The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-09

dynamite from him n few days prior
to the explosion, but he could not posi-
lively identify the defendant.
James McHale. Eugene Dean and
PatrillsuHlrkin, three of the four boys
suHu Earning to ride a bicycle on
PittstoH Avenue near to the store at
the time of the explosion and who had
q narrow escape from being caught by
the flying debris, described their thrill
ling experience.
Thomas O'Hara, who was leaning
over the gate in front Of his fathers
residence next door TO the Olchefski
store, watching the boys riding the BIZ
cycle told that just a few minutes be-
fore the explosion he heard noise in
the Olchefski store as of two pieces OF
iron striking together. His father,
Michael O'Hara, told of the destruc-
ton of his property by the explosion
and fire that followed.
OTHER TESTIMONY.
Kate Briedy, washerwoman living
on the flats, testified that Mrs. Olchef-
ski brought her a large quantity of
clothing to bewashed, just day or two
before the explosion. On cross-exami-
nation she admitted that all the cloth
ing needed washing.
Agnes O'Hara was called to prove
that Olchefski had carried goods away
from his store at Il o'clock at night
about four weeks before the explosion,
but the testimony was not admitted
because OF the time being too remote.
Detective John Moir and Chief Hickey
told of the finding Of the store goods
in Olchefsld's barn on the day follow
ing the explosion. They consisted, of
pCrfumery, bags of salt, fancy articles,
bundles of clothes, line and the like.
Mrs. Veronica Mitch, Mrs. Mary Kro-
tosky Chief Hickey anG Edward Hamm
identified the furniture taken from OIL
chefskis house. 1t was piled up with
in the bar enclosure and from its guam
tity and dilapidated appearance gave
the place the appearance of a junk
shOr.
The commonwealth will continue this
morning and among other things will
show that Olchefslii both admitted and
denied that he had dynamite in his
store.
BOGART BURGLARS.
All the direct evidence on both sides
of the Bogart burglary case is now on.
The commonwealth concluded at 2
o'clock and the defense finished two
hours later. The general opinion is
that there is a strong possibility that
the accused will be connected only OF
receiving stolen goods, although there
is no question. leaving the law aside,
but that two of them at least, Bixler
and Johnson, are proper candidates for
the pen"
George Jay. who saw a man on the
Bogart porch at 6 o'clock on the eve
ming of the burglary, was quite sure
that the man was Johnson, but he
would not swear positively to this.
| johnson answered the description of
the man he had in mind, and 1t was
his firm impression that it was john
| son, but still he could not say that it
| was Johnson beyond all doubt.
Joseph Curt, who saw three suspic-
| ious looking men going through Kress-
| Ter court on the evening of the burg
| larry. could not identify the accused
| as being the trio in question. The
ones he saw looked to him to be larger
men.
Henry A. Rickes. clerk in the Amer
| lean Express office in New York iden-
titled the box that had been sent from
his Office to Frank BiXler in Chicago,
|
three defendants was the man who
sent it.
Paul de Paschalis and John Courier
| Morris were called as experts in pen
manship to prove that the handwriting
on the package and that of a letter
! written by Johnson during his incar-
ceration in the county jail. Judge Gun
ster decided that this was matter
for the jury.
County Detective Thomas Leyshon
| took the stand and identified Johnson
as a man he had seen in Lanes res
taurant on the night previous to the
burglary. City Detective NIoir told of
| a conversation he had with Chief Hol-
leran, of Chicago, in which various OF
the circumstances already related were
| brought out.
| OPENING FOR DEFENSE.
| In his opening for the defense, Mr.
Vidaver stated that they proposed to
| prove that the accused not only did
not commit the burglary, but did not
know that the box they called for con-
tanned stolen goods.
| BiXler, he said, was discharged from
the navy last summer suffering from
a serious ailment. He had a mate
1