Bridgeton pioneer., 1897-05-20

vile bridge, was broken into by some
body and 81 or IS worth of cigars, cigar.
cites and tobacco was stolen. The en-
trance to the store was affected by prying
open the front door.
The fact that the defendants were af
terward arrested grew out of circum-
stances surrounding a visit the pair We're
making at what is known as a club room
near the bridge. Among others present
was Phil Sheppard and during the even
ing Reed and Newlin went out, and after
awhile came back, bringing with them
lot OF tobacco, cigars and cigarettes. They
divided up the stuff, and gave some of it
to Sheppard. OF course the latter knew
nothing of the robbery, and he showed
some of the cigars to his friends outside.
and this led the police officers to investi-
gate the matter, and the tobacco that
Newlin and Reed had was like that
stolen. Their arrest followed, and it was
further developed that when Newlin
came back to the club room he had an
iron instrument in his hand, which might
have been used in prying the door. The
The case was purely circumstancial, no
direct evidence being adduced by the
State.
The fellow that kept the club room in
his testimony said this burglary occurred
upon the first day he opened the place,
and the day following the robbery, the
follow left and went South. Newlin ac
companied the man away from Millviile,
going as far as Philadelphia.
Tuesday Afternoon.
Bright as the day was, there seemed to
be little attraction inside the Court House
for people generally, and few there were
present who were not in some way con-
nected with the proceedings. Of course
the jurors, the witnesses and officers were
obliged to remain about the public build
ings, but others gave the place wide
range. The fact is the first days Court
proceedings were of that character that
might have better been settled in some
Justice of the Peace Office.
When Court convened this afternoon
Prosecutor Logue addressing the Court
said that there were four prisoners in Jail
who had not been indicted by the recent
Grand Jury, and asked for their dis.
charge. They were Lizzie Hires, Walter
Hutchinson, James Jones and Walter
Peoples. Judge Hoagland directed the
order to be made.
The defense of the case against Reed
and Newlin was begun after dinner.
Both Reed and Newlin seemed to be able
to establish a substantial alibi. WIT
nesses were called to prove that both of
these young men were at their homes at
the time when the burglary occurred.
They each denied that they were in the
club room where Brandriff and Shep-
pard said they were, on the evening of
the 30Uh of November. In fact they were
there the night before Newlin ex-
planned that he left Millville just after the
burglary because he was unemployed,
and he was obliged to go elsewhere for
work. When he went away from home
he knew nothing of the burglary. Later
he came back and for two weeks went all
about the town, making no effort to con-
ceal himself. The officers knew he was
there, and no attempt was made to arrest
him. Mr.. Logue cross examined the
witness thoroughly upon this point, say
ing that he had some curiosity to know
whether the Millville officers had done
their duty, and if not, why not.
There did not seem to be much in the
case one way or the other. Most Mill
vile people about the Court room ex-
pressed the opinion that the defendants
were not guilty. When all the evidence
was in, the defendants counsel had
shrewdly directed some suspicion toward
the States witnesses, Brandriff and Phil
Sheppard. The arguments on both sides
were earnest, and the charge OF the Court
short, inasmuch as the whole thing was
one of fact, and the jury simply had to
make up their mind whether or not the
defendants were guilty.
The jury was out but few moments
when verdict ofnot guilty was returned,
and the defendants left the Court room,
after Charley Newlin had shaken hands
with everybody.
Lorraine Davis was next introduced to
ajury. Hewas charged with stealing a
wagon from VIM. F. Hutchinson, of
Woodruff's Station. Before Prosecutor
Logue had got far in his case, Orestes
Cook, for the defendant said that Davis
admitted having the wagon in his possess
sion, and that he afterward sold the
vehicle to his father. The Prosecutor
said he would accept the admission of
the defense, and rest his case.
In defense, Davis said he got the wagon
from VIM. McClintock, Polander, in
return for debt and afterward sold it to
his father. He simply claimed that he
knew nothing of Hutchinson's owner
ship of the wagon, and did not dispute it,