The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-02-16
going toward Centralia is about mile and a
\RD sCHAErFER SWORN

| EDWARD SCHAETFER SWORN
lived in Centralia in October, 1868;
saw Mr.. Rea at twenty minutes past nine
o'clock on the morning of the 18th of Octo.
ber, 1868; saw him driving away from
Ceutraliai in buggy saw him next when
his dead body was brought home did not
attend the inquest.
Cross-examined.-Q You saw Rea at
Mount Carmel that morning? A. No, sir /;
in Centralia; he wa, about a hundred yards
from bis own house, and it was twenty min
utes past nine when | saw him.
@ What kind of horse did be have I?
A. A black horse.
Q Wasn't tita large bay mare that he had :
A. No, sir.
Q. Was there cover on his wagon7
A. don't know, sir.
A map OF the scene of the murder and vi
cinity was produced and sworn to as correct
in all its details by Mr.. Charles Patterson
| of Ashland.
Court then adjourned until two o'clock, at
which time Kelly was Brought from the Jail,
where he is carefully guarded by Captain
Linden, and placed ON the witness stand.
Before he was sworn, counsel for the pris-
oners objected to his competency as wit
ness on the ground that he had been SEN
fenced in 1867 in Schuylkill county for
highway robbery and that the sentence had
not been fully served. He also said that
there were other sentences which Kelly had
not served. The Commonwealth answered
the objection by producing pardon from
the Governor. After some argument the
Court decided that Kelly was competent,
and he was sworn. He told the story of his
crime with fearful detail, and we give it in
full, as the most important in the case.
KRLLY's TESTIMONY.
Q. Where arc you from, Kelly? A.
came from Ireland in 1865, and landed at
Castle Garden; went from Castle Garden
to Wilkes Barre then l went to Old Mines,
and then back again, and then to Malone,
York State; in 1867 left there and went to
Sunbury then worked for man named
Savage, ON the road between Sunbury and
DanvilIe in 1867 went to Locust Gap;
know the prisoners at the bar; met all
three in Locust Gap; met Hester in the
winter went there, and McHugh at the
same time, and met Tully shortly after;
WAS intimately acquainted with them.
Q. Did you belong to any organization Of
which they were members?
Objected to. Objection overruled.
L A a. Ill. Z.
Maguires; we met frequently, but nevel
belonged to the body in Locust Gap;
worked at Green Ridge and met McHugI
there often, and used to meet the othe
men at the Gap.
@. Did you meet these prisoners in Octo
Der, 1868! A. met Pat. Hester, Petel
McHugh and Ned Skivington at Big Mine
Run in Barsey Dolan's, on the 10Th of Oc
tober, 1858; Hester was going down tht
morn,ain With Skivington; Hester Vas 60
ing to the Plane and he missed the train, Sc
he came back to Dolsn's and had rink
we then walked to Ashland to Donohue',
saloon; Hester said lost something by no
going down the mountain to-day, but there,
a good thing to be got tomorrow; "Rea will
go to Bells Tunnel tomorrow" said Hes
ter, land there's money in it for u.s."
Q. VINO was there? A. Hester, McHugh
Tully. Skivington, Brian Campbell, jim
Bradley, Billy Muldowny and Laferty ant
myself.
@. Did you all belong to the same society
A. Yes, sir.
| @. IVas Jack Dolphin there? A. Yes
tsir.
| @. What was done? A. After we agreet
to go, Roger Lafferty, alias Johns.one, wen
across the street and bought some powde
and ball and came back and loaded the pis
tolls each one of us had pistol; we dranl
and drank and staid all night; all but Laf
ferty went out in the morning to meet Mr.
Rea and rob him when we got as far as Ger
mantown, Muldowney left us, saying he wa
lame when we got above the toll gate Hes
ter and skivingtop left US, and Heste
handed me his pistol, saying, "Kelly, you
pistol is no good, take mine for know it
sure" and he said be would go to Shamokil
to buy hair to mix lime with, and Skiving
ton said he would 90 and work in the mine
to throw off suspicion the rest of rs wen
on to the Water B.rrep and stopped there
we then talked about Rea and his boy, an
we agreed that if the boy was with Rea W
would send the boy home with the horse
' we had to shoot Rea; Bradley said he Wa
' not known in Centraia, so he went and gc
: a quart of whisky and some crackers and "
eat them; fve Of us didn't know Rea, Z
, Dalton got on the road to signal soon
= man came along in a wagon. bnt Dalto
didn't shake his hat, so we allowed him
pass then another man passed with ligf
D wagon, and we let him go by as Dalto
T didn't wave his hat before this man can
up Dalton went out on the road to see WI
r was coming, and then he came into the WOO,
(; again; then a buggy came along and Dalto
# gave the signal, and when the wagon g
n opposite the Water Barrel we jumped o.
d Oh him; Rea got out of the buggy when v
o told him to; he handed his watch al
Q pocket book to me, and he said nothing !;
% asked McHugh what we would do wi
1t the man, and McHugh said, II won't
hunted around the country by any livil
e man." then the shooting began Rea II
into the woods and TilE ran up to him al
o shot him through the ear; we then went
y the mou nisin and divided the money, six
dollars Dalton got ten-dollar bill with
u corner off; Tplly and McHugh and | 3
into Grsn.SnR some time that day, and
r the afternoon drove to Locust Gap with
sr beer man; when l got to Dooley's | sc
ir Mrs. Dooley out for pair of clean stoc
ings; l got home about half-past two
y three.
Q. When did you meet Rea? A.
l. tween nine and ten O'Clock, think he r
inta tha hnshaa h;ra-olf n.i ..a I.G l.