Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1891-01-22
BRIDGET0N, N j., THURSDAY, JANUARY %, 1891

He said 1t does already appear from
the evidence of the State, that Pierce
was struck with a stone. a very brief
period before he struck Duffield.
He then went on to state what he
expected to prove on the part of the
defense.
Before the opening by Col. Potter,
Prosecutor Logue stated that as the
case would probably consume the Gay
all witnesses in other case to be tried,
were discharged for the day. He held
a number of witnesses in this case in
reserve for rebuttal testimony.
William Steward, father.in.law of
the defendant was the Colonel's first
witness. A map was produced before
the jury, and Mr.. Steward was sworn
to prove that he made the map, and
fully described the surroundings of the
place where the fatal blow was struck.
Wilmon Steward, son of the preced-
ing witness, and brother-in-law of the
defendant. On the night in question,
the witness saw Pierce first at the home
ofthe witness and about s o'clock &C,
companied Pierce home. Upon the ar
rival of Steward and Pierce at the
others home, they found young Wright
seated in buggy awaiting Pierce.
The defendant went to the side of the
buggy, and while standing and talk
ing, took from the buggy, Wright's
whip, and playfully shook it aronnd
and striking the ground. This was
previous to the time that the boys
made themselves known. While
standing there Steward said first he
saw couple of boys and girls walking
near, and following them came four
boys which subsequently proved to.the
party among whom was Duff cid, the
unfortunate young man who met his
death.
The quartette sat down near an oak
tree. The first thing he noticed was a
jeering and peculiar noises made by
the boys. This led Pierce to remark
There boys, that is not manly thing
to do" The boys replied, "Well don't
know that il is any of your business" !"
Pierce replied, Il don't know that it
is, but if it was me I would run YOU
down town" Said one of the boys,
"You had better come over and try it.
If you do you would he id light
when you come to weigh" Another
said;
IF you come here you will have a
doctors bill to pay" Then Pierce
started across the road with whip in
his hand. When partly across the
road, Pierce called for Wright to come
and get the whip. He continued
across, and something was said, when
Tyler struck him. Pierce kicked him,
and Tyler threw off his coat Pierce
thereupon knocked him down and Ty-
ler threw the stone, which cut Pierce's
head and spun him around. Then
Pierce started after Duffield, and
struck the blow.
Duffield got up and ran down the
street. Meyers said he wished he had
something to shoot. After the occur
renee, the witness noticed serious
wound upon Pierce's head, and he
then went in the house and put a
piece of paper on his ear.
In his cross-eXemination of young
Steward, Mr., Logue showed that the
State had no idea of permitting any
thing to escape its notice. The cross
examination was very rigid, and Stew
ard was Oh the rack for a long time.
In fact, the testimony and cross-ex-
animation of this witness occupied
much longer than an hour, and during
the cross examination, everybody in
the court room paid the closest at
tention.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
All the afternoon the Pierce case
dragged wearily on. The same stories
as told three months ago, in the same
court and by the same witnesses, were
told again, and nothing new being de-
yeloped, the case became tiresome, and
at four o'clock everybody seemed to be
we'll satisfied when the defense and
State had closed their eases, and the
arguments began. There was large
number present anxious to hear the
summing up of the lawyers, but they
were disappointed, as court adjourned
before either gentleman had an oppor-
tunity to present his case to the jury.
DR.. John G. Appelgate was the first
witness sworn after the noon bells had
sounded. He has known Henry Pierce
some eight or nine months, and was
the family physician. On the Goth of
August last, Pierce came to the wit
ness for medical attendance. He
found that on the left ear of the young
man, was ragged wound, together
with scalp wound. To create such
wound, a blunt missile would have nec-