The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-24
GORE IN
THREE SHOCKING TALES OF Al
TEMPTED MURDER FROM THE
CITY ON THE DELAWARE

Poison, Knife, and Pistol-Bennett's YER
sion of the Hulfsh ~Story-Her Body
in the Canal-Colored Marital Anie-
licity.
Two carriers, Joseph Gruff and William
Derry, of East Camden, are in serious
difficulty. They are under arrest on One
charge of attempting to deliberately
poison James Collins, who drives a mllk
wagon for Mr.. Taylor. Collins Is puV
seventeen years of age, but he is vleorou
and active, and in a disturbance is founo
on the side of law and order. On more
than one occasion Constable Zane mas
called upon him for assistance in making
arrests, and his service was always given
On Thursday night last the policeman
was attempting to lock up W1lllam Drao
ley, who has the reputation OF haylns IT,
lated the liquor law for many years. -
was resisting, and the sympathy Oh Sne
crowd, as usual, was with Bradley. ~
Inns happened to come along, and tne po-
liceman called upon him for assistance
and Bradley was soon locked up.
On Friday night Gruff, who Is a Son-In-
law of Bradley, sent for Collins. He pro-
ceeded to Gruff's stable, accompanied "
Frank Murphy and James Jameson. ~
was surmised by the young men tnab
Gruff meant to upbraid Collins tor assist,
ing in the arrest of his father-lnlaW' anu
they were prepared for it. On the COL
trary, Gruff offered to employ Collins 70
drive a team, but this he declined.
Just as the men were about TO leaVe,
the son-in-law of Bradley invited Collins
to AXE a glass of cider. After persuasion
he consented, n the glass was hahq :
to him by William Derry. After the
drinking Gruff asked Collins to drive ms
team down to his new house, which he
consented to do. The three young men
mounted the wagon and drove OF. Ihey
had proceeded but a short distance Wnen
had been driving. When his companions
picked him up he was apparently uncon-
scious. Suddenly he was seized with
commissions and violent vomiting.
The young man was driven rapidly 10
his home and DR.. Reece summoned; Upon
his arrival he at once pronounced the case
one of mineral poisoning. After astrug-
gle for hours the young mans life was
saved. DIR. Reece informed Justice kope
and Constable Zane that the giving OF too
much poison possibly saved Collins life.
An Investigation by these ofnclaIs re-
vealed that James Jameson saw Derry
drop a white powder into the glass before
the cider was given to Collins. Murphy
also said he heard Gruff say to Derry,
'Give it to him." just before Derry took
up the glass. Murphy thought that he
meant for Derry to hit Collins.
With these facts the case was laid be-
fore Assistant Prosecutor R~idgeway, who
ordered the arrest of Gruff and Derry:
They were taken into custody and held
for a hearing.
Another Camden Crime.
About ten O'Clock Monday night
Alonzo Curtis, a young colored man, Of
Philadelphia, shot his cousin Sam, alias
SANDY Curtis, of No. $40 Sycamore
street, Camden, infiicting a painful
wound. The ARRAY occurred at Broad
way and Chestnut street, Camden, and
created great excitement.
1t appears that Alcnzo had been paying
more than the proper amount of attention
to "Sandy's" wife and the latter stopped
him on the street last night and asked
for an explanation. For an answer
Alonzo drew a murderous looking pistol
and shot at his kinsman. The first shot
grazed "Sandy's'' side and the second
would have gone straight through his
body had not a %bystander struck his arm
and disconcerted his deadly aim. - AS it
was the ball penetrated the foot at the
instep, making a serious, ragged wound.
The injured man was taken into the
residence of Alderman Dill and his
wounds attended to, while the crowd
rave chase to the assailant.
Undertaken JefferlS was passing at the
time and was soon at the front of the line
of pursuers. The desperate negro found
himself hard pressed and soon stood at
bay with the pistol in his hand. He
called out to Mr.. Jetferis, with o horrible
oath, that he would shoot him if he laid
hands on him, and then turned and fled
with redoubled speed, making good his
escape. The police were soon on the
ground, and all the ferries were watched.
Alonzo was cut in the face with a razor
on the Fourth of July. He still bears the
marks of that terrible encounter. Com
plant was lodged against the fugitive be-
fore Squire Dill.
The Deacon Went Wrong.