Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-06-26
TWO OF A FAMILY.
Brother and Sister Charged with
Attempted Murder.
NOTED CASE ON TRIAL AT CHICAGO

Crime Committed Nearly . Year Ago Fl.
lish-Hawkins Shooting - Testimony Of
the Victim Thereof. and Straight Inn
peachment Of One statement-Nob Law
and Race War 1t Key West.
Chicago, June ?6.-Attrected by the
elements Of tragedy and romance In the
trial OF Nellie and Joseph English, many
spectators visited Judge DUNES court
yesterday. The brother and sister.
charged with attempting to kill WILL
lam Hawkins. at Clark and Van Buren,
streets, last July. sat side by side. They
were deeply affected by some Of the
testimony relating to the former pleas
ant relations existing between Hawkins
and the girl. The defense claims that
English fired the shots which SO nearly
caused a murder after he had heard
serious charges preferred by his sister
against Hawkins. The prosecution
claims that the attempted murder was
the outcome Of conspiracy to take
Hawkins life and thus prevent his tell
ing matters which his assailants wished
suppressed.
Intended Victim on the Stand.
William Hawkins. the prosecuting wit
ness. was put on the stand. He said the
whole trouble arose over the publication
in q newspaper at Galesburg over q year
ago of an article which stated that he
had eloped with Nellie English. He be-
lieved that Mrs. Bridget Sweeney, Of
1909 Portland avenue. Chicago. had
something to do with the publication,
and he insisted that she or the English
family correct the publication. The Eng
fishes refused and Hawkins was said
to have threatened to reveal something
he knew about Mrs. Sweeney. Nellie
and Joseph English heard Of this and
also heard that Hawkins had shown
letters Nellie English had written him
to Rev. Father Madden. He was also
said to have talked to other men about
the character Of Nellie English.
Never Said n Word Against Nellie,
For this the young woman and her
brother. Hawkins said. attempted to
kill him, although he denied in positive
terms that he had ever in his life said a
word rejecting upon Nellie English up
to the day she is said to have attempted
70 take his life. He admitted. how
| ever, that he had shown her brother
Joseph some Of the letters the girl had
written him. Hawkins said he had, at
the request Of Nellie English, returned
| twenty-six of her letters. But he had
a package of nearly n dozen left, which
were produced in evidence yesterday.
| The eDist,es were filed with ex-
| pressions Of love for Hawkins and with
| vulgarity Of the worst kind. Many
| women in the court room tiotoed out
| into the corridor when 1t wasannounced
| the letters would be read. The defense
| alleges these letters are forgeries and
objected to their production.
Strong Testimony for the Defense.
Hawkins denied that he had eloped
| from Gatesburg with the young woman
April z, last year. The witness was
| asked IL he had not said to her that she
would either marry him or her brother
would have to kill him (Hawkins). The
witness put a great deal Of force into
his negative answer. Mayor Cook, OF
Galesburg. testified to the good reputa-
ton of the defendants in their home
city. W. H. Spinner. ticket agent at the
Burlington station in Galesburg. said
he saw Hawkins and Miss English to-
gether in the waiting room the day Of
the elopement and that the girl was
| crying. A. b. Sweeney, city editor OF
the 4alesburg Evening Mail, said he
had written the story OF the elopement
and that Hawkins was the man who
gave him the information.
NEeR MOB ON THIS OCCASION.
white Man the Victim and . Race Wa
Probable at Key West.
Key West. Fla. June 26.-This city ha.
virtually In the hands a negro mol
Thursday night, and a white citizen wa
killed the mob. At p. m. Thursday
Silvanus johnson, charged with assault
on white woman, Mrs. Margaret At
well, was conducted to the court hous
for hearing. The court room wa
crowded, and c. B. Pendleton, well
known citizen, arose and asked: 'Ar
there enough white men present to ham
| the Eegro?" There was q chorus o
Yes" and the crowd closed in on tn
prisoner. The sheriff and his deputie
drew their revolvers and held the crow,
at bay while johnson was at once hur
ried back to Jail. A big mob gathered II
front of the building. and one Of the ne
groes cried out to lynch Pendleton, and
rush was made for him. Through tn
efforts OF himself and friends Pendletol
made his escape In carriage.
The negro mob then gathered abou
the Jail building 10 prevent the lynchin
Of johnson. and open threats were mad
: by them to kill any white man tina
: might come to the Jail. About II o'cloc
at night William Gardener. a white mar
was sitting in front Of the court hous
when several of the negro mob ap
preached him and ordered him to move
J He arose to obey. ard as soon as HI
| "a
? crack Of a number Of rifles. and Garden
} er received a mortal wound, from whic
he died two hours later.