Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1899-08-03
THEY WERE HELD.
Barnett and Surran Were Dfscharoed
None of the Evidence Connecting
Them With the Matter.

None OF the Evidence Connecting
Them With the Matter.
The hearing of John McQuigg, William
+. Jones, Nathan Surran and Charles
Barnett, charged with kidnapping Henry
and William Brown and Joseph Camac.
was held Friday afternoon. This is
another of the many cases growing out of
the unfortunate labor difficulties here.
Justice Joseph II. Powell, before whom
the defendants were charged, wisely held
the examination at the Court House.
which gave the crowd of spectators an
opportunity to be present.
The room was filled with large mum
Der of people, and there was nothing con-
cerning the hearing that escaped them.
| When the three fellows who were sup
posed to have been kidnapped were
brought in from Jail, there was much
laughter from the audience, and caused
Justice Powell to warn the spectators
that any further demonstration would
| cause him to clear the room.
The kidnapped" boys were, in appear
ance, men. all Of them being much larger
than either Barnett or Jones, and all of
them had generous supply of beard
| covering their faces.
The boys, especially the Brown bows.
are not bright-if they are, they faithfully
concealed it Friday.
Prosecutor Fithian was not present Fri.
day afternoon, and the Prosecution
was conducted by Walter 81. Bacon. The
interests of the defendants were looked
after by Samuel Iredell. A Camden
sterographer was here with the defense.
to take testimony.
There was no attempt to make the hear.
ing sensational. Mr.. Bacon was entirely
falr In his examination and did not at
tempt to take any advantage of the wit
nesses. Mr.. Iredell was also temperate
and earnest, and more quiet hearing
has not been held.
John Brown, the father of two of the
boys, and who had the custody of young
man Camac, was the iniatory witness for
the prosecution. He said, after being
sworn. Ethat he came to Bridgeton on
Monday last with his two sons, Henry
Brown. aged eighteen, and VIM. Brown,
aged twenty, and Joseph Camac, for the
purpose of going to work for the Cum ber-
land Glass Company. Brown said he
came from Millville, walking over the
pike.
After some trouble Brow and the three
boys found the Cumberland Glassworks
When the party reached the works they
were intercepted by a crowd of men and
finding they could not get in the works
without trouble, Brown continued to
walk out Laurel street to Souder's can
ming factory. He left the boys at the can
ming factory, and told them to wait until
they were sent for or he came after them.
Brown then went back to the glassworks
and Mr.. Shoemaker went after the boys.
Failing to find them Mr.. Shoemaker
came after Brown, and he went back to
find them but could not do so. He said
he did not see the boys again unit
Thursday afternoon, when he found
them in Jail setained as witnesses. Brown
said in conclusion that if the boys went
away or were taken away they did so
without his consent.
Upon cross-examination Brown said he
left his home in Mt. Holly last Saturday,
walking to Millville, and then continu-
ing the pedestrian tour to Bridgeton.
William Brown, the oldest of the boys.
was next sworn. William was a pretty
big fellow and not of the most prepos.
sessing appearance.
William told the same story as his
father up to the point of their reaching
the Souder's canning factory. William
said that while they were waiting upon
l, ii f,.,o q
to them, and one of them asked the boys
"Which way are you going?" and
William replied he did not know which
way they were going. Then one of the
men said, we hear you are going to work
in the Cumberland, and one of the three
boys said they had no idea of it at that
time. Finally some of the crowd said
that the three young fellows had better
walk down town and they would be safer.
The three finally went down to the club
house, where there were number of
men, There were seven or eight men,
William said, accompanied them down
town. William identified John McQuigg
and William Jones as two of the men
who came down town with them.
While in the room the three fellows
were given something to eat and William
heard one man say: 1.-The only way to
keep these fellows out of town would be
| to club them." Finally, because they
were afraid, the boys said they would
| leave, and a man by the name of Jackson
and two other men took them in back
way to the reservoir, where Jackson put
them on trolley car and accompanied
them to Millville.
After Mlliville was reached Jackson
gave the boys a dollar, and took them out
on the Tuckahoe road, and told them that
was the best way to go. After little
while the boys learned they were going
opposite from home,andthey turned about
and went back, and arrived home Tues