The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-12
VERY DARK CRIME
Richard Ruffin, Colored, on
Trial for Numbering
Annie Wells.
Negress.
ERWIN'S FIRST cAPITALC CASE
Unlawful Love Caused the Tragedy
Fatal Bullet Traced.
sRWIN'S FIRST CAPITAL CASE

Prosecutor James S. Erwin is trying hi:
first murder case today in the oyer ant
Terminer Court. The defendant is Rich.
ard Ruffln, a negro, who killed Annie
Wells. a negress, on October %. last
year. at No. s97 Third street. Justice Lip
pincott and Judge Blair occupied the
bench. Norman l.. Rowe represents the
defendant. A jury was obtained with
very little difficulty. The Jurors ares
George Clock. William Meyer. Michael J.
Coyne. George capelll. Clarence Steele,
Patrick Curry. Archie II. F~iemming,
Michael F. heatlng, Frank "A. Sewell,
John &. Brennan and George Delaney.
Prosecutor Erwin made a Very brief
opening reclfiag the facts OF the shoot
ing, but emitting to make any reference
to the defendants probable motive for
the crime.
Annie Wells had been Rufin's mistress
at intervals for about a year. but had
left him. She was rooining with Lizzie
Brown, another negress. at No. 397 Third
street. Two weeks before the shooting,
RufIn called on her and remained all
night. He called again a week afterward.
On the afternoon of October 20. Rutin
made another visit and remained about
an hour. and during hat time urged the
woman to live with him again. She re-
fused. Ruffin threatened to kill her I'M
less she consented. The woman persisted
IN her refusal and Rui1n carried out his
threat. The bullet entered her abdomen
and perforated eight of the intestines. 1t
took a course from the right
TO the left side. The wounded woman
was taken to the hospital in an ambu-
lance and died two days afterward.
After h shooting Ruffin ran away.
he was pursued by a crowd and Sanitary
Officer Flannery captured him at Third
and streets and turned him
over to Officer Joseph Nevin, who was
on that post. The shooting was done
shortly after four o'clock.
Architect Lewis H. Broonae was the first
witness called. He described a diagram
of the rooms which he had made.
DR.. Harvey ". Young. the ambulance
surgeon, testified that he took the woman
10 the hospital. She was wounded on the
right side of the abdomen. The surgeons
cavity and sewed UP the per-
forated intestines. The bullet was not
found until the post morten examination
was made.
he made the autopsy. He found the bullet
in the left side of the abdominal cavity.
The woman was muscular and strongly
built.
Sergeant James Hopkins of the First
precinct testified that Captain Farrier
sent him to the hospital to get a state
ment from the injured woman. He asked
her if she thought she was going to die
and she said she did. She was sensible,
but seemed to be suffering great pain.
She stated to Sergeant Hopkins that she
had lived with Ruffin of and on for about
a Year. On the afternoon of the shooting
he threatened TO kill her unless she would
Aconsent TO live with him again. She re-
fused and he shot her. The Sergeant took
the statement in writing and she affixed
her mark to it. 1t was admitted in evil
dsnce.
Policeman Joseph Nevin. of the First
prAcinet. testified that he was at Bruins
wick street and Newark avenue when he
SAW a crowd running and was informed
hat there was a shooting going on up in
Third street He ran 10 the corner of
Third and Monmouth streets and found
Rffln there in the custody of Sanitary
Officer EIannery. The prisoner was turned
over to the witness. who took him back
10 the house and into the presence of
The wounded woman. Ruffin stopped down
and said TO her: Don't give it away.
Size identified Rufin as the man who shot
her.
Sanitary Officer FIannery told about
seeing the crowd chasing Ruffin across
the lots and OF his in~tercepting him at
Third and Monmouth streets. The wit
ress found the r~evolvers in Ruffinis over
coat pocket, ana asked him vino he shot.
I don't know whether hit or not" the
prisoner replied.
The witness corroborated officer Nevin's
testimony as to the Identification of the
prisoner. When he was confronted with
Don't say that. Annie" Ruffin said.
Yes. you done it, Dick" she replied.
Eliza Brown, the woman from whom
Wells hired the room, testified to
the occurrences of the day.
Mamie Wells called Rufin in about
-f1t o'clock that morning. she said.
zHfhen he came in Annie said, Where's
pawnticket?' Dick Ruffin said that
chad IT, and he was going to get her
ss out of lock. She said she didn't
INT him to get it out. that she would
-~~s& out herself, and that if she didn't
giverTI to her she would have him ar
Dick Ruftin laid a pistol on the
table. and | said For the Lords sake.
that away. Il might shoot my son.
When Ruf.n came in the afternoon he
asked Annie to turn around and talk to
him He asked her to take him back
and she said she wouldn't because he had
treated her too bad. too dirty. He asked
again to take him back, and she said
rather go to he'll first. Then he
raised the pistol and shot her. She fell
on her knees.
The trial MAJ be finished today.