Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-14
HUGHES Is ACQUITTED.
The Boy Slayer of Thomas COnners
Was Set Free Last Night.
JOYOUS TEARS SHED BY DAVIE.
Judge McClung Gives Film Some Very
Fatherly Advice.
THE NEWS OF THE COUNTY COURTS


at came in. The foreman asked Judge
McClung what the sentence would be In
case verdict of manslaughter was rendered.
The Court replied that was a matter left to
himself The jury returned to the room.
In ten minutes it came back with verdict
of acquittal.
As the words fell upon the little fellows
ear, tears rushed into his eyes and he broke
down. In couple of minutes he rallied
and wiped the tears away. Judge Nc
CLING called him up to the bench and said:
''The jury has found you not guilty, and it
is my duty to discharge you. Before do
so let me say to you, let this be warning
and never again touch knife in this way
as long as you lite. You are discharged"
The trial commenced before Judge Nc
Chung at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
District Attorney Burleigh representing
the Commonwealth, and William Reardon
and w. H. Miller the defense. The story
of the murder, as spresentel by the prosecu-
tion, is that on the evening of July IL last,
Thomas Conners, Jr., was killed by being
stabbed in the throat with a knife in the
hands of the defendant on the bridge at
Mckee's Rocks.
District Attorney Burleigh in his open
ing address to the jury said that the prose-
cution Of criminals from one wears S end to
another as most unpleasant duty and es-
peciaily SO in one so young as the defendant
VINO IS not 10 years OF age: but a crime had
been committed in the Commonwealth and
the law must have its course. He outlined
the facts in the case in a fair and impartial
manner, but it was plain to every one
present that his sympathy was with the de-
tendant
Man Who Saw 1t All.
The first witness for the prosecution was
John Fredericks, who testified that ne was
well acquainted with both the defendant
and the dead boy, and that, while Hughes
was working in Teopfer's poolroom, in
CHARTERS, Conners was in the habit of
plaguing Hughes, and on two occasions had
slapped him, and that Hughes resented the
attack, but was not big enough to fight Con-
ners fairly; that on the evening of the kill
ing he and Conners had been in the |
poolroom in the afternoon and were plaguing
Hughes; that they had scrap and II ughes |
hit Conners in the back with beer bottle |
and also drew a butcher knife on him. He |
also said that he was on the bridge with |
Corners when Hughes came along, and he |
saw Conners kick Hughes; then Conners |
had called TO him to run TOR doctor for he |
was badly cut.
George Duffy, +. w. Yost and others |
testified that Corners was in the habit of |
plaguing the defendant, and often swore at
him because he would not let him practice |
on the pool tables free of charge. On the |
evening OF the murder they had taken sew
eral drinks with Conners and wanted him
to come over 10 Pittsburg with them, but
he declined to do SO, saying he was looking
for that smart Kid Hughes.
Death May Have Been Accidental.
DR.. George w. Beam, of Mckee's Rocks,
testified to the nature of the wound in Con-
ners' neck. and thought it might have been
inflicted by Corners running upon the knife
while tine defendant held it in his hand but
did not thrust it, A number OF character
witnesses were examined but none of them
testified against the defendants character |
w. Ii. Miller opened for the defense in
short address to the jury at o'clock. He
claimed that the boy did not kill Corners |
but simply held up the knife to save HIM
self from beating, and even if he had
made the fatal stab he had done il in self.
defense. de spoke of the boy being an Or
phan, whose mother mad died while he was
an infant, and whose father had died few
nSdiS IdlSl, si'iu dShSu lUS Jury 10 cOuSlu6r |
this in weighing tine evidence When the
counsel referred to the boys orphanage the
litle fellows large black eyes filled with
tears, and he bit his lips firmly to keep
back his sobS
Da,ie Hughes Own Story.
The defendant was the first witness in his
own behalf, and be told his story in plain
straightforward manner He said he would
b. 10 years of age next March; that his
parents were both dead, and that he lived
with William II. Hughes, whom he called
1ather although he was no relation of his
and had been given his name and did not
know what his real name should be- He
said that he had worked for Mr. Teopfer,
who is now dead, for about six months, and
Corners often cursed him because he would
not let him practice on the pool tables
He had struck him in the face
and slapped him once on the
afternoon of the killing Connors had
said to him when Hughes hit him with the
bottle: "1m Q fool 1or taxing that off
kid like you, but never mind I'll catch YOU
when you 60 home tonight and you'll not
be able to work for Mr.. Teopfer any more"
"As started home that night" the boy
said, ''he met me at Mr. Yost's blacksmith
STOP and hit me, then ran of. l was very
angry anu got out my knife and started
after him, but could not catch him. 1 put
the knife in my pocket with the blade open
and went back to the poolroom door, but
did not go in.
Fatal Fight on the Bridge.
81 was waiting for a street car to go
home on for / was afraid to cross the bridge
for tear Conners would catch me there and
beat me. While 1 was talking to gentle
man the street car went past and 1 tried to
catch it, but could not. l concluded to
walk across the bridge. 1t was dark on the
bridge, and just as got near the McKee's
Rocks side Corners jumped from behind
post and kicked me and jammed my head
against an iron bar, cutting it badly
pulled out nv knife and held it up and
Conners ran of. heard him say: Jack,
run for doctor; I'm cut They took me
down to the 'Squire's, and the policeman
who arrested me said to keep there, that L
had nearly killed a man. That was the
first knew of Conners being badly cut"
w. H. Hughes and his wife testified that
the defendant was good boy and that they
never had had any trouble with him. Rev.
Dr. Brown, pastor OF the NJ. E. Church at
Rocks, and William H. Sproat.
the defendants Sunday school teacher. both
testified to his good character, as did Chris
topher Kircher, John Scott and others
The prosecution offered no testimony in
and William Reardon in short
speech addressed the jury for the defense.
He was followed by W. H. Miller, who
plead for the boy on account of his tender
wears, and claimed that nothing had been
produced by the Commonwealth to show
that the killing was not either
accidental or in self-defense. Dis.
trict Attorney Burleigh's reply was
short. He did not ask for verdict of MUIR
der in the first degree but claimed that the