Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1892-01-14
CRIMENAL COURT.
J Ohm Harmon, of Many Troubles.
Answers a Charge OF As
sauIt and Battery.
TUESDAY MORNING.


opened, the Prosecutor charged sever
al persons, who had been indicted.
Ephraim Pierce pleaded not guilty
to an asss u't and battery upon little
girl. The Prosecutor announced that
the little girl was i'll and unable to at.
tend this session of court, and Pierce
was held in 800 pail for his appear
ance at the next May term of court
Lawyer w. II. Bacon, moved that
the trial of cese against Thomas Earle,
charged with illegal dredging, be post
poned, owing to illness of material
witness. The case went off for the
term.
Louis Brown plead not guilty to
stealing horse from Smith Tomlin.
The Prosecutor announced that he
was ready to move the case of the
State against Sadie Collins, young
colored girl, indicted for attempting
to burn school building. Sheriff
Whiteear had drawn one juror in this
case, when Lawyer Berault, counsel
for the girl, said that he did not know
whether or not his witnesses had been
found, and until after train time de-
sired the case should proceed no fur
ther. Prosecutor Logue returned that
the case had been set down to-day be-
cause the school in Vineland was closed
to-day, and the teachers were present.
He continued that it was getting to be
almost the universal plea of defendants
to be not ready for trial. They did
not answer when they we're under
bonds, and he desired it stopped.
Judge Hoagland suggested that the
proper and most efficient way to bring
about a reform would be to order the
bail forfeited. Acting upon this
advice, the Prosecutor announced that
in the future this course would be
pursued.
John Harmon, Jr., was then brought
from Jail to make defense to charge
of assault and battery. James Ware
represented the defendant.
Lydia Williams, the young colored
girl alleged to have been assaulted,
was the star witness for the State.
She told her tale positively, and pre-
cisely. 1t happened on Sunday night
on the Goth of September, Lydia and
Laura Richmond were returning home
from camp meeting at Gouldtown to
To1, pIyo will
ran up behind her and gave her a
blow in the back, at the same time
saying "I'll teach you to call me a
d black crow" Lydia replied
that she did not call him that, but if
she had, she would repent it. Har-
mon then struck her again on the side
of the head, and kicked her four times
Johns wife stopped the melee together
with the assistance of q couple of fel-
lows named Branch. Harmon further
declared that if he thought Lydia
would sue him, he would knock her
brains out.
Laura Richmond, white girl, told
her story much after the manner that
Lydia had depicted events, excepting
that what she said went to show that
the assault might have precipitated by
a remark made by Lydia in which the
words "Black Crows"
Jeremiah Nutter, an aged colored
gentleman. informed the Court and
Jury that while driving home from
camp meeting he saw portion of the
scramble in the wood, but perceived
no blows being struck.
The state rested to give John a
chance for his white alley.
John, fat and saucy, went upon. the
stand and quickly told his story. Ac-
cording to John, this Is the way it
happened: John and his wife, with
some others, were returning home
from camp meeting. They overlook
Lydia Williams and Laura Richmond
in company with some white fellows
from Fairton. The fact that they were
discovered angered them, and Lydia
presented John with a few choice
samples of ''cuss" words. Harmon
demonstrated and Lydia picked up
rock and threw 1t, hitting Mrs. Har-
mon on the arm.
John told the Prosecutor in answer
to his questions that he had been in
State Prison for fighting, and had
been arrested several times for fight
ing.
Mrs. Harmon backed up her hus-
band nobly, testifying into the state
of facts advanced by John. Mrs. Har-
mon said that John was peaceable
enough If people would let him alone,
although she did recall that she had
had him arrested upon one occasion
for assaulting her.
Geo. Smith and Nicodemus Brown
proved themselves pretty good friends
of Harmon, testifying just as be most
desired them to. After. their tale had
been told the case was summed up.