New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-21
HIS FIGHT FOR LIFE BEGUN.
DEFENCE OF PETER JAMES, THE Bed
FORD STATION BURGLAR. OPENED
IN WHITE PLAINS

Tb. trial n. Peter James alias eddie" Jacques
for murder in the first degree In having caused
the death OF Walker B. Adams, In Bedford sta
ton on the night OF August 10. 1896. vas continued
in the Supreme Court White Piains justice keotD
presiding, yesterday.
John p Dexheimcr. the Bedford Station con-
stable. resumed bis place In the witness chair. he
said that he found tho prisoner Peter James. under
the Adams store she'd where ne had left him. and
conveyed him to the Mount Ksco lookup and placed
him in the custody OF the Chief OF Police Edward
Cuatt of that village.
William f. Reynolds testified that the store had
been entered by burglars about a week prior TO
the morning OF the tragedy. lie did not set the
burglar alarm the night OF this burglary.
Constable Dexhelmer. recalled, testified that he
left the revolver which taken from James In
the satchel In the store. and II taken TO Mount
Kisco Jenkinss revolver was also there He saw
three or four pick them up and look ut them One
OF these men was Mr.. Ha!nes. ana he looked
through tho barrel The witness did not know how
many hands the revolvers went through. lie did
not remember having testified at the Coroner's IN
quest that tho barrel Of Jame5s revolver had rust
In 1t. and did not look as though It had been
Gently fired. He thought the Jenkins revolver had
IN 1t four empty chambers and one loaded one.
He did not know who took the reyolvers to Mount
Kisco
DR.. W. j. Carpenter. OF katonah recognized a
bullet as the one that was taken by him from Mr.
Adainss head. 1t was a .SS-calibre bullet The
witness also attended the burglar, John jenkins.
Dr. Charles f. Chapman testified that he had ex-
ar'incd the defendant. James. and found him sur
iering from bullet-wound in the back. lie ex-
tracted the bullet afterward. /, was 32-cal!bre
bullet. This was The calibre CT young AGams's
rife
The doctor WAS present Al the autopsy on Jen-
k.nss body. The bullet taken from the latter's
spinal column was shown to Or. Chapman and he
Identified Il. IT OF 32 calibrc.
Samuel V. Burt, tIrSrnita Bedford Station
was In bed and heard the shooting He thought
there were ten or fifteen shots. fred rapidly. When
he heard thai there somebody shot he got up
and dressed. and. upon going 10 the Adams store.
came across JOHN jenkins. wing on the west
switch ,racks. He then wen; to where the body
OF Walker g. Adams law further up the track
defendant a, the bars near the woods James told
Him ne shot going acros. the tracbs by the
,G HI %esd not 's n, nsmf Ts Es 66
shed at the Adams store A revolver vas found on
John " saries was ore OF the party that found
Mhs the S Suna ns JANIS @ @ oaGsd
II was smoky about tho chambers and end Of IN.
's csst Of ' sss Gua ssa K.eo testified
to seeing the revolycrs OF James and Jenkins e1-
moved considerable burnt powder lilo also took
ah G q i 'Ss OF sr
tho psoseeuson was snS r to the stand and when
atheist ana coudN thke the necessary oath.
The District-Attorney withdrew the witness Then
the people rested.
mittcd that the defendant. James. WAS present at
the tine OF the burglary and the killing OF Adams
but he denied that ne took any part IN Tho doings
He went there under false impression. and stayed
there as a friend Of jenkins. who had promised 10
pay An old debt. Counsel said he wodld show that
the defendant was a respectable man, and held In
high esteem b. all who knew him whero no lived
and did business.
Policeman Michael J. Mclaughlin. Of Brooklyn,
te.tiaed he knew the defendant James. who kept
a bicycle store. His reputation good On
ninat,on he said he knew Jenkins visited
James frequently. The witness never had any bust
ness relations with either.
frank Stoddard. OF Brooklyn, another policeman.
testified that he had known the prisoner a couple
OF years and had never heard anything against
George Roden. q third Brooklyn policeman. knew
James but had never heard his reputation dis
cusscd Robert Condor, the next witness. knew
Peter James and lived opposite his store. lie
never heard anything against him.
paul S Young OF No. i3S Harrison-st. Brooklyn.
n bicycle machins'. had worked for James. lie
didn't know what James's reputation was.
Charles 4. Mahoney. of Hicks-st. Brooklyn. n
confectoner with store near James, had been
in James, store. His reputation was good. but
he couldn't mention the name OF any one who had
John J. Dempsey OF Bath Beach. nickel-plater
testified he knew Peter James and had business
with him. He knew jenkins also. as enc OF tho
drm OF Peter James &c Co. The court then ad
journed until 10 o'clock to-day.