The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-01-20
SHENANDOAH. PA. SATURDAY. JANUARY 20. 1884.

territory, and yet there was no way for
connecting with this public road unless we
placed it whore we did. They tore up the
track on private property, bought and paid
for by the Traction Company, and yet they
say they were not trespgssers and midnight
rioters and ASS ssins Mr.. Brumm pro lu,ed
copy Of the GlbertOn Councils official map
OF the borough and showed what appeared to
be an erasure on the place the borough
claimed represented Gilbert street. lie
intimated to the jury, in fact almost declared,
! that the words Church street. had been
erased TO make the map conform to the
claims of tie prosecution and added, SHANE
Shame on the prosecution that will attempt
to hang man ON such fimsy testimony"
Mr. Brumm turned his attention to the
consideration Of the testimony bearing upon
the shooting scene. Councilman Stone, hs
said, that Mahony jumped in front of the car
to grab Briggs gun. Jumped % he excl lin.
ed with great emphasis Yes, Stone told the
truth in this respect Mahony had to Jump
TO grab the muzzle because it was elevated
and when MahOny jumped and pulled the
muzzle down over the dashboard and pulled
Briggs half way over the gun was discharged.
Mr.. Brumm produced surveyors upright
and after arranging the disk at the testified
height of the car rail above the ground,
stood upon chair and placed the muzze OF
the gun beside the disk as the defense claim
NN bA XXX uelh I've 10 SNOW lnAL NlalOnN mad
TO jump TO grab it,
After making this illustration Mr.. Brumm
turned toward and pointed to where the
father of James Partt was seated, and said,
They have convinced this poor old man,
Partit, that Briggs shot his son.
A woman dressed in deep mourning and
seated near Mr. Parft exclaimed, 80 ne did"
A death like silence prevailed for moment
and the spectators stretched their uccks TO
get a glimpse Of the woman.
"You are the mother of the poor boy.
presume ?' qusried Mr.. Brumm with soften.
cd tone.
'Yes, and my poor boy didn't drink"
Mrs arht burst into tears, her husbands
eye filed Mrs Briggs wept almost hystericaly,
and Mrs. Briggs, Sr., also wept violently, as
well as two young women beside her
The prisoner for the first time during the
trial, exhibited emotion. His father threw
his head back and gazed steadily at the cell.
ing, but that didn't prevent the tears flowing
doWn his cheeks Judge Weidman was vis
oIy affected and the eyes Of three iurymen
were filled with tears 1t is ,afe to saw that
more than half Of the number Of spectators
also cried, but Mrs. PaIft was the only one
who cried aloud. It was an affecting scene
aud Mr. Brumm became quite nervous. buf
he instantly reco 7ered himself and after mo
mfntarily turning from the distressed fami
hos he said in his sOftest and kiudest tones
that he had conveyed the impression that the
boy did drink He believed the boy was, as
stated in the testimony a good dutiful, lov
ing, son and he only wished that he could be
OF some assistance to the par nts in bearing
their grief and he knew that if Briggs could
MAKE some sacrifice in the same direction
that he would gladly do so.
Mr. Brumm then continued with his line
Of argument to show that Briggs did not shoot
Parht. The shot that struck Parft came
from outside of the dinkey, he exclaimed
lhe shot that came from Br ggs' gun was the
one found in the wituess Conuors shoe. The
witness Rafferty, sWOre that the flash from
Briggs gun passed over his feet and where
The flash went il was preceded bv the buIIet
Ii was geometrically impossible for the flash
TO pass over Ratierty's feet and the bullet to
enter at Pariits hip. Rafferty, swore that at
the time OF the shooting he and Parft were
Standing near the dinkey Rattigau was
slightly behind with his right shoulder
against ParhJs left shoulder: and in that
position 1t was gemOmetrically impossible for
the flash to pass to the left over Rafferty,, feet
ana the bullet to 60 to the right into Parit's !
hip.
AR to che grabbing of the gun Mr.. Brumm
'ald that the Commonwealth in trying TO |
contradict Swteny by Boyle and proved ,
nothing. Boyle swOre that Sweenv told him
that after the shot was fired Mahonv took
the gun from Briggs, bu5 BOYLE did not swear
oWeeny told him that MahOuy did not grab
The gun before the shot was fired. To NV
mind, said Mr. BruUm there exists i'm Gii |
Derton reign OF terror and most of the men
II that place who came here to tell the truth
we're afraid And after this verdict of no
guilty FaThi's friends will congratulate them.
elYes upon finding that they were led into
'rror by the i'll will and i'll feeling of a few
ouncilmen who wanted to crack a whip over
ne traction Company for some purpose con.
ealed
The people of Gilberton were the midnight
ssassins. They shot twice at Briggs and
our times at Amour, but failed and now
hey want this court TO do " hat they Gai ed
o do-kIll Briggs. They thought they had
,llled Amour, but il was Gods will that
amour should live to tell the story. Had
amour died, God knows what would have
'ecome Of John Briggs But they crippled
lmour for life. IL was a miracle that no did
ot die. There Is only one case that / know
i where a similar wound was sArgiyed and
hat was the case of General Shields who was
hot ON he field Of battle i'm Mexico. God
and, We want Amour to tell the truth, aud
e shall not die 80 And God has got tb,
ruin MT Brnmm made a point that not
many of the CommouwealtL's
'imrises had sworn Parfr Was close to the
luUl lie OF Briggs gun when shot they had
hI'u % SNOW luhl intlt were any burns of b
ow5er marks on Parfts clothing or body.
nd The boys coat M evidence had failed to
how any. 7 he doctors had failed To show
ny,
The witness Conuors of Gilberton, had !
worn that he stood a little behind Parft
nd little to the left of him, when the shot g
'as fired. Mr. Brumm arranged before the
my junior counsel George Dyson and Mr.
oun tleish, Of the JOuraai, in the positions
he witness had testified he and Parft stood i
that time, He then argued that it was
impossible for the bullet to
nter Partits right thigh, pass out to the
ght Of his spine, and then enter tho heel of
onnOrs left foot The bullet from Briggs
ln, Mr.. Brumm said struck a piece of rock
q the track and on glancing OFF entered Con
ors left heel Mr. Brumm fitted the fiat.
med bullet in the rent in Counors' shoe and u
i'd that il was impossible for either the =
mes in Partirs body or the leather in Con
prs shoe 10 iatten the bullet as il was. Ii
ust have struck 3 lardened substance, vet q
uuoIs swore that the bullet that passed !,
rough arht's body Was the one he found d
his shoe. ID
The nor haf Ia laa,t.. I..r.. rsFsr...1 "a - n