The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-13
VERY DARK CRIME
Richard Ruffin, Colored, on
Trial for Numbering
Annie Wells.
Negress.
ERWIN'S FIRST CAPITAL CASE
Unlawful Love Caused the Tragedy
Fatal Bullet Traced.
FIRST CAPITAL CASE

Prosecutor James S. Erwin is trying his
first murder case today in the Oyer and
Terminer Court. The defendant is Rich
ard Ruffin. a negro, who killed Annie
Wells, a negress. on October %. last
year., at No. 29T 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 are
George Clock. William Meyer. Michael J.
Coyne. George Gapelli. Clarence Steele,
M i.faeh i i. Sea arenie Frank n aiss semeIgi.,
John d. Brenna and George Delaney.
Prosecutor Erwin made a very brief
opening, recitillg 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 rooning with Lizzie
Brown. another negress. at No. 39l Third
street. Two weeks before the shooting,
night. He called again a week afterward.
On the afternoon of October 20. Ruftln
made another visit and remained about
an hour. and during that time urged the
woman to live with him again. She re-
fused; Ruffin threatened to kill her UNI
less she consented; The woman persisted
in her refusal and Ruin carried out his
threat The bullet entered her abdomen
and perforated eight of the intestines. 1t
took a downward course from the right
TO the left side. The wound woman
was taken to the hospital in an ambu-
lance and died two days a~fterward.
After the shooting Ruffin ran away.
He was pursued by a crowd and Sanitary
Officer Flannery captured him at Third
and Monmouth streets and turned him
over to Officer Joseph Nevin, who was
on that post. The shooting was done
shortly after four o'clock.
Architeet Lewis H. Broome was the first
witness called. He described a diagram
of the rooms which he had made.
DR.. Harvey W. Young. the ambulance
urgeon, testified that he took the woman
to the hospital. She was wounded on the
right side of the abdomen. The surgeons
performed an operation. They opened the
abdominal cavity and sewed UP the per-
forated i~ntestines. The bullet was not
found until the post morten examination
was made
County Physician Converse testified thai
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 he suffering great pain.
She stated to Sergeant Hopkins that she
had lived with Ruffin of and on for about
q year. On the afternoon of the shooting
/ he threatened TO kill her unless she would
tfOlSSnT 10 i've WIN MN aR3tsf. one 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
dsnee.
precinct, testified that he was at Bruins
wick street and Newark avenue when he
saw a crowd running and was informed
that there was a shooting going on up IN
Third street. He ran TO the corner of
Third and Monmouth streets and found
Rufin there in the custody OF Sanitary
officer t1annery. The prisoner was turned
over to the witness. who took him back
to the house and into the presence OF
the wounded woman. Ruffin stopped down
and said TO her: Don't give it away"
She identified Rufin as the man who shot
hcr.
Sanitary officer FIannery told about
seeing the crowd chasing Ruffin across
the lots and OF his intercepting him at
Third and Monmouth streets The wit
ress found the reyolvers in Ruffin's over
coat pocket. ana asked him VINO he shot.
Il don't know whether 1 hit or not" the
prisoner replied.
The witness eorroborated Officer Neyin's
testimony as to h Identification of the
prisoner. When he was confronted with
Mrs. Wells she said he had shot her.
Don't say. that. Annie" Ruffin. said.
Yes. You lone Il Dick" she replied;
Eliza Brown the woman from whom
Annie Wells hired the room, testified to
occurrences of the day.
Mamie Wells called Ruf6n in about
xf1t o'clock that morning. she said.
Hfhen he came in Annie said, Where's
- pawnticket? Dick Rufiin said that
&had it, and he was going to GET her
ss out of hook. She said she didn't
Int him to get it out. that she would
out herself, and that if she didn't
give her she would nave him ar
rested. Dick Ruf1in laid a pistol on the
table. and [ said For the Lords sake.
take that away. q might shoot my son.
When Rufi.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
her again to take him back, and she said
she'd rather go TO he'll first. Then he
raised the pistol and shot her. She fell
on her knees.
The trial may be finished today.