peak s store about two hours
alter, and went in the back store with futile Peak and
his wife, Alfred Cray went in after her. After ten
Cray some money. Then Tuttlc Peak and Fanny Con.
over told US to go of and not come back till we got
sober Alter Cray myself of the back
store asked how much he got. He showed me 81 5o'
The warrants were served late on Friday afternoon
by Constable Brace OF Harlisgen, and alter nghtial
tha vi hrou baio In he
amount of their statement Is more or less definite
denial OF their responsibility Tor the crime. All are
ana their evidence gwen loosely and at times al
most incoherently: Jacob shepherd, bury, black
bearded farmer Of Rock Mills, brother Of Amos Shep
herd 10 the following extraordinary explanation
OF his connection with the outrage
JACOB SHEPHERDS STATEMENT
Il have no knowledge OF the crime charged against
me IN this suit William Docncrty and John Corbit
came to my house and got pail OF CIDER. As they
Tor this and short time alter they gone Howard
Dochery came uD and said Richard Van Lew had
sent him up for some tar. ! let him have the tar
Richard Van Lew told me that Fanny Conovcr wanted
mo TO come up there to get some money TO buy rum
bcrd's wife. / went see Fanny Conover. She told
me II was not so. Fanny Conover asked II was
iorit told her would not have anything to do
MRS. coSovsgs STATEMENT
Mrs Fanny Conover IL not quite as vasr" In her
dehnition OF her connection with The affair bs Shep
herd The substance oi her Acknowledgements Is as
foIlows:-''l had no particular grudge against Hege
THE cousin OF the outraged woman, went away aad
thought nc went with her felt bad He had sod out
Snd Sw Ani He od leave his we and three children
on my hands aud had TO keep them. When Mrs
Shepherd came back was talking with some neigh
bors Of mine about H. They wero all women They
oil agreed with me that had boen OF with Jake
Hegefnan. I said would ave good deal to get her
tarrcd and fcathcred or have something else donc
10 her to punish her. They went away, and must
have spoken about II, for next day Jake Shepherd
came to me and asked II meant what said. told
he ne l
done. DIDN'T promise him any money Tor doing II.
heard of IL the next morning William Docherty
same amt told me about H. went down TO Peaks
store, where they all were, and they asked me Tor
money | asked Peak what should do. II didn't
give them money to get whiskcy was afraid they
would tear my house out Peak advised me TO give
them tho money. only had dollar and he