Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1890-01-16
CUMBERLAND COURTS.
JOHN KNOX. THE MURDERER,
FACES THE JURY.
Details of the Horrible Murder OF
the COiOred w oman as given
by the Evidences: the
Trial Begun.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

Trial Begun.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
The case of Gottleib Stohrer was be-
gun with Mr.. Stohrer on the stand.
This case is well-known by common
report. Mr.. Mitchell appeared for
Bggs, and Mr.. VanSyckle for Stohrer.
Mr.. Stohrer said he had lived in this
county four or five years, and came
from Germany in 1881. He was mar
ried to the woman who is said to have
been the victim of Biggs, in Germany
in 1876.
He had been arrested in this county
for illegally selling liquor and served a
short term in jail, after pleading guilty.
He kept the punch Bowl"
He was in Jail at the time this Of
fense is alleged to have been CON-
mitted by Biggs on his wife, on Oct.
Goth, 1883. When he got out of Jail
he went to Biggs, who was foreman
in the Cohansey Glass Works, for a
job as shearer; Biggs said he couldn't
give him such a job.
Mrs. Katrina Diedrick was called.
She was at Stohrer's on the Saturday
evening, when Biggs was there; she
heard Mrs. Stohrer tell him to go
home, and asked Mr.. and Mrs. Died
rick to remain until Mr.. Biggs should
be gone, but they did not remain; they
went away between 10 and II o'clock.
Mr.. Biggs came about half-past eight
o'clock.
Court adjourned, with George Died
rick on the stand.
The damages which Stohrer de-
manded of Biggs is $4,000; this Stohrer
thinks is just sum for having to sup
port child which he and his wife aver
owes it's paternity to the said Biggs.
THURSDAY MORNING.
Benjamin Biggs was first called to
hestand; he said he was foreman in
Cohansey Glass works; had been en-
ployed there eleven years; he had en-
ployed Stohrer as a shearer at $40. 90 a
month; this was in September 1888;
Stohrer was arrested in very short
time after and imprisoned; he hired
another man by the name of Hender-
son in his place; Stohrer was released
from prison Nov. 18th, '98; he visited
Stohrer's place twice while Stohrer
was in JAIL he got whiskey for his
horse; he was there when George Died.
rick and his wife was there, and met
Lem. Loder; this was not on Saturday
night; he was never there On Saturday
night; on Saturday night, Oct. Goth,
he and his wife spent the evening with
Councilman Fred Conner and family;
he.and Conner went to D. A. Gentry's
and purchased q hundred oysters
which they took back to Conner's
house where the party ate them; there
were several others in the company at
Conner's; when at Stohrer's he went
into kind of shed; paid SOC pint
for the whiskey. Did not go into any
other room of the house; when he
met there George Diedrick and his
wife, he had arrived there at 10 o'clock,
and spent forty-five minutes, leaving
at a quarter to II O'Clock; he was de-
tanned by Mr.. Diedrick, who was try
ing to explain to him about what
Stohrer owed him on the property
Mrs. Diedrick was too drunk to leave
the house; he left at about the time
they were trying to get away and
Lem Loder left about the same time;
he passed Lem short distance from
the house.
He denied ever making any improper
advances towards Mrs. Stohrer. He
never heard of the charge against him
until the 10th of November 1888. Be-
fore this while Stohrer was in jail,
Diedrick came to him to get money
to secure Stohrer's release from prison.
Stohrer, after getting out of Jail, had
called upon him for work; Biggs re,
fused to give him work; and then
Stobrer threatened to have revenge on
him, Mrs. Stohrer had called on him
before Stohrer was out of Jail to. borrow
$4,000 and $4,000 to get her husband
out of Jail, and when he refused to lend
it to her, she threateningly told him
that she was bad woman.
The defense had good many wit
nesses to corroborate the testimony of
Mr.. Biggs, as we'll as to testify to his
good standing in the community.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
The Grand Jury which has been
working very hard since Tuesday MORN
ing, filed into the Court room about
half-past four, with Foreman David
Mcbride at their head. After the
usual polling by the Clerk, the Fore
man was asked if there were any true
bills, and without comment, handed
the clerk bundle of papers. The
Judge then discharged the jury and