The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-08-03
Driven by Hunger to Seek
Aid at a Farm He Is Sc
cured and Arraigned.
STORY OF HIS WANDERlNGS
He Copfesses He Shot Cum
ningham and Says jealousy
Actuated Him.
Special to "The Jersey city News. >


PLAINFIELD, August 3, 19o5.-"I'm
guilty, judge replied Charles Long, the
negro charged with murder, who has
given the police such chase since the
early morning of July 16, when arraign-
ed before Judge Harris, in Central Police
Court last night, for killing Matthew
Cunningham.
Long made a full confession to Acting
Chief Cleary, and gives his only reason
for the foul murder as Jealousy. The
prisoner was held without bail to await
the action of the grand jury, and was
removed to the county jail shortly after
the hearing.
But few prisoners have taken matters
so coolly when facing a murder charge
as Long since his capture on the Van
Hise farm. near New Market, by the
Plainfeld police yesterday morning The
murderer has constant grin on his face,
and when Judge Harris read solemnly
that Long was charged with killing Cum
ninghan1, the prisoner smiled and bowed.
When committed to the county jail he
said "all right
For the past few weeks Long has been
hunted BY detectives, policemen, consta-
bles and citizens through swamps and
fields, but cunningly avoided his pur-
suers until yesterday.
Long went to the yanHise farm late
Tuesday night after suffering terrible
anguish from starvation. He claims that
the reason he returned to the farm from
Dismal Swamp, near Plain6eld, where
he had been hiding. was that he thought
the police would put bloodhounds on his
trail, and he believed that Franklin Van
Hise would protect him.
vanHse discovered Long asleep in
his barn shortly after ) A. NJ. yesterday.
He aroused the sleeper. and inquired
how he was feeling. Long replied that
he was all right. and was willing to go to
work. vanIise told him to go to the
fields and plow. Long consented, and in
short time he was at work.
VanHise. after seeing Long at work,
went to a nearby residence and telephon-
ed to Acting Sergeant James Culliton,
at central police headquarters, and in
formed him that the murderer was at
work in his fields. Acting Chief Cleary
was notified. He called up the Plain
field department, and requested Chief
Kelley to round up the fugitive.
When Long was captured Chief
CIeary was notified. Detectives Clancy
and Pilger chartered an automobile from
local garage, and together with Chief
Cleary left for Plainfeld. Walter Rich
ards operating the machine.
When the local officers reached Plain
field. they found the prisoner safely in
the hands of the police.
There was little delay in the identi6-
cation of Long. and the Plainfeld au-
thorities turned him over to the local Of
feers.
Long was interviewed by reporter
~ fNo,,4,,o1 S+ax;a,, .,,b;los 4Ia ba,ds.,, eeo
We're being taken off. He said that hun
ger drove him from his hiding place. His
other statements we're
Il lived for over two weeks on moth
ing but apples and blackberries. Tues
day morning 1 secured the first square
meal l have had since that Sunday
morning. | stopped at a farm house and
the farmer happened to be away and
his wife gave me a piece of bread and
butter and some meat. That meat tasted
better to me than anything | have ever
eaten
When asked how he got away after
shooting Cunningham, Long said "Just
as soon as I fred that shot got out of
that house and made towards Penning-
ton. know all the side streets around
the head Of town ana | made away as
fast as my legs would carry me. saw
several people but kept out Of their
way and all day Sunday hid in the
woods about half way between here and
Pennington
The reporter then inquired how long he
had been in the vicinity Of the Dismal
swamp. WELL he replied, 4 reached
that place on Wednesday and staid
around there ever since. Several people
saw me ana gave chase, but lost them
al in that woods. st night would
SLEEP ana early in the morning and late