Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1893-02-23
MOSSBROOKS IS HELD.

Hearing of the Letter BOX Theft
at Camden Monday after.
noon.
From half-pest eleven O'Clock Mon.
day morning. until half-past two, the
hearing of the letter box thieves was
held in Camden.
The hearing took place before
United States Commissioner James M.
Cassidy, at his Office, No. 1873 Federal
street. There were a number Of
Bridgetonians present, and all inter-
ested In the hearing.
District Attorney White, of Red
Bank, came down to conduct the
prosecution, and the defendants were
not represented by counsel or friends.
The two boys were brought from the
Camden comfy Jail by an officer, and
evidence was taken. Postmaster
Hewitt was called first. He related the
story of the robbery, as told in these
columns before, and exhibited the
broken locks and the marlin spike
with which they were forced. The
latter was offered In evidence.
Detective Parnham. of Philadelphia,
gave testimony duplicating Moss.
brooks, by detailing his own confess
sion, and the finding of the check
upon him when searched. He also
gave testimony In the case regarding
Hulings, but nothing eliminating the
young man excepting that a check
taken from the letter boxes was found
upon him. Mayor Dubois told of the
confession of Mossbrooks, and Officer
Geo. M. Parvin told of the arrest of
Hulings. Edw. Trenchard, of Fair
ton, testified to mailing the checks
that were taken from the boxes and
found upon the boys. All the story of
the robbery is still fresh In the minds
of the people, and it is useless to re-
peat it here.
Hulings was permitted to speak for
himself. He told the same story word
for word, that he had given immedi-
ately after his arrest. He declared
positively that he was not with Moss
brook in the breaking, and the check
found upon him had been given him
by Mossbrooks. a most rigid cross ex-
animation upon the part of Attorney
White failed to shake his story in the
least.
Mossbrooks was permitted to speak
10 his own behalf, and he gave a mar
velous exhibition of lying. In the be-
ginning he declared that there were
four or five persons connected with
the robbery, and finally declared that
he and Huling were alone. He said
he broke open the first box, and HUI
ings the second, and so on until the
job was completed. Finally being
pressed by Attorney White he declar-
ed that Hulings had nothing whatever
to do with the robbery and was not
with him when the boxes were broken
open. He said further that he gave
the check to Hulings the morning after
the robbery.
This convinced the Attorney and
the Commissioner that Hulings had
nothing to do with the case, and Moss.
brooks was pressed to tell who had as
sisted him, but he would say nothing
further. Hulings was then discharged
from custody and he said he was going
to the house of his aunt in Clayton.
Mossbrooks was held for his appear
ance before the District Court at Tren-
ton.
When taken to the jail Bridgeton
gentleman accompanied Mossbrooks,
and urged him to tell who his accom-
plice's were. He refused however,
but said he would tell the whole story
and give the names of those with him,
when his trial was reached at Trenton.
The case will now go before the
United States District Grand Jury. and
before Mossbrooks is finally landed in
state prison the case will have cost the
prosecution fully $500. All the wit
nesses Monday were given the sum
of $5.2O fees and mileage.
Letters From Cyrus w. Field. .yY.