Bridgeton pioneer., 1891-05-14

| Chas. Brown, of 115 South laurel
street, was called, and saw Elwell and
Cummings at the time of the fight at
the West Jersey depot; saw Joe start
down the platform and heard him say
to Cummings, "If you want to settle,
settle it now." Cummings said ''Come
down back of the depot" Elwell said
ne wouldn't ''go 400 miles to fight"
Cummings said "Well, 1 won't fight
then" In another minute he saw Joe
lying on the floor and getting up-did
not see the blow passed, but as he was
getting up he grabbed Cummings by
the legs and pulled him down.
George Brown saw and heard pretty
much the same as his brother did, only
he saw a little more; he saw Cummings
haul of to strike Joe. Didn't see
Elwell make any attempt to strike
Cummings, but just then someone
gave Brown shove, and when he
again got bis eyes on Elwell, Elwell
was down and getting up off the floor
of the platform.
Cummings, Walter Danzenbaker,
and Chas. Fort, were recalled in re.
buttal, but they only reiterated what
they had before testified.
This closed the evidence and the
court allowed the lawyers 10 minutes
each to sum up.
The ludicrous feature of the case
now came up. when the counsel each
declared the other client the aggressor.
The court gave the counsel2 minutes
to agree which should sum up first.
Mr.. Sheppard said he would draw cuts
with Mr.. Trenchard. The court asked
how it would do to let the Prosecutor
sum up. Mr.. Logue said he would
sum up for both.
Finally Mr.. Sheppard made his sum
ming up, and Mr.. Trenchard followed.
Prosecutor Logue stated, in con-
clusion of the argument that the State
was justified in asking for the con-
viction of both defendants
Judge Hoagland charged the jury
which withdrew in charge of Constable
johnson.
Anna Zimmerman, was called to
plead, and entered plea of guilty to
keeping disorderly house.
James 8. Ware ESQ.,, asked to with
draw the plea of VIM. Daniels, indicted
for assault with intent, and moved to
quash the indictment on the grounds
of defect in drawing the indictment.
Court will decide to morrow.
A jury was empaneled TO try the
case of George Thomas, indicted for
assault and battery upon John c.
Shaffer, last January. They both
live in Fairton.
Chas. E. Sheppard appeared for
Thomas.
Mr.. Shaffer was called to the stand,
and stated that, as he was leaving the
glass house in Fairton where he work
ed, on January 30th last, he was un.
provokedly assaulted by the defend.
ant, who tried to strike him with an
iron bar, and who cursed him in an
outrageous manner. Thomas was
working at the shear hole at the time,
and was in the act of punching the fire.
In cross examination. however, it
developed that Shaffer was crossing
in the front of the shear hole, and
caught hold of Thomas ''ravel" with
which he poked the fire.
Henry Hustled was called by the
State, but this was mistake in a great
measure, for he was good witness for
the defense-in. as much as his ev.-
dence showed Mr. Shaffer to have
been the aggressor, anyhow Shaffer
was made to feel very uncomfortable
under it.
Henry Hewitt, the foreman of the
glassworks, saw the affair. The first
he heard was Thomas loud swearing.
He saw the ''ravel' come near Shat
fer's face, Shaffer showed it away, and
then Thomas hit him. Did not see
what caused the loud swearing.
Kelsey Moore saw Thomas draw
back the ''ravel'', which came near
hitting Shaffer. Shaffer pushed the
''ravel' away, and then Thomas struck
him. Heard Thomas cursing.
Thomas was put on the stand and
told a grave story, which was corrob-
Grated by several witnesses
The Elwell. Cummings jury came in
soon after five o'clock, with verdict
of guilty of assault and battery as to
Cummings, and Elwell guilty of as.
sault, with recommendation to the
mercy of the court.
Court adjourned-still on Thomas
case.
WEDNESDAY MORNING
The case was briefly summed up and