Daily Republican., 1886-03-04
THE sHARPLEss MURDEK.
A Sensation Caused by the Presence o
the Stand OF the Widow.

II
| MEDIA, March 8 The trial of samuel
johnson, the oolored man charged with
the murder Of John Sharpless, WAS re-.
eumed In the Delaware County court
this morning, The court room was
thronged with people eager TO hear the
case. johnson was seated by the side
Of his lawyers, the object of everbody's
gaze. Tho frs; witness called was
Joseph Michle. the neighbor OF the late
John Sharpless. who found the dead
body lying In the stable. He testified
to this fact, and TO his seeing the fre 81
Lindsey's barn about the time he found
the body. William Michle, a brother
Of Joseph, testified TO the same points
E. Il. Hall, civil engineer, submitted
a plan Of the Sharpless house, barn and
surroundings. Prison Warden j. NJ.
Bauer, testified to the changed appear
ance johnson has undergone since his
Incarceration. He has grown stouter
and looks decidedly better. Alexander
Pritchard, the rolored man who was
released from the Philadelphia jail with
johnson. testified, telling the same
story he related at the time of John
sons arrest. 1t was to the effect tina,
johnson had said 10 him that he wss
going to make raise in order to go tC
New York.
johnson left him the Monday morn
Ing Of the Sharpless murder, as he said
to work down in the country to make
the raise. Pritchard saw kim n few
tdays later, and johnson told him ht
had six dollars, and related the circum
stances OF the fire and about tho strik
ing OF the old man. Molly Stevens, the
Ireputed wife Of johnson, was put on
the stand, but the defence raised the
point that she was not competent wit.
ness. This point was sustained by
Judge Clayton. This was considered
as q point scored In favor of the de
fence.
Interest in the trial this afternoon
was even greater than In the morning
The court room WAS crowded TO It's ut
most capacity, and interest reached its
highest when the Widow Sharpless and
other members of her household entered
the court room. When Mrs. Sharpless
entered through q private door TO nvoid
the crowd, leaning on the arm Of hei
tphysiclan, DR.. Rowland, dead silence
bore evidence Of the silent grief oveI
her recent loss. As soon rs she was
seated all eyes turned 70 the prisoner
made no apparent Impression on him
He sat with stolid indifference and
lgazed into the ladies' faces intently
The scene was an impressive one, and
will not soon be forgotten ~ such occur
Fences aIe rarely enacted.
The testl mony OF Mre. ShaIpless was by
all considered the most important of tn,
lday. She detailed the visit OF the un-
known man TO her house on November
%, the fated Sunday evening, with
much clearness as 70 how he asked fol-
assistance TO repair his wagon; hov
IJohn Sharpless went TO the barn fol
Irops, and how the man returned 10 thu
house and asked for money, all Of which
was published at the time. Upon thu
Iprisoner's standing mp before her sh'
said bis general appearance bore 6
strikIng resemblance to the unknown
imam, his voice was similar, bis com
Iplexion much the same; his teeth, how
lever, seemed not quite 30 prominent
nor did he appear quite 30 tall as thu
visitor on the Sunday evening Of th'
murder.
To direct question she said she wa
mot positive that no was the man. JAM
Pratt, her sister, who was In the hOusI
at the time and aroused neighbo
IMlckle, testified 70 much the same, anC
corroborated Mrs. Sharpless' testimony
~ did also Lydia Reynolds. who recog
Inized Johns sn's voice as much the sam
ss that of the Sunday night visitor.
Daniel Livingstone, one of the keep
ers of MoyamensiDg prison, recognizes
the coat produced az similar 10 the on
given him when released from jAi
November 20. Charles Stevens testf
fed to johnson coming to his house at
o'clock the morning after the murder
There was other oorroboIated testimony
The case will hardly be concluded be
fore Friday.