Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-11-23
PIERCE PLEADS NOT GUILTY
His Trial for Murder Fixed
for To-day.
THE CHICKEN STEALING CASE
David. H. and Abner Hollings
worth Face a Jury.
They arc Charged with Robbing the
Chicken house of Howard II. Jordan--
They are White Men, and are Being
Vigorously Defended by Able Counsel.

The. November term of the superior
court, court Of oyer and terminer and
court of general sessions of the peace
and Jail delivery convened at the usual
hour, Monday. Clerk Biggs called
the names of the grand and petit jurors
and the grand inquest retired to their
room.
The court excused A. ]. Messick of
the regular jury panel, owing to illness.
William t. Knight is United States
gauger, and is, therefore, exempt by
law.
The applicants for liquor license
came forward and took the customary
oath.
At 1875 o'clock Attorney General
Nicholson announced that he was ready
in the case of the State VS.. Edward Il.
litter, charged with using q female
child under 10 years for immoral pur-
poses. His counsel withdrew plea Of
not guilty and entered one of guilty.
litter was fined $1,000 and sentenced
to one year in Jail.
The grand jury returned the follow
ing true bills: Carrying concealed a
deadly weapon, Annie Johns, colored,
Roderick Mason, Arthur Deville, Walter
Berkeley; larceny, James Pennington,
Dennis Vaughan.
Michael Poppa pleaded guilty to the
charge OF carrying concealed deadly
weapon and was fined $25 and costs.
Benjamin Dem was indicted for as
sault with intent to kill George Hayes.
The grand jury in the case of Marshall
A. Pierce, brought in true bill charg-
ing Pierce with murder in the second
degree. Pierce will answer for the death
OF William tlindman, who died from a
bloWadministered by Pierce at Front
and Market streets, October 23d.
When court convened in the afternoon
the following prisoners pleaded guilty
to the charge of carrying concealed
deadly weapons and the court passed
sentence: Arthur Devine, colored, 80
days; Walter Berkeley, 80 days; Annie
Johns, 10 days; Roderick Mason, 80 days.
James Pennewell was arraigned upon
the charge of stealing a watch from
William Mccartney, valued at $75. He
pleaded not guilty.
Dennis Vaughan was indicted for
stealing harness from Clarence S. Stock
ley and pleaded guilty. He asked the
court to be merciful. He was sentenced
to three months imprisonment and to
be whipped with 10 lashes.
r Marshall A. Pierce was indicted for
murder in the second degree for killing
Alfred Hindman.
He pleaded not guilty. He listened
attentively to the reading of the indict-
ment He had no counsel and the court
oouinnaA II WarI 30
prisoner. The case was fixed for to.
day.
A jury was then drawn to try the
case of the State VS.. David H. and Abner
Hollingsworth, charged with attempted
larceny Of chickens from ex-Levy Court
Commissioner Howard H. Jordan. At.
torney- General John r. Nicholson and
Deputy Attorney-G General Branch H.
Giles appeared for the State, and Benia-
min Nields and John P. Nields for the
defence. The right of challenge was
frequently exercised by counsel on
either side.
The attempted larceny took place on
the morning of the Goth day of July
last. Mr.. Nicholson stated that he
would prove that Mr.. Jordan was
awakened on the morning in question
by noise in his hennery and on going
out he fired several shots at the intruders.
lie afterwards discovered a wagon
which proved to be the property of
Abner Hollingsworth.
Miss Mary Jordan was the first wit
ness called to the stand. She said she
lived near Hockessin. Her attention
was attracted on the morning of July
Clfh luot hxra tnnf-a t,, tIo 81;
and she notified her father who armed
with shotgun went in pursuit of the
intruders. Mr.. Nicholson offered a
photograph of the Jordan property.
Mr.. Nields took the witness in hand
and subjected her to rigid examina.
ton.
Mrs. Howard H. Jordan testified that
she looked out of her bedroom window
the morning of the attempted robbery
and saw two men in the neighborhood
of the chicken-pen. She heard her hus-
band call out to the intruders and after
wards heard him discharge shotgun.
Mr.. Nields cross-examined the witness.
Ex.Levy Court Commissioner Howard
II. Jordan briefly told the jury what he
knew of the circumstances of the at
tempted robbery. Witness went to the
window and said to Mrs. Jordan that
there were two men going toward gtbq
barn. Suppose l shoot at them" s<1d
the witness. Mrs. Jordan preventedl
him firing the gun from. the windsxf
He afterwards fired two shots at thcia,
truders. He said the men were at9'f1zH
spring house when he fired at then1.N N Al
button which the witness shot from (,41i
of the prisoners garments was afterwnfsl
found. t9tno
Mr.. Nields read from the testin1a4}f
given by Mr.. Jordan at the prelimi1aaF
hearing before Squire Durnall, in tie
presence of a number of witnesses, and
the witness replied that he did not rathl.
lect ever giving such testimony. diAfN
The case was under way when estz't
adjourned for the day. k'ls
A number of prisoners were brd4All
in and arraigned. 9fNei
Charles Burrick, colored, pl6>i}s6
guilty to the charge of carrying coi1-
cealed deadly weapon. Henry Qe<ter
entered plea of guilty to a si.illFiAf
charge, as did also John Cullen. HfH
John Callahan pleaded not guiIt}. ~
the charge of fraudulently conve l
property to his own use. FY{l
Ida Sleams, colored, indicted f5fiarf
ceny, pleaded guilty. 8
Stephen Bostic, colored, indicted for
larceny, pleaded not guilty. agA IA
One would have thought murd{x
trial was in progress, to Judge frot,fzfF
amount OF interest manifested Tuaa<iIs-4t
when the case of the State vs.. A]61<I
and David II. Hollingsworth was e4 Iicd
for trial. The defendants were cif}i7lfH "A
with attempting to steal chickens s,y 81