The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-20
Thomas COnnerS Sent to
Jail for Six Months.
An Old Pawtucket Nuisance
Case Tried Today.
Interesting Civil Case Before Judge
R0gers--New Trials Wanted.

The trial Of criminal cases was esumed this
morning in Judge wilbur's Court. The first
case to DO heard was that Of the State W..
Thomas Conners.
Conners was accused OF having on the 25th
day of September, 1885, broken into the
pigeon house of samuel Pike, Jr.. at 25 Par
nell street. with latent to commit larceny
and also with having stolen rs tame pigeons
to the value of 90 each.
When the indictment was read George II.
Huddy, Jr., counsel for Conners, moved to
quash the indictment on the ground that the
larceny charged was not specific enough.
Judge Wilbur denied tho motion.
The testimony for the state showed that
CoDners had gone to Pixies home early in the
evening and asked who owned the pigeons,
which were in house close to the residence
of the owner. About o'clock he visited the
place where the pigeons were housed, but was
discovered and ran away. He returned about
IL o'clock the same night and when the
owner of tho birds discovered him Conners
jumped ON Pike and finally got away. A
brother of the owner Of the birds ran after
Conners and saw him 60 into house on
Atwells avenue. and on the rear steps Of ths
five live pigeons in the lining. which were
identified by MIR. Pike as his property. In the
house from which the defendant took the
pigeons there were before tho robbery 10
carrier pigeons, and about midnight when
the birds were counted. 20 were missing.
The defendant denied having stolen the
pigeons, and claimed he could not remember
ever having stolen anything in his life.
n -. -. -
him TO six months in Jail He VIII also have
to pay all the costs of tho prosecution.
AN OLD CASE.
John +. Harkins, indicted for keeping and
maintaining a common nuisancs in June.
1884, at what Is known as the ''plains" in
Pawtucket, was tried today. Detective
Haberlain testified that on sunday, June 2s.
he went to the tenement house occupied by
HaI kins and found % bottles of lager beer
and three bottles of whiskey in a wash tub.
A half barrel Of ale was found IN the cellar Of
the house and large mber of utensils used
in carrying on the liquor business. This wit
ness and police officer said on cross-oxam-
ination that they had never seen Hark ns at
the place where The seizure was made.
The defendant offered no testimony. but
the court to defend the prisoner, argued that
Harkins had not been connected with the
illegal sale of any liquor, or that rhc stock
seized belonged To him. He further urged
that the liquor was seized in a down staira
tenement, and no evidence had been ofered
by the State to SHOW that Harkins had pur'
chased the liquor seized or offered any OF IL
for sale.
Harkns has, since this case was begun
against him over four years ago. been very
prominent in rescue mission work ia Paw
tucket, but some time ago he retired to a les
prominent field of labor.
SOCIETY MEMBERS IN TROUBLE.
B,fore Judge Rogers and jury was heard
the civil case of ,wiliam X. McQuay against
John T.. Young. This was an action of tres
pass. The plaintiff. who is a regular prac-
ticing ply stefan of this city. alleged that the
plaintiff without eny cause whatsoever struck
him on the evening OF Nov l. 1895. on the
Ice, Just below the ieft eve, ir hic lag a
painful injury.
The testimony disclosed the fact that the
plaintiff and defendant, who are both colored.
were members of n secret society Of men and
women which met at 9S Weyboss street. o
the night tho assault was alleged to have
taken place there was meeting OF the society
named, and amongst the business that came
up for action was the question of whether or
not the society should send delegates to the
meeting Of the Grand Lodge.
At this meeting tho defendant presid I'd and
there arose quite a warm discussion on tho
topic before the meeting. The plaintiff and
defendant took opposite sides in ths discus
sion. Tho former thought the treasury of the
lodge was not in good enough condition TO
send delegates, and when one Of the sisters OF
the lodge suggested n letter be sent to the
Grand Lodge In place of the delegate DR. Nc
Quay supported her motion.
President Young, 1t was claimed by the
plaintiff, was 30 mad at this that no ad.
journed the lodge meeting. After the ad-
journment the doctor claims Yorn; said to
him, "You may. own every thing in the city of
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