Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1895-05-02
BRIDGET0N, N. ], THURSDAY. MAY 2 1885,
learned that John Booth had be en-
stabbed and was dead.

learned CnaG JODn Booth had bt en-
stabbed and was dead.
There were many other stories float.
ing about. There were those who
said taat the gang were playing cards,
were shooting era p and shaking dice,
and various o'her games, and that
the fatal blow was struck In a Quarrel
over these games, but such Is not the
case.
In THE LOOKUP.
Probably the true story of the whole
effair was given to the repo' ter In the
lookup. Constable George Reed had
arrested Sandy Hays, and salso six
witnesses to the crime, and they were
confined In the little prison on the
Main street. The reporter was ad-
mil ted to the prison by the Cons t able.
The lookup is a small flair, separ.
ated II to two rooms with partition.
In each room there Is wooden bunk.
In the rear room lay the murderer,
and he tells his own story.
To the reporter Sandy said that he
was ready to tell the whole truth If
he had to go to the'gallows, and as he
spoke Of the crime. he lay in the bunk
all covered up with bedquilts. Sandy
is big fellow. with black face, and
heavy fes lures, mousta che covering
his lip; as he talks, decided lisp Is
noticeable.
Sandy said that during Sa turday
evening, Isaac Lewis and Robert
Stephenson came to his cabin, and
said thst 1t was storming so hard that
they did net want to go aboard the
boat upon which they were working,
and asked to stay there all night.
Sandy arranged it SO that they could,
and finally began making preparations
for retiring. He wanted to wash first,
and he filled up tin basin and set it
upon the stove to heat the water.
While he was doing this, he heard a
knock upon the door, and Stephenson
ADMITTED four men, Frank Robinson.
better known as "Snowba.l,n Sam
Harris, Tom Shorts, fellow by tue
name of Jackson, and John Booth.
This crowd had been drinking some,
Sandy says, and they had net been
there long, before Tom Shorts spit
into the basin upon the stove. Sandy
remons trs ted with him and told him
not to do it Bgain But Shorts was
ugly, and he again spit in the basin,
aad Sandy struck him, and ordered
him from the cabin, Then Booth
jumped up and told Sandy not to hit
shorts, and general melee followed.
Sandy became somewhat frigt tened,
he said, and pulled out his knife. This
caused Short to say, Put away your
knife and let's fight fair" Sandy put
his knife in his pocket, and 1t fell to
the floor through hole In his pocket,
and he has not seen 1t since.
The melee or free fight continued
for some minutes, and during the scrap
somebody hit Sandy with coal box,
scattering the coal all over the room.
Finally the intruders were put out
side the door, and the hook rpon 1t
fastened, But the fellows were deter.
mined to do mischief, and they came
and tried to open the front door. This
they could not do, and finally they
came through Andrew Williams
rooms. Sandy's wife heard the men
come threatening him with all sorts
of vengeance, and she atteml ted to
hold the door, but they smashed it In,
and John Boz tn was the first one In
Sandy remembers striking him with
the tea.kettle, drawing blood, but de-
nies point blank that he cut him with
q knife.
In fact Sandy strenuously denied
tdis to the reporter In the presence of
many witne sses. He says that since
he got out OF jail he had allowed him.
self to be changed from nature unto
Grace, and ives telling the whole truth.
He knew that Booth was dead, but
declared solemnly that he knew moth
Ing as to the cause OF his death SO
suddenly.
Further than this, Sandy says
that he left his home because he was
fearful of his life, which had teen
and In order to protect
himself he went to Port Norris and
swore out complaints for the arrest of
Booth and Thomas Shorts, charging
tb EN- with assault and battery. He
wanted Constable Reed to arrest them
night, but the constable
could not 60 then, and finally Sandy
went home alone. He learned then
for the first time that Booth had been
killed, but there are few people who
believe II.
Sandy got out of jail last Sel tember
after having spent fifty days there.
Tow Guopmc TAryo