Middletown transcript., 1891-03-12
LINGo's FAMOUS TRIAL.
THE NEGRO CHARGED WITH THE
MURDER OF MRS. ANNA MILLER
ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE.

ON TRIAL TUX HIS LIFE.
Francis Lingo, the principal witness
for the state against Chalkley Leconey
In the latter's trial for the murder of
his niece, Annie Leconey of New Jer-
sey, last spring, and who is now being
tried in the Camden county courts for
the murder Of Mrs. Anna Miller few
months ago. is probably more talked of
than any other colored man in the
state of New Jersey. His trial is at
tracing widespread interest, and the
daily papers are largely sought for by
the people everywhere to see the result
of the trial.
During the past week the state has
brought forward many important wit
nesses whose testimony was yely strong
against the accused, and it looks as
though his conviction is certain.
is THE JURY hLEGALP
The Philadelphia Times this morn
ing says: Among those who have
always maintained that Chalkley Le-
coney was innocent, and that it was
Lingo who SO foully murdered the girl
has been persistently and assertingly
David A. Burrough. He lives on the
Morristown pike about mile and
half from Haddonfeld, and about the
same distance from the Leconey farm.
He has been for years a warm friend
Of Leconey, and is relative of County
Clerk Burrough, who chose Leconey's
counsel and advanced the money for
his defense. His leisure time for a
long while has been mainly spent in
Haddonfeld in the grocery of W. 81.
Harrison and the adjoining shop Of w.
]. Fowler, where lie with neighbors
chatted and gossipped. Whatever the
talk might be be would generally man
age to lug in Leconey and Lingo. He
met with frequent and stout oppose
tion, but the result was that nearly all
Haddonfield, at least the,upper end Of
it, knew that he was fixed in the be-
lief that Lingo murdered Annie Le-
coney. Then came the Mrs. Miller
murder as clincher to his belief and
added force to his assertions. At the
beginning Of the present term Of court
there were drawn by Sheriff West two
panels Of sixty jurors each, among
whom was David A. Burrough. On
Monday, March I'd, he was in the store
Of Mr.. Harrison. Said Mr.. Harr ison
yesterday:
1t was Monday morning bofore the
trial. We knew that it was to begin
on Wednesday and that Dave was on
the panel of jurors. We were talking
over the trial. Some one said :
Dave, you won't be on that jury.
sure.' He asked why, and the answer
was, Because you have expressed
your opinion about Lingo too often.'
He then said 4: I believe he commit
ted both murders, and il he don't get
hung, he won't get bis deserts. He
did both Deeds I never was SO as
tonished as when 1 heard he was for
man of the jury. Judge Westcott
lives here and must have heard of his
belief in Lingo's guilt /; besides he is a
Burrough, and everybody knows what
the Burroughs think about Leconey
and Lingo. The fact is that he has
expressed his opinion so often that
everybody knows it."
States Attorney Wilson jenkins
was visited during the evening in
Camden. Being told of what Bur-
rough had said he assumed that he had
heard Of it., but it came from an
ignorant colored man and he paid no
attention to it. Being told OF the re-
spectacle character of his vistor's
informants be pondered for a minute
or so and then said: "It would n OF
give Lingo a new trial. Judge Wes-
colt examined Burrough himself and
accepted him. Burrough said that he
could render verdict under the
evidence and that ends the matter.
ST thoroughly believe Lingo guilty
continued Mr.. Jenkins, "and am
far more confident of convicting
him than was of convicting Chalkley
Leconey. Then T had to mainly rely
on the evidence Of lying niger and a
half idiot.
"If," was asked, "you believe
Lingo murdered Mrs. Miller, how can
you escape the inference that he kill
ed Annie Leconey ? They were both
killed in the same way and you know
that Mr.. Garrett Murray swore that
Lingo was to come to Leconey's house
that morning for breakfast.
It does not follow. It frequently
happens that a peculiarly atrocious
murder is followed by one or more Of
like character, but not by the same
hand. And yet it may be as you say. "