The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-02-01
RHHTT'S RASC ALIl'T
The Testimony in the Alb.
duction Cases Strong
Against Him.
lis IDENTIFICATION POSITIVE.
The Peoples Case Closed-Rh /
Counsel Asks Time to Pre-
pare a Defence.

tinued at the Court of General Sessions III
the Tombs, New York. Police Justice
Taintor presiding
DR.. A. P. Southwick. of Buffalo, Of the
State Committee on Capital Punishment,
and Aaron NJ. Powell, editor of the Phil
aathropist, and secretary of the Society
for the Prevention OF State Regulation of
Vice, were present during the exarnina-
ton and evinced much interest in the
proceedings.
Mr.. Gerry. for the People. asked per-
mission to reopen the rape case, which
being granted he called TO the stand
Thomas Murphy, a hackman at the Court
land street ferry. He testified to stand
ing at the ferry early in December with
hackman Lally, soliciting patronage.
when girl ran over and asked for cab.
He aud Lally ran to their cabs, but Lally
was engaged. Saw Rhett (whom he iden-
titied) and Mary Morris and Katie Flynn
(bcth of wbomihe also identified) get incab;
saw Rhett driven away, saw them come
back, and saw Rhett hand money TO
girls in the ferryhouse; Rhett and Lally
then went to a saloon.
Upon cross-examination by ex-senator
Grady, witness said he would not pc pusi
tive as TO Rhett. but the fact that he had
talked Of the case with other hackmen
and saw Rhett in the courtroom led him
to believe Rhett was the man he saw
with the two girls early in December.
TWO ABDUCTION CASES.
The abduction cases were then con-
tinued. There are two charges on behalf
of the People-Mary Williams and Katie
Flynn--and counsel agreed that the testi-
mony taken in one would stand for the
other.
Tne first witness called yesterday was
Katie Flynn, eleven years OF age. living in
Third street, this city. Her story In effect
WIS as foliows:-She In company with
Polly Morris. Mamie Williams, Maggie
Cluskey. Alice Morris and some boys, on
the evening of january 20, about eight
o'clock, were standing In Hudson street,
near York Rhett happened along, and
she said, "Helloain He said, "Helloai'
Rhett went into Tayfor's Hotel, aud
when he returned, Polly asked him If he
wished to buy bouquet; he asked the
girls il they wanted to go to New York !;
Polly Morris, Katie Flynn and Alice Nor
ris (Poily's nine-year old sister went with
him. he paging their fare and accompany
ing them on the boat TO the front cabin,
seating himself with them; Mary VIII
liams and Maggie Cluskey followed them
on the boat, paying their own fare and
sitting in the back cabin: they said they
would follow for spite. Polly asked Rhett
IL uG NVultt ldkt buSIi III u GtlH again. ne
said, Yes, certainly Katie Flynn got
mp and went out the front door, back
through the gangway, and looked in the
back door through the wfndoW and saw
Rhett and little Alice Morris seated with
Maggie CluskeY and Mary Williams,
Polly Morris having followed Katie Flynn
through the gangway; when the boat
Alice Morris run of, Polly Morris saying
that she did not propose to be caught in
that hook again
SOME ADMISSIONS.
Ex-senator Grady then began the ex-
animation OF the witness. His questions
were leading, and he endeavored to con-
found the witness as to the date when
first they saw Rhett, but she insisted that
it was two weeks before Christmas aud
two weeks after Thanksgiving. BY lead
ing questions Grady got the witness to
acknowledge that she was not asked by
Rhett to go to New York; that she did
not accompany Rhett at all, but simply
Went with Polly Morris.
He then appealed 70 the court to throw
out the case of abduction, claiming that
the witness acknowled gments were sui
ficient to show that Rhett had no deal
ings with her whatever.
The court denied the motion.
Polly Nary Morris was then called and
sworn, her account of the abduction cases
said further that when they saw Rhett
and Mary Williams being arrested they
went up to the Desbrosses street ferry and
crossed over that way to Jersey City.
An adjournment OF halt an hour was
here taken.
THE ARREST.
After adjournment Mary Williams was
called and sworn. She told of Rhett
meeting the girls on the evening of jan
uary 90 and Polly Morris, Katie Flynn
and Alice Morris crossing over to New
York with Ehett, and also that she will
iams) and Maggie Cluskey followed.
When they got to New York Polly Morris
and Katie Flynn ran away. Rhett went.
over to Lally's cab and was there talking
to Lally. Maggie Cluskey and Mary
Williams walked over to see what he was
dong Alice Morris came over aud Rhett
said to Mary Williams and Maggie Clus-
key, Let's get in the cab: If they don't
want to come let them 90 to ----."
Detective Vail then stepped. forward
and placed Rhett and the Williams girl
under arrest, the Cluskey girl running
away.
Maggie Cluskey was next sworn, her
testimony being ia effect the same as that
of the Williams girl.
Policeman A. j. Wilson was next sworn
and testified to the proceedings in court
when the girls separately identified Rhett
from number of men,
THE STATE CLOSES.
Mr.. Gerry then declared the Peoples
case was closed.
The hearing was then adjourned till
Monday, February 9, at one o'clock, tc
enable the defendants counsel to prepare
defence.