Evening journal., 1899-09-26
GUILTY OF ASSAULT
Reason and King Sentenced
BY the Court To-day.
sBgARTs WAS NOT IDENTIFIED


IDENTIFY THE MAN WHO PAWN
ED A BICYCLE STOLEN FROM
MR.. PYLE-SAYS HE GAVE IT TO
JOSEPH WILLIAMS.
At yesterday afternoons session OF
the Court OF General Sessions the case
of Chester King and James Reason,
both colored, charged with murderous-
ly assaulting William A. Ahern, tele-
graph operator at Ginns Block, near
Middletown, on the night OF July 10,
was resumed.
The first witness to testify was James
Downes, a farmer residing near Mt
Pleasant. His testimony did not throw
much light on the case, however, as he !
had only seen the two men running
across his field, and mounted a horse
and helped to capture them
State Detective Walter Witsil took
the stand and stated that he had gone
to New Castle Jail and interviewed the
prisoners. King made a statement to
him alone and then in the presence Of
Reason, in which he confessed that on !
the night Of the assault that he and
Reason passed the Ginns Block Office,
and that Reason had stopped and look
ed through the window. He then pick
ed up large Stone and threw itl
through the glass. King said in con-
nection with this that he had good
people and did not want to he impll-
Gated.
Reason declares the statement to be
false.
Objections were made to this testi-
mony by Frank Brockson, counsel for
the men, who contended that King did
not implicate himself in any way.
Magistrate Reynolds, Of Middletown,
testified that he had heard King ask
Reason why he did not tell the truth
land not drag another man into the as
flair.
Testimony was also given by Con-
stable Hushebeck OF Middletown; Del
aware Road Detective Hutchins and
Conductor A. M. Driscoll, Flagman
: Thomas o. Butler, Brakeman E. B.
Walters and ]. R. Smith, of the freight
- train which reached Ginn's Block about
4.2O a. m. on the morning of the as
4 sault.
81 p, w. & B. Railroad Detective Will
= liam T. Jones and c. f. Bowers, warden
of New Castle jail, testified as to over
hearing Kings statement to Detective
Witsil.
e James Downes was recalled, and
!. when asked what the men had on
3 them when captured, said that one had
a $3.50 and the other 50. They had drop
e ped a bundle containing a good suit
I of clothes and shoes.
c. H. Jefferis, of Middletown, said that
s the prisoners had worked for him, and
e that on July he had paid Reason 5000
e and King $50.
e At 10 o'clock this morning court was
o reopened, and the trial OF King and
Reason continued.
a The first witness placed on the stand
was Chester King, one of the prisoners
It He stated that he was originally from
/ Uniontown, Md, and had started out
s with Reason on a tramping expedition.
s He was asked by his attorney, Frank
e Him Brockson, il he had made the fore
e going statement to Detective Witsil
/: while confined in his cell in New Cas-
l. tie Jail. He replied that he had.
d He was then asked il it we've true
l and replied that it was not.
n He stated that Mr.. Witsil went tC
,e him in the Jail and said to him that he
b. was in a pretty bad fix, and had bettel
1 make a statement clearing himself ant
m duplicating Reason, as the victim o.
1t the assault was likely to die. He stateS
IS, further that Mr.. Witsil told him t
t make a statement to him and he woul'
repeat it in court. He could also swea
r that it was true.
w Chester Reason was then requires
l to give his testimony and corroborate'
We Kings statements. They both declares
es their innocence and denied havin
thrown the stone, although they admit
ad ted having conversed with Ahern o
ly that night
he Attorney General White then ad
~, | dressed the jury, bringing forth th
III evidence on the side OF the prosecution
after which Mr.. Brockson, attorney to
ns the defense, made a strong appeal fo
rs the prisoners.
nd Chief Justice Lore, in charging III
,er Jurors, requested that they not pro
nounce the prisoners guilty as indicte'
which was assault with intent to con
nit murder, but if found guilty,
, make it merely an assault. He furth'
announced that If in their judgmeI
ses they thought proper. they could pr