The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-01
A GREAT CROWD PRESENT
SOME VERY INTER STING FACTS
WERE DISCLOSED.
THE THltvlnG TRUSTEES" ON THE STAND
The TX. Convict Breach Bound Over in a 500
Bond. John KoIdetfield Generated.
His Wife and Phillips Released
on Their Recognizance.
on Their Recogniz ance.

on Their Recognizance.
The penitentiary robbery cases were
tried yesterday morning at the mayor
office by Justice of the Peace Marcoh'.
The investigation. SO far as direct re
suits were concerned. did not amount
to much. but it developed the following
facts:
/. That the discipline of the peniten-
tiary is such as to allow convicts 70
leave the prison walls at will, day III
night.
.. That two 'trusties' Jordan Pritcn-
ard. colored. and Nj. ID. Hollingsworih)
have been going out at the dead 81
night with n wagon loaded with provls-
ions stolen from the commissary OF tie
institution.
3. That these goods were taken to IN
ex-convict q. T. Broach) who acted
as distributing agent and salesman, be.
ing assisted in this by Mrs. John Holdef-
field, ut whose house he lived, and posi-
bly, by Walter A. Phillips, who keeps
n store on West Cabarrus street.
4. The fact that John Holderfield. the
fireman ut the penitentiary, had to lie
carried back and forth in this wagon
by the convicts furnished an excuse
for their frequent trips.
Hence the defendants in the case
were John Holderfieid, Mrs. John Hold
erfield. ]. T.. Breach and Walter A.
Phillips. The two TRUSTEES" who
really did the stealing We're used as wit
nesses. The charge against the fonr
~ Twin cfn
When the case was called at 10
o'clock by the mayor the court room
was crowded with people so great was
the interest it has excited.
Counsel for the prosecution-the penl-
tentiary-was. Mr.. Chas. NJ. Busbee: for
the defense, II c. l.. Harris. $. q.
Ryan and NJ N. Amis.
When the case was called the defend
ants announced their readiness for trial.
but made affidavit that they did not
believe they could get justice before the
mayor and therefore asked removal of
the case to some other magistrate. It
was sent to Justice of the Peace Mar
com. or rather Mr. Maroon was sent
for to try the case.
On Mr.. MarcOm's arrival Mr.. Ryan,
who specially represented Phillips.
moved severance of the cases. MIR.
Busbee objected to this: he saw no me-
cessity for a severance of the cases. Mr..
i. c. L. Harris. who represented Hold
erfield and his wife. joined in the re-
quest for separate trial of the defendants
There would be evidence, he said, APP
picable. according to the rules of law.
to one defendant and not 10 another.
On conclusion of this argument Mr..
Maroon stated that as the rights Of the
defendants might he prejudiced by a
joint trial and the State of North Caro-
lima could not be hurt by severance
of the cases, he would try them sepa-
rately.
AT this point Mr.. Amis, who appeared
for Breach. announced that his client
had decided to waive examination. The
magistrate fixed his bond at 800. So far
he has been unable to give it auI IS now
in jail.
The case against Walter A. Phillips
was them called. He was charged with
receiving stolen goods.
The first witness against him was J.
s. Turner. comInissary steward OF the
penitentiary. He said he had missed
from his store room one bag of meal
and a sack Of flour. Last Sunday night
he began to take an account each
might of his stOres-the number Of bags
of meal, sacks of -four, the pieces OF
meat and the like. The memorandum
contained the brand and lettering on
each bag. And then each morning be-
fore any ratiOns We're issued from the
commissary he would again make n
count Of his supplies. The witness said
he always locked the com1nissary and
carried the keys. Monday morning
nothing was missed. Tuesday morning
bag of meal and sack Of -four We're
missed.
On crO examination Turner said he
knew Of only one key to the commits
sary and he carried that. There was Only
ore door to the room. The lock was an
ordinary one and had been on the door
about a week.
Turner identified his memorandum Of
the meal and -four. 1t was introduced
as evidence.
The next witness was +. Is. Aren-
dell. manager of the Central Prison and
purchasing agent He said Turner had
charge of the commissary and on Tues
day morning he reported the loss of a
bag of meal and a sack of -four. The
witness had since seen the -four sup
posed to have been Stolen. 1t has on
it the brand white Lilly" the same
brand as was on the -four in the pen1-
tertiary commissary. Mr.. Aredell said
there were TRUSTEES in the penitentiary
that were not locked up nj night and
might, if they had keys, 90 into the
commissary and remove goods.
On crOSs-examination the witness said
the cOmmssary was under the cooking
rooms i'm the main building and man
coming from the commissary out of the
penitentiary enclosure would have to
come through the office in the main
building or walk about 200 yards to the
west gate. There were no guards
around the penitentiary at night. he said.
and man going to the west gate would
not come in contact with guard. a
man going through the office might
tL,o. IL