The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-02-18
n G COMING TRIAL.
To Begin on the Fourth of March
Opinion Divided.

10 bestn on the Fourth OF March
Opinion Divided.
srecioi 10 the jersey CITY vsoa
MERcHANTvILLE, Feb. is, 1s91.-Much
interest centres in the approaching trial
Of Francis Lingo for the murder of Mrs.
Annie Miller neat here. in September
last, which commences in the County
Courts on the 4th Of next month. While
there is not rs preparation for this
trial as there was in the Leconey murder
trial, yetthe similarity of the two MUIR
ders, the near vicinity In which both
were committed, and the arrest OF the
sane man, Francis Lingo, for the murder
OF oosh women, gives the case an interest
lar beyond the average murder trial.
The case, OF course, has not caused as
much excitement as the Leconey case for
various reasons, chief of which maybem men
toned the fact OF Leconey's great number
Of friends who stuck to him throughout
the entire trial. To this NAV be added
the fact that Leconev had several thou
sands OF dollars at his command. and this
secured him eminent counsel, who left no
stone unturned 70 acquit their client.
In the case of Lingo the Court mad to
assign him counsel, and 10 the selection
OF ex-Judre John w. Westcott the ac-
cused negro has able counsel, and his
case will be taken cur of 70 the extent of
that able lawyers ability.
There is much comment here, on the
near approach OF the trial, as TO the guilt
or innocence of Lingo, n opinion is
divided, although the State claims 10
have evidence that will convict him of the
crime.
Another point that the citizens here re-
Ter TO is the fact that sInceL ingo's arrest
and commital to the county prison, the
township has been free from assaults ON
Unprotected females which were reported
"a N Oaf NKsAAEtNr snrfne 20 Lfr .-~.9 - -
Miller murder. These assaults became so
frequent for a few months that the citi-
zens became alarmed and organized an as
ISOLATION for prevention against acts of
this kind, having for its object the cap
ture OF the assaiIant or assailants.
Whether Lingo is guilty of these as
saults or not will have no weight at his
trial for the murder Of Mrs. Miller, and
he will be accorded a fair and Just trial
before Judge Charles S. Garrison, who
will preside.
Today's Camden Courier contains the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. discovery far more
startling has been made and there Is re-
ported TO be- difference of opinion among
those at work ou the case as to its i'm
portance. This Is a large butcher knife
with the letter IL" cut in 1t, which was
found stuck in the ground up to the hilt
not many baces from where tue body was
found. The Law and Order Society
people declare this to be au additional
evidence that Francis Lingo committed
the crime, hut Prosecutor jenkins
largely discounts this belief, aud
Of the States officers give it
as their opinion that some one either
placed the knife there as a practical Joke
on the detectives or else some one is con-
against Lingo; not feeling that
the States Ease is strong enough, they
would strengthen it. This, too, has been
taken into possession by tine officers for
the State, and if they fiud that it is a
legitimate piece of evidence it may tell
heavily against Lingo. Ga the other
hand, if the latter's counsel can ''geJ
onto' any sort Of a conspiracy or Joke"
and can at all get it before the jury, it
will inure to the negroes favor.