The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-19


shortly before one o'clock this afternoon, and
twenty minutes later brought i'm a verdict of
guilty in manner and form indicted
The jurors reached verdict ON the first
ballot, and they were unanimous i'm this con-
clusion.
The usual motion for suspension of SEN
teuce pending motion for a now trial was
made, and until this is done, requiring about
two weeks, no other steps will be taken.
The defendants arc Michael Darrah
Edward Knowles and William Richardson.
Pottsville. March 10.-The trial Of the
young men charged with the crime Of setting
fire to the Hosiery mill at Mahanoy City in
January last, drew big audiences to-day to
listen to the closing argument Of the counsel
and Judge Kochs charge. The defendants
in their testimony, denied everything that
had been testified by Flemmng and Wooden.
Michael Darrah, one of the defendants
was called to the stand late yesterday after
noon, and said he did not set fire to the
hosiery mill and saw no one else set FIRE to
it, and was not present when it was fired. He
denied having heard anyone talk about
setting fire to the MILL and heard DO one
call Wooden q coward. Said he was home
when the hosiery mill fire was discovered
He was not at the lime kiln next day, but
was working. On croSs-exa mination the
witness said it was about o'clock Sunday
evening when he met Richardson. Darrah
was then taken over the route he said he
toOk that night, and stuck pretty closely to
the story told on direct examination.
The third defendant Edward Knowles,
also denied setting fire to the hosiery mill
and he did not know who did. He told
where tho defendants were the night o
the fire On cross examination he said
he was at home at the time of
the Parker fire. would not swear the
others did not drink when they met on
the railroad at the time of the Eichman fire
From his own account, he had been walking
about from 10 o'clock to nearly 100. He
went to the hosiery mill fire and got his hand
burned carrying things out of Fritzs house
met Richardson at the fire, but had no con-
versation with him, only to tell him his
hands were burned said there was no talk
about the fire the next day when the defend
ants met at the lime kiln that Wooden said
nothing about the reward met Flemming at
the mill fire next day then they went to
view the other ruins, and after that went to
the lime kiln to unload stone
This closed the testimony for the defense,
and the Commonwealth called Deputy Clerk
Duffy, to prove that the defendants had been
convicted of offences and thus made iucom-
petent as witnesses. Judge Koch ruled that
! they could not admit testimony as to the
character of the defendants, but anything
that related to felony, fraud, &C. would be
heard. Clerk Duffy was then requested to
refer to the docket, May Term, 1897. and he
read the entry, showing that William Rich
ardson had been convicted on three counts
larceny, forcible entry and receiving stolen
goods. and had been sentenced bv Juaoe
Koch to pay costs and Imprisonment for nine
months
There was a DELAY in openiup the case tbi.
morning. owing to the late arrival of Mr.
Marr. one of the counsel Judpe Kocr
finally instructed Mr.. Whitehouse to proceed
with his address on the SUMMING f,r tI,s
defense and he occupied about A. minnie,
He opened by saving that the bappt.
ness of three families was involved in the
case. Dwelling on the imperfeotious of the
stories told bv Richardson Dgrrab and
Knowles on the witness stand he asserted
that the stories we're the mnrs
true. He attacked Flemmings syi
dence and described him AS a seIr-,,nre.sef
. criminal BrVAnt'S story rOIfrgNrpTat
by Joseph Eichmau. who swore Brvant wa
in bed when the second fire was stsrtod
Wooden's testimony was dissscted and AZ
scribed AS simply Infamous. Talking am,
drinking with these men the dav after tb
fire he prepares a story blaminu then, for tI,;
terrible crime of destroying the mower n
usefulness that smploved many neon1s
The sneaker dwslt upon the danger of ror
victinq ON the evidence of am s,rssso'r,, ar,
accomplice and unou that of anotbar Who
exnectinp reward Rock upon bool, has ice
written ON how dangerous and u,,saf fa Tn r.l,
ON sucb testimony There is nothing RI
markable about these voupe men heinz ont
niobt like that and of runping to fires Fatin,
well sleeninp we'll all vouug and vigorous
thew had a little carousal and then wen
home partipg like boys usually do. Tber
is nothing said about going homo on such oc
casions 1t is the natural time TO 90 home
II is the natural Uay to 20 home. Kpowle
aid he nsrted with Flemminp ON 9Th stree
and saw Flemming going toward
Lie friend Carnodv's bouse ont