Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-07-23
BIDDLE ASSAILANTS
GIVEN 40 YEARS
Three Negroes, Guarded by Soldiers,
RailrOaded to Prison.
CASE CONSUMED Is MINUTES

Mount Holly, N. j., July 16.-Aaron
Timbers, Jonas Sims and William Aus
tin, the three negroes Who confessed
to assaulting Mrs. Elsis.Biddle, of Bur-
Engton. were sentenced to 40 years each
In the state prison, at Trenton, aIser
record-breaking trial. The three men
arrived in Mount Holly at LIS p. m.
Less than half an hour later they had
pleaded guilty, been given the extreme
penalty for their crimes by Judge Gas
kill and were on their way to Trenton
to begin their long sentence.
When the three men, handcuffed to
three detectives, stepped from the train
there were at least 1000 persons congre-
gated about the railroad station. COM
pany A, New Jersey national guard,
quickly opened sageway and with
in five minutes the criminals were In
the court house. Judge Gaskill had or
dered that the curious be excluded from
the court room, and in consequence of
this order only the newspaper men and
the guardsmen were admitted.
When the negroes were brought be-
fore the court Judge Gaskill appointed
counsel to defend the men. A brief
consultation was held between counsel
and the three men, and it was an
nounced that the men would plead
guilty. Judge Gasl1ill accepted the plea,
and in pronouncing sentence said:
''The judgment of the law and sem
tence of the court is that for the charge
OF rape, to which you have just pleaded
guilty, each of you be confined in the
state prison at hard labor for the term
OF 10 years; upon the charge of rob-
berry. Is years: upop She charge OF
assault with intent to kill an officer,
IL years, and upon the charge Of rob-
bling the house of William Streaker.
seven years, making a total OF 40
years."
The disposition of the cases OF the
three criminals had consumed about 10
minutes. AS soon as sentence had been
pronounced, the men were removed
from the court house. AS they appeared
at the entrance the soldiers formed
two columns OF fours, and with the
men In the centre they marched down
a side street to the special train which
had brought them from Camden. The
first demonstration of any character
took place as the negroes neared the
train. Here a crowd of several hundred
men and boys had gathered. They
hooted and jeered the negroes, and the
cry Of shoot 'em" was heard distinct
ly several times.
1t was decided TO run the special train
by way of Kinkora Junction, to avoid
any possible demonstration that might
be made should the men pass through
Burlington.
Trenton was reached at go. and the
men had begun their sentences at 2.45.
They had travelled 100 miles. were tried
and sentenced and placed in Jail in the
remarkably brief period of hours and
10 minutes.
Judge GaskiH later explained the
swift methods employed in sending the
three negroes to the state prison He
said:
The rapidity with which the cases of
the three assailants of Mrs. BiddIe were
tried, sentenced and sent to prison may
impress some citizens as being I'M
necessary. but the officers knew what
they were doing. There was a meeting
of 200 men held Thursday night at
Rancocas, at which complete arrange
ments were made TO blow open Mt.
Holly jail last night, secure the three
negroes and lynch them There is alb
solutely no doubt in my mind that
these arrangements would have been
carried out.
THE sheriff had a spy at the meet
ing, and it was his report that made
us know that under no circumstances
must the prisoners be allowed to pass
night in Jail here. / notified Cover
nor Murphy, and a detail of the ns-
tional guard was Immediately sent 70
Camden. / am very thankful that the
case is now closed.
1T was the women Of the country
that drove the men to determine on
dacnarata m 90 St1raS