The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-11-27
MURDER NEAR MOUNT AIRY.
RUM THE CHIEF CAUSE OF THE TRAGEDY
The Murderer in the County JAIN.

A drunken spree INDUCED in by three
colored men IN stone house about one
mile east of Mount Airy and four miles
from this city ended in the death of one
of them at late hour last Thursday night.
As near as we can learn, the facts are as
follows:
The house where the tragedy occurred
was occupied by James M. Harrison, his
wife and five small children. The Har-
risons had two men boarders, William
Boyd and Moses Shepherd. All the men
worked in stone quarry. When they
returned to the house at noon on Tnurs-
day they brought with them two or three
quarts OF apple whiskey in a demijohn.
In the evening, after supper. Harrison aud
Boyd visited Augustus Holcombe's store
at Mount Airy, where Boyd purchased
new pair of boots and the two men re-
turned home. There they partook of the
wbiskey quite freely and at length became
very noisy.
I Harrison and his family occupied bed
room on the first floor, while Boyd and
Shepherd occupied room on the second
floor. AT a late hour Harrison retired to
his bedroom, but Boyd and Shepherd con-
tinued their spree. Harrison concluded
to quiet the two men and shouted up the
stairway at them. Shepherd at once
quieted down, but Boyd became very
angry, and, arming himself with long,
sharp knife, went down stairs and at
tempted to enter Harrison's bedroom.
Harrison asked him what he wanted and
Boyd replied that he was "going to clean
house" at the same time fiourshing the
knife. Thereupon Harrison took a re-
volver from shelf and fired bullet
through the bedroom door, which, how
ever, did no harm, except to frighten Mrs.
Harrison, who raised a window, jumped
out 10 the ground and ran screaming
down the road. Boyd still attempted to
get into the bedroom, when Harrison
jumped from the window, ran around TO
the front door and stepping into the house
shot twice at Boyd, one bnllet imbedding
itself in the left jaw, the other 10 the
brain. Harrison then went 10 neighbor,
reported what he had done, returned TO
the house and awaited arrest, which took
place about noon on Friday, Constable
Srope bringing him to this city and lock-
ing him up in the city Jail.
Early Friday morning Coroner Thomas
s. Callan was notified of the affair, who
visited the scene Of the tragedy and by
bis order the body OF Boyd was removed
to Stockton's mosgue, In this city.
Friday evening County Physician Ber-
kaw arrived In town and the following
jury was impanelled: Gervas Ely, Jacob
s. s. Dean, Cornelius w. Rittenhouse,
Henry Trefiz, Joseph Akers and George
W. Trauger. After viewing the body the
jury adjourned to meet on Tuesday morn
ing of this week. After the adjournment
a post norton, under the direction OF the
County Physician, was held upon the re-
mains of Boyd.
Harrison was taken TO the county Jail
at Pennington by Constable Srope on Sat-
urday morning. The body of Boyd was
buried in Mount Hope Cemetery on Mon
day morning.
The Coroner's jury met on Tuesday
morning, when the taking of testimony
was commenced, under the direction OF
Coroner Callan, County Physician Berkaw
and Prosecutor Chamberlain. Three wit
nesses were examined, which consumed
the entire day, when 1t was agreed to ad-
journ until next Monday.