Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-10-31
QUEEN
ACQUITTED OF
DOUBLE MURDER
The Killing of Joe Sween
ey and John O'Brien
Was in SeIf-De-
Tense.
CONFLICTING TESTIMONY.
Judge Finletter Says the Outcome of the
Case Will Have Tendency to Make
Life Safer.

philadelphia Enquirer, Oct. %, 1895 }
Under Instructions from Judge Fin
letter. a jury in the Court OF Oyer and
Terminer rendered verdict of not
guilty in the case of George Queen, a
young colored man, charged with the
murder OF Joseph A. Sweeney and
John g. O'Brien. An Assistant Dis
trict Attorney represented the Com
monwealth and Attorneys A. A. Mos
sell and John A. Sparks appeared for
the defendant.
Counsel for the Commonwealth in
opening. said the testimony in the case
was somewhat conflicting, but never
theless the Commonwealth was COM
PEELED to take witnesses as it found
them. On the part OF the Common
wealth there would be testimony to
show that the deaths were the result
OF a quarrel which originated IN a sa-
loon st Twenty third and Naudian
streets, on March Tlest A alsmher Of
young white nlt-a were in the place
when Queen and some companions en-
tered. One of the latter had chicken
with him and this called forth a sour
rilous remark from one of the white
men. Angry words followed and one
of the colored men ran from the sa-
loon, hurting an epithet at his tormen-
tors The white men, among them
Sweeney and O'Brien, started in pur-
suit. but the colored man ran into q
house near by, and beyond the calling
of names and he throwing of few
bricks, no damage was done.
In the meantime Queen had gone tC
his home snd armed himself with 8
|, large butcher knife He then follow.
! ed Sweeney and his companions, and
upon. coming up with them at Kerr
street, near Twenty-third and LOm-
bard street, a quarrel took place. Ii
the fight which followed the prisoner
it was alleged thrust the knife into tn,
breast of O'Brien. and the latter fell Il
the ground where he soon expired
. Sw en-y was stabbed in the left side
e and injured so severely that he died
J., month later at a hospital. The othe
e two white men who made up the GROVE
e were each cut on the arm, but not So
r riously injured.
After number of witnesses had ties
= titled to substantially these facts, Rev
> DIR. Frederick q Coxson, pastor of tn
s Hitman NJ. + Church at Twenty thir
e and Lombard streets, was called. IL
+ said that on the night in question h
a was about 10 retire when he heard
Ia disturbance on the street. Upon &c
ing out he saw three young men, tw
Ol WHOM WtIo lcdUlllB Inc OJ06r an
persuading him to come with them.
Y. At the same time the prisone
If Queen, came along in the middle
the street, walking leisurely. Immt
diately upon seeing him the three me
attacked him and were shortly afte
wards joined by three others, and tt
n entire crowd, among whom wei
ce Sweeney and O'Brien, continued bea
he ing and striking the colored man. Sue
l. denly the crowd scattered, and Ques
TO was placed under arrest. after whiS
e. the witness learned of the cutting.
IN This testimony showed clearly tn
IN the accused was not the aggresso
es and without hearing the defense JUDI
OF Finletter ordered the jury to render
III verdict of not guilty. The case,
said, was one of justifiable homicid
ID the defendant having g right to resi-
y, the attack by force. The Judge fu
n Their said he thought the case won
On have tendency to repel the brutal 9
OF tacks made an inoffensive persons
n the community, and to make t.
streets safe for every man TO walk
at any hour without fear.