The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-31
Struck Down by Creech
With an Axe at the
Canal Boats Door.
MRS. MANN'S GRAPHIC STORY
She is the Woman Whom the Two
Men Quarreled Over and She
is the Mother of Nine
Children.

der of John Smith on q canal boat on
March 81, after having been postponed
from time to time at the solicitation of
counsel for the defence. was fairly begun
in the Court of Oyer and Terminer this
morning.
The prisoner was brought into court at
ten O'Clock and took seat beside
his counsel. Then there was a
long wait. Prosecutor Winfield would
not move the case because Mrs
Mann, the woman who was the cause of
the quarrel which ended In the homicide
and one of the most important witnesses,
was not in court. At half-past ten
o'clock Mrs. Mann arrived, and the
prosecutor moved the case and called the
States witnesses.
Then Lawyer Noonan called the names
OF several witnesses and no answer was
received. Thirty-nine out of forty eight
OF the Jury panel answered their names,
anC the work of securing jury was be-
gun. After the defense had exhausted
eighteen challenges aud the State five the
following jury was secured:-
~ John Murphy. fireman; Richard Lahey.
Thomas Beathroy, Louis Weber, James
=. Throckmorten, John J. Kelly, Andrew
J. Post. Richard H. Fl. Steele, Oliver P.
Vreeland, John j. VOORHEES,. William
Munzing and Michael c. Manning.
THE STATES OPENING.
Prosecutor Winfield. in opening for the
state SAID In substance:-Smith. the de-
ceased. was watcbman on boat in the
South Cove. Creech had been employed
on one of the boats about year previous
but was discharged and went to live in
New York. He was in the habit
of visiting the boats in the
cove occasionally. On the morning of
March 81, about seven O'Clock Creech
visited the cove ana went to Mrs. Mann IS
boat. He ordered Mrs. Mann, Babcock
and Smith off the boat and Mrs. Mann
ordered Creech away, but Creecb refused
to go: Mrs. Mann, remembering q beat
ing she had received at the hands Of
Creech. went over to the canal boat Nor
man and jim and asked for a revolver.
but 1t was refused. Then she turned to
get shot gnn but was unsuccessful.
'Then Mrs. Mann went back to the
boat and threw a dipper of water in
Creech's face. Creech then went awav
aud got long joist. Mrs. Mann, her
children. Babcock and Smith were In the
cabin and Creech began to beat down In
the cabin with the joist. Babcock
had big club and fought back. Finally
Creech threw the 1oist into the cabin and
went to the Norman and Jitl.n and
asked for windlass axle. Not being able
10 procure this for weapon Creech got
IN axe and started for Mrs. Mann's boat
again.
MRS MANN's CRY. 4
"Mrs. Mann saw him Coming and said
My Godl he's got an axe The doors
OF the cabin were closed, and these people
were like rats in a trap. Babcock and
Smith started to leave the cabin. Bah
cock had come up and Smith had his
shoulders just above the door when
Creech dealt him two blows in quick sue
cesslon.
On motion of Counsellor Dease all the
witnesses In the case except the one tes-
tifying were excluded from the room.
THE EVIDENCE.
Richard Beyer, young Hoboken ar
chitect, was the first witness called.
He testified to having made the dia-
gram of the canal boat ON which
the killing occurred, and which was ex-
hibited In court. Mr.. Boyer was sub
jected to rigid cross-examination by
Counsellor Dease, vino endeavored to
show that the architect had been in
structed to make the diagram
to suit the prosecution. The
witness admitted having left some por-
tions of the boat out of his diagram. and
Counsellor Dease asked the Court TO re-
fuse to admit the diagram in evidence.
but the Court decided to admit 1t for
what 1t was worth.
she was the mother of nine children. She
knew Creech for number of years aud
Smith and Babcock for few months.
About seven o'clock Smith and Bah
cock came on her boat, few
minutes later Creech came. Creech
sat down on the cabin steps
and said I see you're here yet Now, /
want you all to 10 out. Creech called her
vile name, and Smith said he didn't
want to hear such language. Creech
then said to her I'll take your life be-
fore | leave the boat Smith said
If Creech did not leave the boat
he would fix him. and Smith put his
hand to his breast pocket, When Mrs.
Mann started TO leave the boat Creech
threw off his overcoat and told Mrs.
Mann to go and get all the help she could
Smith and Babcock offered to put Creech
off the boat and Creech started for the
other boat. heard the captain of that
boat says that he did not have any wind
lass bar. Then l saw Creech advancing
with an axe. He came aud stood along
side the cabin opening and Babcock,
Smith and myself started up the stars
l saw Smiths body double up and the axe
descend the second time.
Counsellor Dease conducted length by
and severe cross examination and forced
the witness to admit that when Smith
started up the stairs he carried club on
his arm,