The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-12-20


For some time past the farmers in this
vicinity have been very much annoyed at
the loss of poultry which was stolen at
various times and all efforts to capture the
thieves seemed to be of no avail The Of
ficers have been on the lookout for the
guilty parties and as a result of the eff
forts of the Mount Holly police and Con-
stables Claypoole, of Mount Holly, and
Thompson, of Pemberton, five men have
been caught and the prospects are that
others will be brought to justice later.
The men who are in Jail are Robert
Cramer, Budd Harmon, Morris Harmon,
John Shemeley and Charles Flora. JUS
tice Slack gave them hearing in the jail
yesterday. The first charge that was
pressed was that of the theft of two tur-
keys from the farm of John NJ. Ingling,
on the road between Mount Holly and
Pemberton. Cramer was a new hand at
the business, and when arrested weakened
to such an extent that it was not hard to
get him to make a statement that will aid
very materially in securing the conviction
of the thieves.
Mr.. Ingling was the witness. He lives
on the yellow House" farm in South
ampton township. On Thursday of last
week. he lost two turkeys They were
both marked by having toes cut off. On
the night in question he heard a noise
among his turkeys. He made an investi-
cation and heard noise in his yard like
somebody walking on brush heap which
was near the corncrib He fired his gun
twice in the direction of the sound. Then
he heard somebody going over the fence
in the orchard and later heard a wagon
going down the road. In company with
his son, Mr.. Ingling tried to follow the
wagon which went out to the stone road,
but could not catch up to it. The snow
on the ground showed that at least two
people were concerned in the robbery.
Mr.. Ingling's son told about getting on
his horse and following the wagon which
went toward Pemberton. Ingling fol-
lowed and heard that the wagon went
through the town. 1t was drawn by a
gray horse and the drivers were plying
the whip and hurrying the horse.
Eugene Earl said he was in Pemberton
on Thursday night He saw wagon
drawn by a gray horse 60 through town,
the horse on a run He had seen team
in Mount Holly on Saturday that he was
sure was the same he saw in Pemberton.
T. Harry Bowker testified that he hired
team on Thursday night to Cramer, who
said he was going to Wrightstown. 1t
was the same team that was recognized by
Earl
John L. Severns, a Mount Holly police
man, said that on Thursday night he saw
the team in question in front Of the West
End hotel. In the bar room were several
men, among them the parties charged
with the robbery. Cramer got into the
wagon and drove towards Lumberton.
About ten minutes later Flora went
toward the railroad station and started up
over the bog bridge.
Constable Claypoole saw Cramer and
Flora come down Main street on Thursday
evening and go around the corner of
Washington street. This was about
o'clock. He did not see them later, but
did see the team go out Mill street about
an hour later.
George w. Monroe saw the team go out
Pine street on Thursday night. His at
tention was attracted to the team by the
fact that he knew there had been thefts of
chickens and as the wagon came along
man walked up the railroad and started
up Pine street. He was tall man, wear
ing a cap and dark overcoat. He spoke to
Monroe, but it was not light enough to
recognize him. The general appearance
of the man correspondent with that of
Flora. The wagon went up Pine street
and stopped and the man who was walk
ing went up towards it.
Charles Flora, one of the accused, claim
ed that he was not out of town on Thurs
day night. He admitted being on Main
street as stated by Constable Claypoole,
but said he had been to DR.. VanDerveer's |
to have some teeth pulled.
George Buckalew said he was not in
Mount Holly during all of last week.
Prosecutor Budd thought the evidence
of Officer Severns and George W. Monroe
should be sufficient to hold Flora and
Cramer. He did not think there was any
thing on which to hold Buckalew, so he |
was discharged. The others were held |
for their appearance at court.
Justice Slack then called Budd Harmon, |
charged with completely with two defend |
ants in the larceny of Ingling's turkeys. |
He denied the charge.
Robert Cramer, one of the defendants,
was then sworn. The Prosecutor told the
witness that his statements must be vol
untary, and that there would not be any
indueement in the shape of a light sen
tence held out to him.
Cramer then said that he hired the horse !
rs had been stated, and that Budd Har-
mon and Charles Flora were In his com
pany that evening. They got in the
wagon over the railroad on Pine street
They drove out the stone road, and went |
to Ingling's where they stole two turkeys.
Cramer held the horse while the others
stole the turkeys. Ingling discovered
them and fred gun at them. They
drove to Pemberton and then to Mount
Holly. On the same night the three men
went to Camden and sold the two turkeys
with nineteen that had been stolen before
Cramer could not say where the others
came from.
John Shemeley and Morris Harmon
were then called to answer charge of
stealing chickens from Charles H. Fol-
well and Samuel E. Colder.
In this case Cramer also gave evidence
At the time he sold turkeys in Camden he
saw Shemeley and Morris Harmon. They
Of having bad luck. He saw
them on two separate occasions attempt
ing to sell poultry. On one of these times
the men had team belonging to Samuel
Matthias.
Harmon admitted hiring a team from
Matthias on Thursday night, and went out
after load of green's.
Shemeley denied being out of his house
either night in which a robbery was com
mitted
Justice Slack decided that the evidence
was sufficient to hold the culprits, and he
them to jail