The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-07-01
Joshua Protests.

joshua Protests.
In The News of two weeks ago there
appeared an article criticising the action
of one Joshua Forsyth, a resident of Penn
berton. The latter did not relish the crit
icism and in the last issue of the Democrat
he consumes column in attempting to
explain his action Boiled down the
answer occupied but little space, the bal
ance was wind. The first objection of
Joshua was to the statement that he was
sued by Charles Perrine for wages. Per
haps suit was rot begun, but the bill was
in the hands of John Kelsy, Justice of
the Peace, and was settled with him, and
Perrine's arrest closely followed the trans
action
But the parts of Joshua's article in
which we are particularly interested are
his denials. The first follows: 81 had
Perrine arrested for i'll treating a little
girl in my employ, but not assaulting her. .
The records on file in the office of the
Clerk of Burlington county show that the
grand jury at the October term of 1900
considered three charges against one
Charles Perrine. One was for malicious
mischief; one was for indecent assault on
Evaline Flenard, girl 10 years of age;
and one was for indecent assault on Emma
Hllmuth. Among the witnesses in these
cases was Joshua Forsyth In the Office
OF the Prosecutor of the Pleas of this
county there are three affidavits covering
all of the above cases, signed and affirmed
to by the said Joshua FORSYTH. Yet
Joshua says he did not have Perrine ar
rested for assaulting girl but for i'll
treating her. Do the records of the grand
jury and the affidavits in the Prosecutor
office lie7 Joshua's name is attached to
the affidavit in the latter
Next Joshua says: 1T is entirely false
that Davidson was indicted for assaulting
the same girl as published in THE News;
on the contrary he was indicted for com
hitting brutal assault on another and
entirely different girl" Well, let's see
about this. Referring to the court re-
cords we find that the grand jury consid
cred a charge against Charles Perrine for
indecent assault upon girl named Emma
Hilmuth, and the records also show that
the last grand jury considered charge
against Elwell Davidson for indecent as
sault upon Emma F. Hemuth The names
do not entirely correspond, but it will be
but little trouble to show that the girl was
the same in both instances and that
Joshua Forsyth testified before the grand
jury on his solemn affirmation in both
cases. Did he tell the truth then or is he
telling it now The facts stated above
are matters of record.
Then Joshua says it is a false statement
that the girl has been committed to the
county almshouse, and he adds that she
will not be. This is probably true, as
things have changed materially 1t is
susceptible Of proof, however, that com
mitment was prepared with the idea of
sending the girl to the county institution,
but the article in the THE News called a
halt, and the girl was bundled out of the
county
The rest of Joshua's article is devoted
to showing what good citizen he is and
how he did his duty with the children
placed in his care Here is one of his eff
fusions: Il have always thought it my
duty when children were placed in my
charge to do my best to take care of them,
and to prevent any harm being done
them" AS a sample of what great care
he has taken of them let us revert to the
Perrine case. In the office of the Prose
cutor there are two affidavits over the
signature of Joshua Forsyth. They
charge Charles Perrine with having com
mitted an indecent assault upon girl 10
years of age. The assault consisted, ac-
cording to the affirmation of Joshua For
syth, in hanging this helpless child by the
feet and exposing her person. Another
paper in the same office, affirmed to by the
same Joshua Forsyth, asserts that Charles
Perrine committed an indecent assault on
Emma Hilmuth. The man was sent to
jail, but after he was released he was
again employed by Joshua Forsyth and
put to work on the farm in company with
these same girls of tender age How is
that for doing his duty''2 First affirm
ing that this man committed hideous
crimes against children whom Joshua ad-
mits he was bound to protect and then
giving him employment that he might be
right in their midst.
Joshua also gets a shot at the man who
went bail for Perrine and Davidson. If
we are not mistaken that person was
Samuel Davis, a reputable citizen of
Pemberton. He and Joshua are members
of pursuing society, and the latter thinks
member should aid in bringing a
criminal to justice rather than assist him
to be at liberty and suggests that this
point will be considered at the next meet
ing of the society. That will be an inter
esting proceeding. The records of the
| grand jury at recent term show that
there was complaint against one Joshua
Forsyth, of Pemberton township. for in
terfering with public officer in the dis.
| charge of his duty, and if other records
are perused it will also be found that this
same Samuel Davis was security for the
appearance of ex-Judge Forsyth should
he be called to answer the charge. The
next meeting of the pursuing society will
probably be an interesting one.
This is about all, possibly more, than is
worth noticing in this matter, unless we
refer to the statement of Joshua that
Davidson stole whiskey from him and he
will prove it. Perhaps. But that is a
matter to be considered by the jury, if it
ever reaches that point for there is not
much doubt that The arrest of Davidson
on the theft charge was made against the
advice of the Prosecutor of the county
Possibly it would be well to have the case
made public 1t might reveal some things
To the Republican Voters of Bur
1ington County.
At the last Republican county conven
ton, that nominated sheriff my name
was presented as a candidate, and received
such consideration that led me TO believe
that my friends would support me for the
office; therefore / now announce myself
a candidate, subject to the decision of the
Republican county convention. l pledge
myself to cheerfully support whoever may
be chosen as the candidate of the party
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