Evening journal., 1896-11-12
WOODS CASE BEGUN.
Hotel Proprietor on Trial for
Killing a Man.
WITNESSES TO THE FATAL FIGHT,

DR. SMITH SAYS DEATH MIGHT
HAVE RESULTED FROM EXCEs-
sIvE DRINKING AND THE IN
TENSE HEAT-DR. MCAULLEY
THINKS OTHERWISE.
The Woods case the last slated for
this adjourned session Of the Court Of
oyer and Terminer and Of General
Sessions, is now on at the Court House
This is the third murder case and the
fifth criminal count to be csposed of at
this weeks term. On Monday the reg
ular November term OF General Ses-
sions and Oyer and Terminer will con-
vene with anotherfu docket ofoauses.
ACQUITTED OF EMBEZzLEMENT.
In General Sessions Court. at the
Court House. William c. Messick
charged with the embezzlement Of
funds of the Prudential Insurance
Company, was acquitted by jury
drawn to try his case at the afternoon
session. Medford H. Cahoon con-
Quoted a strong defence for him.
Mrs. Elizabeth G. Nichols told Of a
payment of money she made to Mes
sick. Bejamin Bowen, assistant super
intendent of the company, swore that
Messick had made no return of same
He claimed that $40 was due the com-
pany from Messick
Mr.. Messick took the stand and swore
that he paid over the money at the
cOmpany's office The company owed
him S60.40 in all. Charles H. Collins.
superintendent of the Delaware Benefi-
eial Association, gave the accused man
an excellent reputation. The state
called William II. Joyce, superintend-
ent OF the company, who testified that
Messick nevr paid over Mrs. Nichols
assessment.
The case was submitted without ar
gument, and the jury returned a YER
diet Of not guilty.
"a LITTLE NONSENSE" ETC.
Even the honorable court had to
laugh heartily when the desertion case
Of Christopher Bonash came up Mrs.
Bonash swore that she had to leave
her husband, fearing that he would kill
her. Mrs. Julia Hannum, a neighbor,
told of sheltering her. William +.
Kurtz, representing the husband. acted
as interpreter, also, by permission of
the court. Mr.. Kurtz asked his client
questions in English. then translated
them, then translated the reply. TO the
jury. The husband offered to take the
woman and support her If she would
treat him as man.
The laugh came in wher
the state called Medford II. Ca
hoon as Interpreter of its cross
examination. Deputy Attorney Genera
Cooper said:
ASK him when he took his trunk
away from the house"
Mr.. CahoOn suddenly forgot the Ger
man term for 'trunk" and burst out
laughing. After a brief conversation.
the witness told the interpreter that
he could not speak German at all, and
Mr.. Cahoon darted from the stand amid
a general laugh. Decision will be made
later.
THE CASE OF GEORGE C. WOODS.
This morning there was considerable
delay in getting started in the Woods
case, because witnesses for defence
failed to answer to their names
Counsel Walter II. Hayes stated
TO the court that subpOenas
had been issued but evidently
had not been served. The sheriff was
requested to hurry the witnesses into
court. Most of them are prominent
citizens to be used IN proving
George G. Woods, proprietor OF the
White Horse Hotel, was brought into
court and taken to the dock by his at
torney, Walter II. Hayes He stood In
the dock in response TO the clerk of inc
peace, and pleaded not guilty to the iu-
dictment charging manslaughter i'm the
killing of Howard J. Hannum, of West
Grove. Pa, at the hotel on August ~
1896.
The jury as completed for the case Is:
Benjamin II. David Jr, John w
Mitchell Warren p Messimer. Henry
Leach, Arthur l.. Draper, Herbert Can.
non. Benjamin Bond, John Hendrick
son. Frank w. Morrison, James E
Donovan. John T. Collins and George
Woolson.
DEFINING MANSLAUGHTER.
Deputy Attorney General Cooper pre-
sented the case to the jury, defining tw,
kinds of manslaughter-volu anC
involuntary. The involuntary man
slaughter is the commission Of an,
unlawful act which results in death
undesignedly, Of course He read
definition Of involuntary manslaughte
as made by Judge Grubb In a recen
case before this court.
The state also described the igh
/ that took place between Woods an,
I Hannum. when the proprietor ordered
the latter from the yard There wa
much profanity on both Sides and II
/ the fight Woods struck and kicke,
Hannum, who was intoxicated, and an
noying some of the employees Han
mum. however. was an inmate of thu
public hOstelry. having his team there
/ When Hannum attempted to get ul
after being knocked down, Wood
struck him on the chin, telling hin
| against the side of the stable. From
thence he never arose.
Woods gave himself up at the polic
station Later a post-mortem exami
nation was held and a number o
bruises were found on Hannum, VIII
had died Of hemorrhage of the brain
Hannum's excitement, through intoxica
ton, was great and the heat was ex
cessive.
William B. Carswell swore that he i
a civil engineer, and prepared plot o
/ White Horse Hotel and surrounding