Bridgeton pioneer., 1889-12-12
MURDER IN MILLVILLE.
COLORED WOMAN OUTRAGED
AND KILLED.
john Knox. u GlassbJOwer. AR
rested on SuspiciOn--The
HnOueSf.


colored, a widow, was found lying in
a pool of blood on the second floor of
her home, on the Malaga road, by Mrs.
Frederick Roedle, who lives near by.
The body was still warm when found
Two physicians were summoned, but
the woman was dead before they ar
rived. Her clothing was saturated
with blood and almost torn from her
person. The body was taken in charge
by Coroner Miller, who summoned
Drs E H. Bidwell, of Vineland, and
A. Harkey, of Philadelphia, to hold a
post-mortem examination. The ply
sician found that the woman had been
fel0niously assaulted and injured to
such an extent that she died from the
assault.
The police began an investigation at
once and were informed by party
of gunners that a glassblower named
John Knox had been seen to hurriedly
leave the Biard woman's house about
sundown Thursday night. 1t was also
stated that other parties had seen him
with blood on his left hand and coat
that night. Knox could not be found
until late Friday afternoon, when he
was seen to enter his residence on
Columbia avenue, and he was i'm
medately arrested by Officer Levick,
who brought him to the Coroner's
Office. At the inquest the physicians
testified that the wounds were of the
most brutal character, the murderer
having cut her in the abdomen and
committed other brutal acts. Anthony
Lutz and William Marts, the two gun
ners who, it is alleged, saw Knox on
the Malaga road Thursday, and gave
the information to the police, swore
before the Coroner's jury Friday night
that Knox met them about sundown
Thursday night, very drunk, and first
told them that he had killed ''scab"
blower and thrown his body in the
woods, but afterwards said that
he had killed black woman, who
would not yield to him. AS Knox was
maudlin drunk, Lutz and Marts said
they did not take any stock in his
story, but when they heard about the
Biard woman being found dead Fri.
day morning, they recalled his talk.
Friday evening, after hearing the testi-
mony of the physicians, and Lutz and
Mart's testimony, the Coroner's jury
adjourned until Saturday morning at 10
o'clock. Knox was taken to the City
Hall. He denies the crime, and says
his hand was bloody because he cut it
with piece of glass while he was in
toxicated. He was employed at T..
G. Wheaton & Co.'s glassworks previ-
vious to their destruction by fire.
Knox is about 80 years old, and
came from Glassboro to Millville eight
months ago. He has wife and one
child. 1t was reported late Friday night
that he had made confession, in
which he duplicates two other we'll
known Millville men, but at 10 o'clock
he told a reporter that he was innocent.
The Coroner rhasinformation, however,
that the two men were with Knox at
the time of the murder, and the police
are searching for them. The murdered
woman was respectable, and worked
hard at washing and other work. Her
husband died two years ago from the
effects of an overdose of laudanum.
A PIONEER reporter was promptly
on hand to attend the inquest which
was continued Saturday morning by
Coroner Miller and a jury of nine men.
The following are the jurymen: Frank
Allen, Benjamin Davis. A. J. Steelman,
John Somers, VIM. Mayhem, Arthur
Wallen Wallace, George Jaggers
and George Dummett.
The two gunners testified about as
they had done at the prisoners
hearing, their evidence developing
nothing new.
The most important witness was
Frederick Roedle, whose wife first dis
covered the murdered woman. He
testified that John Knox, the prisoner,
came to him late on Thursday after
noon, very drunk, and threatening to
kill him assaulted him. They had quite
tussle, and during the scrimmage the
witness noticed blood stains upon
Knox's wrist. Before this had occurred
Mr.. Roedle testified that the two gun.
ners had been TO his house, and it was
after they had left that Knox came.
Mrs Roedle corroborated her hus-
bands testimony. During the testi-
mony of Mr.. Roedle. Knox's wife, who
was present, tainted, and had to be
carried from the room.
The proceedings were conducted
very loosely before the coroner, no
notes were taken of the testimony and