The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-11
THAT N|NOOKA RIOT
Men Who Are Said 10 Have lnCited II Are Oh
Trial.
They make A GENERAL DENIAL
FIaherty Says He Did Not Yell to the
Crowd to Get Rope and Sullivan
Declares That He Was Not Near the
Scene of the Trouble at the Time.
Other Gases.

Before Judge Edwards in Court
Room No / yesterday afternoon
Michael Flaherty and Mark Sullivan
of Minooka were put on trial charged
with riot. On March II, last Motor
man John Burke aud Conductor Foy
were in charge of an electric car on
the Greenwood line which ran down
two children in Minooka An excited
crowd a. once gathered about the car
and man named Wiles Farley grab.
bed Burke and pulled him off the plat
form.
1t is alleged thatFlaherty yelled to the
crowd to get rope whileSullivan aver
red that both conductor and motorman
should be lynched. Burke was threa-
tened with serious injury when a num-
ber Of cool headed citizens came to the
rescue and took him to the electric car
which had been run down the track
some distance from the scene of the
accident by Conductor Foy. Both men
deny the charge that they made re-
marks calculated to incite riot.
TRIED TO END THE CASE.
After the testimony for the Common.
wealth was heard ex-Judge Stanton
and Attorney p W. Stokes, who rep
resented the defendants. asked the
court to take the first count of the in.
dictment. charging riot, from the con-
sideration Of the jury, on the ground
that no evidence had been presented to
sustain it. Judge Edwards refused the
motion and Attorney Stokes made his
opening for the defense.
Both of the defendants went on the
stand and swore that they did not give
utterance to the infiammable words at
tributed to them Sullivan further
declared that he was not near the scene
of the accident at the time of the riot
At 4 p. IN. all of the testimony had
been heard and the attorneys made
their closing pleas. This morning
Judge Edwards will charge the jury.
Yesterday afternoon nolle prosequl
was entered on payment of the costs in
the case of Miles Farley. charged with
assault and battery in connection with
pulling Motorman Burke off the car on
the day of the trouble. Farley ex-
pressed regret for his conduct and the
Scranton Traction company therefore
decided not to press the charge against
him.
SossoNG USED A BAT.
Thomas Sossong, of Elm street, was
arranged for hitting his neighbor,
Herman Wellner, with base ball bat.
The prosecutor declared that he re-
ceived several blows on the head with
the bat, but Sossong. vino acted as his
own attorney, disputed the statement.
He admitted hitting Wellner once on
the head with a little stick. The
trouble between the men was caused
by dog. The jury found Sossong
| guilty of assault and battery.
Thomas Harvey pleaded guilty to the
charge of having stolen tie from the
store of Simpson & Watkins at Arch
bald. He was caught in the act Of
stealing the tie, and went outside and
hurled stone through the window,
He was sentenced to pay a fine Of 81.
costs, restore the stolen property and
spend six months in the county Jail
George s. Rully was found not guilty
Of the charge of assault and battery
preferred by William R Shedd, but
was directed to pay two-thirds of tie
costs. The prosecutor will have to
pay the other third.
Mrs. Josephine Pradzecli Of Cedar
avenue was tried and found guilty OF
having assaulted Annie Heffner, the
daughter of John Heffner, who lives
in house adjoining that occupied by
Mrs. Pradzeck. The defendant denied
the charge that she had pulled the girl
around by the neck, but she was new
ertheless found guilty.
| GONE TO THE JURY.
The case Of Frederick Peck, jr., who
is charged with aggravated assault
and battery on John Bstzhold. which
began Tuesday, was on trial all yes
terday in court room No. 2, before
Judge Lynch Of Wilkes. Barre. At 4
o'clock the jury retired to deliberate on
| the case