The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-07-25
Held for Court.

heIley, VINO were pldceu unueT pSOU Udl
for their appearance at the next term OF
Court. Capt. William A. Slaughter ap-
peared for the defendants.
The commitment alleges that on July
90, Hawkins and Kelly, with force and
arms, attempted to entice, and felon-
iously assault Hannah P. Wells,
living between Jacksonville and Colum-
bus. Hannah is quite pretty and only
ably while giving her testimony, being
the first person to relate the circumstances.
Hannah said that her father, Frank
Wells, gave her and her brother, George,
Wells. aged II years, permission to go to
Rancocas Park, on Saturday. They walk
ed from home to Mount Holly, distance
of several miles, and went down to the
pleasure resort in the afternoon. There
was such crowd that the youthful sight
seers could not get back until the last
trolley, reaching here after one O'Clock A.
M. Getting off the car at King street, the
boy and girl started for the residence of
Mr.. and Mrs. Ellis Wright, on Madison
avenue, their grandparents. But believ-
ing that they were fast asleep, Hannah
and George changed their minds and re-
turned to King street corner, where
Hankins and Kelley were sitting on step,
in company with other men. Hannah
said she wanted to get home as soon as
she could, as her father would worry over
her absence. Asked if she knew the way
TO Columbus she replied that she did.
The defendants said they would hire a
carriage and drive them home, and the
four went to Bowker's stable, but there
was no one about. The girl refused to go
to the rear of the stable Hannah was
left at Bowker's In the company of Kelly,
while Hawkins and George went around
to Madden's stable, on Charles street.
| During their absence Hannah swears that
Kelly took hold of her, making improper
proposals. which she spurned. ''But you
had better get under the She'd" Kelley
insisted, ''as it is raining" don't care
| if it is, " replied Hannah. 81 will go home
or to my grandparents. even if do get
wet" she replied. Capt. Branson had
been given tip and he went to Maddens
just as the party were coming out, they
having all assembled there The officer
took the girl and boy to the residence of
Ellis Wright. Hawkins made no i'm
proper proposals, apparently acting the
part of good Samaritan. Hawkins told
Hannah that he knew her grandparents
very well, and that he lived out near Jobs
town himself On their account he would
take them home. Kelly told the girl he
lived at Lumberton. Hannah had neve r
seen the defendants before, and as soon as
she got off the trolley car, the men asked
her if she knew the way home. They APP
peared to be sober.
George Wells, who was not sworn. said
he and his sister started for their grand
parents. He saw the defendants at the
King street corner. Kelly took his sister
the horse. He did not meet them again
until he came out from the rear of Mad
den's stable. He did not hear any of their
conversation.
Walter Hullings was at the corner when
the car arrived He saw Hawkins and
Kelly step up to Hannah and ask her if
she was lost. She said she would walk |
home as her grandparents had gone to bed. |
Samuel ]. Taylor heard Hannah say she |
was not lost. Hawkins said he lived out
toward Columbus. The latter nudged
Kelly and then he went out that way too |
The four then left Heaviland's corner to-
gether Taylor heard no improper pro-
posals made to the girl. While Taylor
was sitting on box, on High street, Cap
tain Branson came along and said he had
taken the girl and boy to Wright's. Later
on Hawkins and Kelly were placed under
arrest.
Captain George H. Branson was told
that two men had boy and little girl in
their possession. He felt satisfied that
there would be something doing to the
girl if the matter was not looked after,
and he started Immediately for Madden's
stable, where he found the party and as
certained who the men were. While on
the way to Wright's, Hannah told Bran
son what had occurred, laying particular
stress on the conduct of Kelly When
the officer first saw the defendants there
was nothing in their actions to warrant
their arrest at that time, that matter being
accomplished on the statement of the girl.
At this point Hannah took the stand
again, and said that Kelly had made two
indecent proposals to her From the
actions of the men she thought their in
tentions were of an evil character. Han
kins, contended the witness, said nothing
out of the way. Kelly did not offer to
lead her back of the barn, the considera
ton being that he should take her home.
Policeman John Severns was then sworn.
He only knew what Taylor had told him
Hannah said to Severns that the men
used no force to take her to the stable.
Warren Hawkins was the next to testify,
after being cautioned in regard to the
statements which he might make. He said
that when the trolley arrived Taylor was
the first man to stop the girl, as he had
met her at the Park. When the name of
Wright was mentioned Hawkins said he
knew the whole family, and as they were
all in bed, he offered to drive Hannah and |
her brother home. They went to Bowker's |
and no one was there. Addressing Hannah, |
Hawkins said: 'If you want to take walk |
to Madden's to see If we can get rig
there, l will take you around" They
couldn't get any The other two came
around and Kelly told Hannah she had
better go home. Hawkins and the boy
came out of the stable as Branson ar
rived there.
In answer to question by Justice Slack
Hawkins said after learning who the
grandparents were, he offered to take the
children home. More than once he has
cared for unprotected ladies at night, hav-
ing, at his own expense, taken them to
Vincentown, Lumberton and Pembertou.
Hannah said there was no eff in Han
kin's invitation to go to the stable He
said ''come around, and she went volun-
tarily because of her belief that he knew
her parents. While he made no
improper proposals, Hankins asked her
to go in the carriage with him a dozen
times. George said he wanted to go to
work in the morning, which was Sunday.
Frank Kelly, in his own behalf, said the
girl talked to TAYLOR and said she would