The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-01-22
A FREE NAM
Proceedings of the Last Day
of His Trial.
SCENES AT TEE CLOSING
Briggs and His Father Weep and Embrace
and the Accused Man Afterwards Tend
ers His Fervent Thanks to Each of the
Jurymon.

John Briggs the man acquitted by jury
of twelve men at Pottsviue on SATURDAY, on
the charge of numbering James Parft, of Gil
berton, spent the first Sunday Of the past five
months with his wife yesterday.
Pen cannot describe the scene in the Potts
vile court house on Saturday when the jury
rendered the verdict All available space
was occupied and absolute quietness prevailed
As the jury filed in there were faint MUIR
murs of expectation and most of the spectators
paled with nervousness.
Judge Weidman was already upon the
bench and there was nothing to be done bat
hand him the paper on which the verdict was
inscribed, AS the document was handed him
the Judge adjusted his spectacles and glanced
over IT,. Az first he read alOud 1--WE find the.
de-" and then he turned the paper over
twice, after which he added, ooh yes / see
we find the defendant not guilty"
There was an instantaneous Outburst of
applause and stamping upon the floor just
at the time Judge Wedmau seemed non
plussed, but he recovered himself and ordered
that the party who caused the demonstration
be located.
Court Crier Graver made his way through
the throng and inquired for the offenders but
he could have found a needle in a haystsck
as easily.
Immediately after the announcement Of
the verdict Judge Weidman discharged the
| Jury with thanks and the twelve men fled
| out of the room with smiles upon their fsces
When Judge Weidman uttered the words
mot guilty" the tears burst from the eyes OF
| Briggs and his father in torrents. The ac.
quilted man was completely broken down.
| For a moment or two he rested his head in
his hand aud then he sprung up and turning
| to his grey haired father, who was also weep
| ing, embraced him most aifectouateiy. The
| two wept upon each others shoulders for q
moment or two and then Briggs hastened to
shake hands with the departing jurymen.
Just as the jurymen filed out Of the court
| room George DYSON Esq, asked that Briggs
be discharged and just as Judge Weidman AS
sented, District Attorney Ryan asked that
| Briggs be plscod under ST., 600 bail to stand
trial on the charge of riot. Tho Judge 30
ordered
There WAS a brief consultation, after which
it was privately stated that Briggs would be
! allowed TO go home with his wife and remain
there until Monday, when ne would be e1
pected to return to court and furnish the bail
lrequired.
| The jury in this notable case comprised Of
! John j. Price Shenandoah, foreman John
| n. Zimmerman, Branch Edward SpauCatr,
| Pinegrove; Leon L. Lewis Mahanoy City ,
| Horace Dobbiu, Cass Charles e. Hay, Potts
! Vile; William p Maurer, Foster; Aaron
| Zerbe, Reilly; Charles H. Hornberger
| Barry Joseph Robbins, Ashland Domiuiok
Eagan, Girardville; George Rain, Pottsvile
! The iurymen declined to discuss the case
| after they were discharged and one Of them
sisted that it had been agreed to say nothing
about the matter. 1t is pretty we'll under
stood that the jury took but one ballot. The
| jury retired at 1915 and the verdict was
ready at 1;20
Neither Mrs Briggs or the prisoners
mother were in the court when the verdict
I was rendered. Mr. and Mrs. Parft were also
absent but Miss Nellie Brtton, of MahauOy
City, who was James PartiJs betrothed, was
| there and she wept violently when the verdict
| WAS rendered.
Before leaving the court room Briggs said
| that after the riot his wife moved to his
sisters home in Minervile and he expected
| to make his home there until he could get on
! his feet again. He said he had many good
| friends there and did not think he would
| have trouble in securing employment He
| said he would not return to GiraTdyille, or
make his home north Of the mountain, for a
| while at least. He thought thar nOtwith-
standing his acquittal by jury some people
might still be embittered against him and he
did not wish to do anything that might tend
| to agitate that feeling
Briggs joined his wife at a friends house in
| Pottsvlle, Saturday afternoon. and in the
evening proceeded TO Mnersville.
The father of the acquitted man told a re.
porter that most of the money he had put
away for his old days had been spent on the
trial
The case was closed by j w. Whitehouse
ESQ, who summed up for the Commonwealth
He prulaced his consideration of tho case 5y
complimenting the District Attorney for the
manner in which he had conducted the case
and George Wadlinger ESQ for the assist
auce rendered the District Attorney,
Mr. Whtebouse st the same time took occa
sion TO say that he did not appreciate the re
Elections upon the counsel for the Common
wealth made by Mr.. Brumm. He said that
the counsel employed in The ease were there
because they were being paid, aud if Mr.
Br MN WAS not being paid no would not be
pleading Tor John Briggs
Mr. WhitehOuse also referred to Brigss
being poor man and limited hat the Trac.
ton Company was supplying the money for
the defendants ease. The speaker assured
the jury that he would not consume one
thiId the time taken by Mir. Brumm n
summing, and he kept his word He started
amer o'clock and concluded at 1870
Mr Whitehouse limited his discussion to a
review Of the testimony tending to uphold
the COmmOnwealth's side of tho case and
read extracts from the testimony showing
that Briggs had fred the gun before the
struggle with Mahouy
i'e said that twenty four witnesses had
testified to that fact and their evidence should
outweigh that Of Amour Briggs. Williams
Benny and his SOD and others who were or
are connected with the Traction Company.
III made point In citing that Briggs had
sworn he did not see Amour after the gun
was discharged, yet Amour swore that be and
Briggs had scramble TO get into the ear
after he shot was fired.
Taking up the subject of Briggs character
Mr. WhitehOuse said, 81 think | could go up