The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-06-09
had PROPAGATION
Coroner's Jury Said Kid Mil
Ter Killed Weiss With
Cause.
STAB WAS ACCIDENTAL
Fellow Prisoners Testify in
Defence-The Dead Mans
Fault.

Especial TO 'Ine Jersey Nns NS"
TRENTON. June 9. S99.-Coroner DIS
brow yesterday held the inquest touching
the manner of the death of John WEISS
who died in the State Prison Hospital on
June l, from a stab wound. The jury was
Harry f. Smith. Charles d.. covert.
| Samuel Kruger, David Newton. Edmun
| r. Mutt and Richard Brown
The Jury first went to the prison. where
they viewed the scene of the crime, ana
| then went up into the room where prison.
ers are received. and listened to the testi-
monv of the four persons who saw the
| ARRAY in one or another OF It's stages.
| After this they went to the Court House.
where testimony of Drs. Charles Brewer.
R. R. Rogers. Jr., and Thomas Mac
kenzie was heard.
The verdict was that on June /, 1899,
| John Weiss came to his death in the nos
pital of the New Jersey State Prison at
Trenton. by a hemorrhage caused by a
knife wound; said wound was made by a
knife in the hands of Alfred Brown alias
Kid Miller. while in the bake room of the
said prison. They found that the blow
was delivered after great provocation on
the part of the said Weiss.
At the prison the first witness was ia
COD 1llllllcfldEl. lliC pl =
who testified that on the morning of
June l he had sent out the breakfast
throughout the wings and was taking a
cup of coffee in his W Office, when he
heard some one utter the word 'Oh-h-h.'
| He listened to see If a row was IN pro-
gress, but heard no further noise In
twenty seconds later Weiss rushed into
the office of the witness above and sat
in a chair, saying that he was badly
| stabbed.
81 guess you are not hurt very much,
said Mr.. Rhinehart, you're more excited
than anything else This was said be-
cause Weiss was very white.
The cooks carried Weiss from the COM
missary's office to the prison hospital.
The witness went out and took Miller
to the centre, from which place he went
to the dungeon.
The runner got the knife with which
the stabbing was done and put it In the
office. Weiss was sinking when he was
| carried to the hospital.
At this point the knife with which the
stabbing was done was produced. 1t was
quite sharp on the point and the blade
was fully twelve inches in length.
Mr.. Rhinehart testified that Weiss had
had a row with Miller before, and TWO
weeks before he had had a row with the
waiter at the prison table.
Harry Brooks, who is believed to be
unjustly undergoing a two years sem
tence for an accidental killing of a woman
at Long Branch. was the first witness.
He made a very favorable impression on
the Jury. and showed a degree of cuiti-
walton not often met with in the State
Prison.
He testified that he works in the
prison bakery, and that all hands were
peeling potatoes from 5 to 6 O'Clock on
the morning of June 1. The witness went
into the bake shop. where there is a sink
with two tops, to get washed Tor preah-
fast. Ahead of him was Kid Miller and
John Weiss. The Kid was washing his
face when Weiss came to wash his hands-
He got in the way of the Kid, who said
you've got a gall.
whats the matter with your said
Weiss, nettled.
ST was here first and I want you to get
out of my way"
mo. 1 WON'T said Weiss.
you WON'T said Miller. hitting at
Weiss. Weiss then hit Miller and there
was a scramble, during which several
blows were struck by Weiss. Miller
ran to the table with Weiss after him
Miller struck the table with his hands
and seeing the knife, picked it up. Weiss
had Miller's arms pinned to his side, ano
all Miller could do was to hit Weiss or
the legs with the knife. The witness
thought that this was all that could bt
done and turned his head away wher
he heard Weiss utter the exclamation
"Oh-h-h." The witness looked UP. ane
saw Miller standing with the knife in his
hand. Blood was noticed on the blade
and the witness said to Miller
You've cut him bad; look at the blood
on the knife"
With this Miller threw the knife down
on the floor.
John Coleman, the next prisoner, cor
roborated, except that he said Weiss
threw Miller over on the table where jht
knife was and then pulled him away from
it again, when he was hit on the leg will
the side of the blade. Miller then got Oh
of Weiss hold, but was grabbed again
and when Weiss, h had Miiler's arms
pinned to his sides, let go to hit a blow
Miller stuck the knife in Weiss.
Francis Mcmahon also said that Weiss
pushed Miller to the table where thu
knife lay. He had Miller by the arms Sc
that he could not move till he let go t
hit him. 1t was then he got the stab
Five months ago Weiss knocked Mile
down and kicke him.
Charles Cole, the Commissary's runner
testified to picking up the knife and tax
ing it to Mr.. Rhinehart. The witness sait
that last July Weiss had another row
with Miller, when he said that he woult
wind Miller's clock"
AT this point a recess was taken and thu
inquest moved TO the Court House, whei
the physicians testified. DIR. Charlie
Brewer told about seeing the man in tn
hospital and sending for his relatives an;
the Coroner, and County Physician r. r
Rogers. Jr.. told of the post-mo1tem- III
said there was a stab wound on the RICH
side Of the chest four inches obliqllel,
down from the nipple. that was an incl
} and a half long. The knife penetrated pc
tween six and eight inches, and passe'
through the diaphram, liver. gall, bladae-
and stomach, going nearly half wa,
through the body. DR.. Mackenzie, tn
prison physician, corroborated. The Yer
dict was as above.
-