Evening journal., 1904-11-30
WEAVING NET
AROUND THORN
CONTINUED From First Page.)
CONTINUED From First Page.)
Robert Epps Testimony.

nSbSIA EPPS e5tlmonys
At yesterday afternoons session of
the Court of oyer and Terminer the
state continued to build up a stree-
case against Charles Thorn, alias
Boozer, charged with numbering George
d. Farra in 1897. The principal witness
during the afternoon was Robert Bpps,
colored, who told a. remarkably clear
story and identified the prisoner as the
same man who lived in Harrisburg as
Boozer.
Epps is a hauling contractor and sub
contractor to deliver the mails in Har-
risburg and lives at Enola, about four
miles from that city. Witness said he
first became acquainted with the pris-
oner in 1885, He knew the prisoner as
Charles Boozer. They worked on the
construction Of a trolley line between
Baltimore and Ellicott City, Nd. Epps
had charge Of all the colored men on
the job until the summer of 1896, when
Boozer left. The next time Epps saw
Boozer was in 1896. late in the year.
Epps had charge Of the teamsters con-
structing the Bel Air road near Balti-
more, and Boozer came to him and Sc
cured employment. The latter part Of
1896 the gang began to grade a hill near
Euclid Park, Baltimore. Boozer re-
manned there until the early part Of
1897, when Boozer said he was going to
live near Delaware City.
Something after Christmas in 1897
Boozer came back to my house at Eu-
cid Park. He seemed downhearted.
talked with him and he said he had
killed n S. a b. of a man in Will
mington, Del. He said a man put the
police on to him. He was stopping at
the home of a man named Al. Map, and
when the police came there AL. Map
said Boozer was not there. After the
police left Maps house, Boozer told me
that Map came up to him and said.
Boy you'd better fly. the cops are on to
you Boozer and my cousin. Wade
Washington, went away together the
next day, and said they were going to
take a boat TO Norfolk. They came
bak and Boozer said he could not take
the boat for Norfolk, as the man who
had betrayed him was at the wharf. I
had a notion to blow out the s. Of a
BIS brains, but I thought I had better
get away Boozer said to me. They
went away together"
Epps said the next time he saw
Boozer was in Portsmouth, Va. where
he was known as Jack williams Epps
went to Portsmouth because his cousin,
Wade Washington, was dead. two
months after they left Baltimore.
Epps said the next time he saw Booz-
er was in April, 1908 at Enola, Pa. He
said he was in charge Of the colored
labor grading a yard for the Northern
] al Dot to
him and asked for employment. Epps
said he put Boozer to work. They had
talk that night
"Tell me what you've been doing.
asked Boozer," continued Epps. He
told me he was again in trouble. 1
shot a s. of a b. at a bull roast at
Primers Point" he said. thought he
I had quit getting into trouble and caus-
| ing his friends trouble.
/ He worked on the job. and in May
| 1904. 1 moved to Harrisburg. on May
! 16 Boozer came to my house and came
in to me. He said 'Epps, why did you
give that Delaware affair away% I
said to him: Are you crazy or are you
mad? never said anything about that
! Delaware shooting He said: Yes you
did, too, and I replied. Man you must
be crazy He said: You s. of a b.,
L might as we'll hang for two murders
as we'll as one; If yu give me two min
utes talk I'll blow your God damn
heart out He backed toward the door
and began to pull out Colts revolver
/ that 1 had left at Enola, and 1 slammed
/ the door shut. / went out and ordered
horse hitched. I got a note from
Minnie Harris and went back to my
house While 1 was there Boozer. the
prisoner in tho dock, came to the house
with a revolver and wanted to kill me.
Minnie Harris and Jacob Collins held
on TO Boozer, and did not let him in.
1 then got a warrant for the arrest Of
Boozer. He was arrested and bound in
bail, and was not released afterward.
The man in the dock is the same John
Boozer."
In ss-examination by Mr.. Ball,
Epps story was mistaken. He said he
and Boozer always had been very
friendly up to the time Boozer threat
ened to kill him.
Patrolman Frank Kane, former State
! Detectives Bernard J. McVey and Wall
ter Witsil, and James T. Chandler, for
mer deputy coroner, testified to the
condition Of the Farra home which they
visited the morning after the murder.
Dr. Frank Roop Smith told Of exam
ming Farra's body at Deputy Coroner
Chambers morgue, and he described
the wounds.
James Alfred Wright identified the
prisoner as Charles Thorn.