New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-09
THE VAN WORKERS. MASKS.
TESTIMONY AGAINST YOUNG MEN AC-
CUSED OF NUMBERING THEIR
UNCLE.

Hudson. n. Y. April S-The trial OF Burton
Willis and Frederick Van Wormer, who are &C
cused Of the murder of Peter A. Hallenoech
on last Christmas Eve, was resumed to-oaS
Margaret Halenbeck, widow Of Peter A Hallen-
beck was reported to be seriously Ill to-uay as
a result of the nervous strain she underwent
yesterday in testifyng against her nephews
The crowd in court at the afternoon session
was the largest since the trial began. among
those present Miss Pearl Van Buren,, Wills
Van Wormer's sweetheart.
Imond Veneer, of Kinderhook, testified that he
knew the Van wormers by sight Two of them
came into his store the Saturday or Monday
before Christmas. Two of them were there
again on Christmas Eve. He sold masks to the
Van Wormers. who were accompanied by Har-
vey Bruce. On cross examination the witness
said he did not know Harvey Bruce. but had
been told that It he who accompanied the
Van Wormers. Vener's evidence relating 10
Bruce was then stricken out. At the request Of
the District Attorney Bruce was brought into
court and identified by Vener the man who
accompanied the Van Worrners when the masks
bought. Continuing. Vener said four
masks sold. Two of the style known
as devils masks" One Scotch face and one
Indian face mask were sold. On cross-exan-
nation Vener said he could not tell who else
Christmas time. He kept them in stock, and
there always demand for them
A Jerome Bower, of Undertook identified
of the pistols in evidence as belonging to him
He last II Christmas night in the Van
Wormer house, in the hands of Coroner Lisk.
The last time he saw it before that was De-
cember "a, when he lent It to Burton Van
Wormer Mr.. Bower said he did lend his pistol
to Burton Van Wormer on one occasion before
He returned ii next day" said Bower. II
have lent pistols to young men in Undertook. L
also sell them. It is a practice of young men in
Undertook to go about the village at Christmas
time and the Fourth of July shooting pistols
and wearing masks. Frederick Van WOrmer
in the store when I lent the pistol TO
Burton Burton was in the store about half n
hour. boy named George Earl was there; also
Harvey Bruce We were practising snooting
that morning back of the store. / rather think
Willis not there. l do not believe any one
fired at the target besides Bruce but myself. L
used PruCes revolver.
The object of this testimony was to show that
a conspiracy existed between the prisoners to
murder Peter a. Hallenbeck
and said: Il found but one pistol at the van
Wormer house. That pistol was not loaded
when l found it. 1t was loaded when l saw
ii before the Coroners jury and grand jury. |
cannot tell who tempered with II in the mean
time When | lent my pistol 1t was empty;
when returned me ii was loaded. I did not
notice any evidence OF II being discharged"
George II. Brown. a 1tveryman of Kinderhook,
testified that December "a Burton Van
Wormer and Harvey Bruce came to the stable
to engage a certain bay mare and buggy, which
they wanted a , O'Clock. saying they were going
10 Stuyvestant and then to North Chatham At
o'clock that evening Brown saw the bay mare
and buggy pass his office window. He said
that the buggy was returned at IL O'Clock that
night The shoes by the mare We're offered
in evidence. and defendants counsel objected to
their Introduction against Willis and Fred
erick Van Wormer The Judge allowed the shoes
go in evidence against Burton van
Wormer who hired the horse One shoe from
the mares forward foot, having peculiar calk.
was also placed in evidence under the same con-
ditions. Brown added that when the mare was
returned to the barn she was in good condition.