The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-01-24
was Witcraft Mnrdered 2

4 Was Witcraft Murdered?
"Well, they might be trying me fol
murder if they knew it all"
These are the words spoken by JOSEPH
Beebe. desperate character, whose home
is in Mount Holly, but who is now serving
ten years in state prison for horse steal
ing.
report which reached Mount Holly
recently, to the effect that Beebe had died
and made full confession of capita
crime, of which he is believed to be guilty,
has started the authorities to work again
on case which has baff1ed the skill Of
spector Anderson, of the state prison,
brought the reply that Beebe was moi
dead. Methods have been adopted to
draw from the prisoner, If possible, the
story which is so eagerly sought for.
The distracted parents of Abram G.
Witeraft, living at Vincentown, have not
received word from their son during the
past five years, and they have every rea-
son to believe that he would have com
municated with them had he not met with
foul play.
Witcraft was 80 years of age; good,
steady boy, who made many friends. He
was never the aggressor in trouble and
was liked by all who knew him. He was
a member of Vincentown Council, No. II,
Junior Order of American Mechanics. Be-
cause of the inability to prove his death,
a payment of $500 is being withheld from
his mother, due from the national associa-
ton and local lodge. If the mystery is
not soon cleared up, however, the death
benefits may be paid, and as a matter of
protection to the national association, the
Vincentown Council will give an indem-
nifYing bond.
On March Is, 1899, Abram G. Witcraft
and Joseph Beebe enlisted at Philadel-
phia, and deserted on the 18th of the fol-
lowing July at the preside of San Fran
cisco, Cal. The men were unassigned re-
cruits of the Ninth United States Infan-
try. John A. johnson, Assistant Adju-
tant General of the War Department, re-
ports that Witcraft was never apprehend-
ed or heard from.
George w. Ebert, member of Vim
centown Council, and also of the national
association, has been very active in the
endeavor to ascertain the whereabouts of
Witcraft, and through his efforts the re-
of he
Union Pacific and other western railroads
have been searched in vain.
1t was learned that on their way east
the two men stopped at Ogden, Utah.
While there Witoraft wired to Vincen-
town for $50 that was owing him by
friend, and the amount was RENTED by
telegraph order. For three days Beebe
alone went to the Ogden Office after the
money, which he finally secured. The
operator there says he watched both men,
who took the railroad track and walked
out of town, but Beebe tells a different
story. A few days after the receipt of
the money-the time being just about
sufficient to cover the distance by fast ex-
press from Ogden, Beebe landed at Vim
centown, and when questioned as to the
whereabouts of his friend, he stated that
upon leaving the Odgen station he got on
the front car of freight train and Wit
craft boarded the rear car, and that after
riding few miles the latter got off and
returned to California. Beebe said he
stole his way on various trains the entire
distance, which, if true, would have tax
en- him a much longer time to reach here.
His story is discredited, the belief being
that he killed Witcraft for his money.
Suspicion was at once aroused, and com
munication was had with hundreds of
lodges between here and the Pacific coast
without result.
Another interesting feature in connec-
tion with this case is the fact that when
Otto Keller, murderer, was confined in
the Mount Holly Jail during the incarcer-
alton of Beebe, the latter said to Keller
'You are going to Trenton for murder.
amt yous"
YES" replied Keller, who confessed
his crime and turned states evidence.
well, continued Beebe, ~'they might
be trying me for murder if they knew it
ALL"
While waiting in the county prison for
sentence, Beebe sawed bar in his cell
door, got into the corridor, and with the
bar of iron in his hand, crouched in a
corner and waited for an opportunity to
kill Deputy Sheriff Joseph B. Fleetwood
in order to effect his escape. But know
ing of his plans they were thwarted by
Keller The latter heard the Deputy COM
ing up stairs, warned him of his fate,
and probably saved his keepers life. At
the point of revolver Beebe was forced
back into his cell and chained to the floor.
Believing that his escape was matter of
certainty, Beebe left note in his cell,
stating that he was going to be a second
Tracy, a notorious outlaw, and told what
Detective Parker could expect if he ever
tried to arrest him again.
On bis way to state prison Beebe de-
clared to Parker and Sheriff Fenton that
he would never be taken alive again. He
had just finished serving eighteen months
for horse stealing, and had only been at
liberty two months when he stole two
more horses. While being hunted for the
latter theft he was arrested in Atlantic
City, charged with highway robbery, the
victim being visitor from Merton, In
diana. Detective Parker identified Beebe
in the jail at Mays Landing. The charges
against him in Burlington county were
made known to Prosecutor Abbott, and
the prisoner was handed over to the au-
thorities here.
Moorestown.
Walter Burns has purchased the E.
Budd Wilkins property, on East Third
street, lately occupied by Rev. and Mrs.
Pnhorf oil ho to