The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-12-28
FOR Ills MOTHERS SAKE.
Il MANS TE4RFUL PLEA FOR HIS
BURGL4R BROTHER.

Very Like Murder-OLner NSHs VI
the State.
William J. Roberts aud George Il.
Dickinson, two burglars, pleaded
guilty yesterday in the Mercer Court,
at Trenton, to breaking and entering
the house of Fl. NJ. Thompson re-
Gently. Samuel G. Naar, their u
sci, made a statement to the Court
tending to show their good character
up to May last He read testimonials
from the employers of Dickinson, who
is a baker, stating that he was honest,
industrious and sober and a good
workman. He read testimonials also
with respect to Roberts, whose brother
was in court and had secured them
since the young mans apprehension.
Mr.. Mar asked that the justice OF the
court might be tempered with h
mercy that would be looked for when
it was considered how recent was the
introduction of the two young men to
crime.
Prosecutor Stockton replied that he
had made some investigation of Dick
inson's Philadelphia life and found his
previous reputation fair, except tina
he had left his wife suddenly. From
L. Haines Moore, an opticlan, he had
learned that the burglars had brought
two gold-headed canes to have inscrlp-
tions filed off and had tried to sell him
some gold trimmed eye glasses. In the
prisoners trunks were found settings
and stones, pocket knives, collar but
tons, some cheap and some valuable
jewelry, watches, bracelets, rings, an
album, photograph apparatus, cloth
ing, etc.
A telegram to Los Angeles, Cal,
brought an answer that identified
many of the stolen goods, among
which were some clothing marked
Pomeroy.
The brother Of Roberts received
permission to address the Court in
his brothers behalf, and in a falter-
ing voice, between irrepressible sobs,
made a brotherly plea in his mothers
name for a lenient sentence.
Judge Stewart commanded the
prisoners to stand up. In addressing
Them he said that this was one of
those strange cases that fortunately
were not often encountered, where
Young men who had the advantages
of home and education become criml-
mails. 1t was necessary for the court,
however much sympathy it had for
the prisoner and his blasted family, to
punish such crimes for the protection
OF the community. He then sentenced
each to two years at hard labor in the
State Prison.
AS the sentence fell upon the ears of
Roberts respectable brother he bent
over, covered his face with his hand
kerchief and wept bitterly, so that he
could be heard in every part OF the
court room.
The Hunterdon County Mystery.
No light has been thrown on the
cause of the death of Mrs. Maria
Walters, seventy-one years old, whose
body was found in the rear of her
dwelling, on the outskirts of Antony,
q small village near here, in Hunter
don county, in a condition that points
strongly to a murder.
She had been living alone for seven
years in a small house. She had not
been seen for two days, and yesterday
neighbors, wondering at her absence,
called and found her house open, but
unoccupied. They discovered her
body lying at right angles to a path
leading to a spring. At the spring,
about one hundred and twenty yards
distant, they found a broom, a tin pail
partly filled with water and some
clothing.
The body was almost destitute of
clothing. The woman's shoes, nit
tens, hood and skirt were scattered on
each side of the path, from eight to
eighteen yards from the body. There
was a wound on the temple, from
which blood had freely flowed.
There are different theories concern
ing her death. Some of the neighbors
think Mrs. Walters was attacked with
heart disease while bringing water
from the spring, while others insist
that she was murdered. A number of
tramps were seen about the town the
day before, while the highway and
The ground bears evidence of a strug-
gle.
The wonnd on the temple was not
sufficient in itself to cause death, but
many think she was struck and left
insensible, dying from exposure. The
authorities are making an investiga-
tion.
Trouble Among the Hezekiah Smith
Trustees.
There was quite an array of eminent
counsel in the court house this after,
noon on the occasion of the argu-
ment in the matter of continuing the
injunction against the trustees of
Hezekiah b. Smiths estate. The in
junction is to restrain them from
eleeting any new officers, voting the
stock belonging to the estate at the
election for directors OF the II. b.
Smith Machine Company, at the an
nual meeting tomorrow, or doing any
thing contrary to the preliminary in
junction granted last Saturday.
The widow of H. B. Smith-Eveline
Verona Smith-was represented by
Courtlandt Parker, Samuel H. Grey
and Joseph FL. Gaskill. while ex-
Chancellor Theodore Runyon and
Mark r. Sooy appeared for the trus-
tees. The latter denied that the trus-
tees had wasted the estate or done
anything requiring an injunction or
restraining order from the court. At
all events it was unfair to continue the
restraining order, postponing the cleo
ton, without giving the trustees a
chance to be heard.
Counsel for the widow thereupon
agreed to have the election delayed
until there had been a fair investiga-