The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-11-26
COMMONWEALTH Va. HUGHES.
HABEAs CORPUS HEARING.


large crowd TO the Court House last Thurs
day morning at 10 a. m. Every seat was
filled. District Attorney Bilmeyer con-
Quoted the examination, and @. q. Barkley
and James Scarlet, Esqs., looked after the
interests of the defendant The hearing
was simply for the purpose Of fixing the
question of bail, and no witnesses we're
heard for the defense. The hearing was
before Judge Elwell and lasted from 10 a.
m. to 3 p. m, with an hours intermisson
at noon. Following is synopsis Of the
testimony.
AMOS NEyHARD.-Was sent for by James
Long, on 18th, to come TO his place. Be-
fore | got there saw defendant crossing
street. Man came out Of hotel and sail,
"Hold on, you - or stop, you -"
and ran towards Hughes who said, "If
you strike me I'll shoot you" Wells
walked very fast to catch up to him.
Hughes drew his revolver after he turned
around. came out of an alley and before
| could get to them the shooting was done.
When | first saw Hughes he was on Pine
street, going towards Snyder & Sleppy's
store, and Wells was after him. When
Wells struck him he rolled over into the
square where Main and Pine cross. Am
not positive how many shots, know there
were three. 1t was about l50 feet from the
alley to the crossing. Think Wells was
alive when got there. Saw nothing in
Hughes hands. Didn't see the revolver.
Heard Long ask Hughes for the revolver,
and he gave it to him. | then took
Hughes in charge and went before Esq.
Conner, who said should take him to jail.
We came to Bloom to the Exchange Hotel,
from there to Esq. Clark's, where a com.
mltment was made out, and delivered
him to the Sheriff
Hughes made no attempt to escape. He
brought me to Bloom in his rigging
j. W. MAsTELLER.-Am clerk in A. B.
Stewards store, opposite Longs hotel, in
Orangeville. On 18th Hughes came in
| store for tobacco. He sat down awhile,
with little Polander boy on his lap; he
| asked for candy, and as we had none
Hughes gaye the boy some money, and the
boy kissed his hand, and he laughed.
After he got the tobacco he asked me If
had heard about the racket on Friday
| night. l told him | had. He said, "He
called him a blacK-hearted - -
| and that was pretty hard to take, but the
| way he threw me against the wall in the
wash room, he can handle three like me- ,
| Hughes went out and as he reached the
| pavement Wells came towards him, and
| commenced striking at him. Hughes
| backed away and said, keep away" or
| something like that. Wells struck him
three times, and then he fell on his
knees and Wells caught him by the throat
| and bent him back so that his head nearly
| touched the ground, and then | heard the
| first shot. Wells struck him a terrible
blow in the face. heard it smack, and
| Hughes fell on his back in the road. Wells
| jumped on him with his koees on Hughes
breast and striking him in the face with his
fist Then were three more Shots and
with the last Wells fell over on his bac k
| Hughes got up and said. 81 told him tc
keep away, told him to keep away" and
then asked for Capt. Conner, a Justice
The constable then took charge Of him
Hughes gave his pistol to Long without
hesitation His face was covered will
blood when he got up. Wells was nearly
6 feet tall, aud would weigh about 1S(
| Is II m
as he came at him. but didn't understand
| it, Hughes made no demonstration to
wards Wells, except to throw up his arms
and ward off the blows. 1t was 20 fee
from the corner to the point where Hughes
fell.
| JAMES NJ LoNG.-Keep hotel at Orange
vile. Hughes was there on 18TH for 10 o.
10 minutes, he went out about 1:15. II,
was at the bar with Samuel Adams. Well
wasn't in the bar room, don't think he saw
Hughes that morning. Wells was in tn,
dining room leaning against the wall. III
couldn't see out into the bar room. Hughe
said to Adams, 'If this ---- touche
me you'll have corpse to haul home"
hadn't heard any previous talk. Hughe
reached in his overcoat pocket and hell
out revolver. l went to the door ant
sent for the constable, for | was afrait
there would be fuss. | left the two II
the bar room aud went in to see Wells ant
said to Wells, "For Gods sake don't com
out; he has a pistol and will shoot you.
My wife and man named Myers also trie'
to persuade him no. to go out. Adam
called him out into the hail, and l wen
into the bar room. Hughes had gone ou
and | didn't see him again until l saw hin
in the street, about 40 feet from She hotel
Was standing at the side of Wells, who la
there on his back. said to him, 'Yo
have killed a man, give me the revolver,
and he gave it to me. | heard three shot
close together. l said, "My God, there
goes" and ran ont into the street. l hav
the revolver in my pocket. Produces it.
1t is a shooter there is one load in 1t now
Don't know where Wells went after Adam
called him out. Wells had no coat on a
the morning. Saw Hughes and Wells bot
in the Exchange Hotel bar room the nigl
before. Didn't see the fuss. When | WEI
in Wells had his coat and vest of and
made him put them on | was in front o
the hotel when the fuss was Samuel Ac
ans met us, he was in the Benton stag
and Wells and | were in a buggy. Wei
promised me he wouldn't say word
Hughes. lie was angry at Hughes, an
when went up he SAID, $50 away, jim
or will knock you down, too" We a
went back to Orangeville together Adam
and Wells were together next morning
When told him not to come out of dinin
room he looked mad. | went into celli
aud passed Wells as went down, he hH
his fists clinched. l was afraid he was g
ing for Hughes, came out OF cellar an
heard three shots, and said "There
goes" John Mowry and Alfred Winte
spaugh in the bar room. | helped carl
Wells to pavement He made one gas
We carried body into parlor An inque
was held by Esq Conner.
ALBERT YosT.-Am II years old. Sa
Hughes come out Stewards store. | sat {
| SIanny,s oornar on Pine street side | "a