The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-06-25
TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1901.
Court.

Court.
The colored men who engaged In a race
riot at Maple Shade on April /, were
placed on trial before Judge Gaskill on
Thursday. There were fifteen of them,
only two of whom were convicted There
were forty men in the party, twenty-five
of them now being fugitives from justice.
Jacob G. Hendrickson was granted an
order of substitution to appear for the
state, owing to the illness of Prosecutor
Atkinson.
The defendants were represented by
Micajah E. Matlack, George M. Hillman
and William A. Slaughter. The clients
of the two latter attorneys were all dis
charged, as having no connection with
the crime. Their names are Alexander
Brown, Moses Gibson, Theophilus Truitt,
Walter Pratt, Thornton Jackson and
John Camper
This left Henry Boston, Edward Ban
tram, Haywood Register, Robert John
son, John Harris. William Bennett, Wal
ter Amos, Robert Brown and Arthur
Horsey to be tried.
When the state had rested Judge Cas-
kill instructed the jury to render YER
dict of not guilty against the above de-
PENDANTS with the exception of the two
latter. The case then proceeded with
Brown and Horsey as the only defendants.
These men were charged with. commit
ting an assault on thirty-five Italians,
who were employed by the Camden and
Suburban Traction Company on April 1
in constructing the line from Merchant
vile to Moorestown. The prisoners be-
came dissatisfied with their pay and
went on a strike. Italians were hired in
their places. The colored men attacked
them, scattered the foreigners over various
fields and injured some of them severely.
Girard Malone, who was boss of the
Italians, was nearly killed and he was
also robbed. This crowd occupied
house belonging to John R. Mason, from
which the colored men stole goods and
smashed the windows and doors.
Charles B. Springer, a time keeper for
the trolley company, identified some of
: the defendants, and by his testimony
others were discharged. 1t was shown
that the men who were active in this riot
are still at large.
Henry S. Haines, surveyor of Burling-
ton, who was engaged in placing the
grade stakes, detailed the story of the
assault. He was present and saw the
colored men marching down on the
Italians in body. Nearly all of them
and other dangerous weapons. Witness
saw several of the men unconscious after
the ARRAY and some were taken to the
Cooper Hospital at Camden.
James Hogan, boss over the colored
men, gave testimony that tended to in
culpate Brown and Horsey, but which
was favorable to those who were dis
charged.
John Maloney, an Italian who speaks
English fuently, had charge of his
cOuntrymen who were assaulted, and was
the star witness 1.-THE colored men few
down upon us like pack of lions" he
said. "They fourished their clubs,
shouted and cursed us and we were COM
PEELED to run for our lives" Witness was
severely handled and he was one of the
men taken to the hospital. He had broken
bones and came near having a broken
head. The result of his wounds was
shown to each juror.
John R. Mason told how his property
had been injured. As he was driving
along the road he found one Italian lying
bleeding and helpless on the ground. The
fellow there paid Mr.. Mason the rent of
his house, but this he gave back to the
Italian. as he was touched by his pitiable
condition
Mrs. Elizabeth Agnew, of Maple Shade,
as well as some other persons living at the
same place, gave testimony concerning
what took place. This was mostly cor
roborative. Witness, however, who is
frail young lady, is evidently possessed of
mnch bravery. She saw the trouble from
her house, and as the crowd surged toward
the residence of her sister, she ran there
to see that no harm came to her. The
fight continued. Mrs Agnew saw the
men bleeding and falling. A colored man
was about to strike an Italian with large
club, but she ran between the two men
and prevented further bloodshed.
p Cesar, of Mount Holly. acted as In
terpreter. The Italian witnesses were
Galluso Framseo, Sieshame Dorneuseo and
Severio Messina. The Italian Consul, of
Philadelphia, was present to look after
the interests of his countrymen. These
witnesses described the scenes of that day,
told how they had been chased, dubbed
and robbed, and they settled upon Robert
Brown as being one of the ring leaders
Mr.. Matlack summed up the case, it was
given to the jury and a verdict of guilty
rendered. Judge Gaskill at once imposed
sentence. He gave Brown one year and
Horsey nine months in the state prison.
Eighteen jurymen were drawn to try
the case of ]. L. P. Eckman VS.. The At
lantic City Lodge of Elks, which will be
heard in the Circuit Court at the call of
Judge Nixon. All the other jurors were
then discharged for the term.
Pemberton.
A new millinery store is to be opened
here in the fall