The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-04-30

Inc usual weekly excitement az MED
ford, on Sunday morning, was caused b.
a murder instead of fire, which has beef
the case for some tine past.
AS the news spread throughout tn,
town, the excitement was increased BY
the collection of crowds on street corners
who were discussing the events leading
up to the tragedy, and waiting patiently
for the arrival of Deputy Sheriff Fleet
wood; DR.. A. H. Small, of Riverside, anC
Coroner Barclay Seeds, of Pemberton, 81
that action might be taken before thu
guilty had an opportunity to escape.
In the meantime Detective Moore, who
Swallowed Edward Worrell, the fire bug
for several weeks. was collecting what in
formation he could for assistance of the
authorities
| The crime having been. reported to
Prosecutor Atkinson, he telephoned in
structions to Henry P. Thorn, and they
were given to the proper persons as soon
as he saw them.
Upon the arrival of Deputy Fleetwood,
the latter was joined by Constable Nelson
Peak, who ranks with the best officers in
the county. Together they had interviews
with several citizens. Then they started
for the scene of the crime, obtaining val
liable information, including the names of
several eye witnesses and those who were
responsible for the crime. The expedi-
tious manner in which the Deputy Sheriff
and his assistant brought the suspects to
justice was favorably commented on by
the people of Medford That one of the
accused may turn states evidence is not
improbable.
At Chairville, on Saturday night, par
ty and dance was given at the residence
of Irwin Mathis, which was attended by
many residents of that section.
One of these was David Beebe, hard
working man, living on g little place of
his own on the road from Red Lion to
Buddtown, on the edge of what was for
merly known as the Beaver dam mead
ows. He raised vegetables, and during
the season sold large quantities of straw
berries to customers living In Mount Hol-
ly. Beebe drank quite freely while at
Medford Saturday night, and on his way
home he stopped and joined in the dane
ing.
A crowd of young men from Taber-
nacle also imbibed too freely of the liquid
refreshments sold at Medford At mid
night one of them was heard to remark:
Lets go out and break up the party ,
No further invitation was needed, and of
they started after the midnight hour had
been tolled.
Reaching the Mathis mouse the crowd
alighted from the wagon of Harry Ham
nell. Entering the yard they met Beebe,
a giant in muscular development, and
told him if he didn't behave himself he
would not get away alive.
Both parties were under the influence
OF tbs anne kind of liquor. which meant
fight, and a few words started them at
once. The Tabernacle toughs used their
victim In shocking manner. They had
all they could do to conquer Beebe, which
was only accomplished by the use of some
blunt instrument
Mathis went out in the yard but he
could not stop the men from fighting. As
matters were becoming serious Mathis |
and Benjamin Barnes at once drove to |
Medford and made Constable Peak ac-.
quainted with the. situation. The officer
sent the messengers back, and told them |
to tell the intruders if they did not cease
fighting he would come out and arrest |
every one of them.
Mathis and Barnes returned, and when |
near the formers house, at about2 o'clock, |
they found Beebe lying in the middle of
the road dead. Going back to Medford |
the murder was reported to Undertaken
William Riley, who drove out and got the
body.
While at Chairville Fleetwood and Peak
learned that the death of Beebe had re-
suited from violence. These facts were
reported to Justice of the Peace Milton
q. Allen, who issued warrants for How
ard Reeves, Harvey Reeves, Theodore
Wells, Caleb Rogers and Harry Hammell
The men were soon arrested, and after
being placed in an omnibus were landed |
IN jail at about 5 o'clock Sunday after
noon, having been committed without
bail On charge of murder.
Eye witnesses state that matters were
running smoothly until the arrival of the
who went there, it is alleged,
1t the instance of Hammell, who also took
hem away.
That the men were bent on doing bodily
harm to Beebe seems apparent from sew
eral remarks which they made before the
iracas began. This was particularly notice.
able in the case of Rogers, who is alleged
20 have said to Barnes: IF Beebe don't
90 away from here, will use it on him
good and hard, and they will have to take
Rogers kept his word. What he meant by
sit" has not been learned
Howard Beebe, a nephew of the de-
ceased, was at the dance and lie witnessed
he fight. He said he saw Rogers strike
his uncle four times while the latter lay
PROSTATE in the road. After Rogers got
through pounding him Beebe failed to
get up. This frightened his assailant,
and running to Howard Beebe, Rogers
exclaimed: God, do you suppose l have
killed that man2' Like enough you
have" responded Beebe. 1t was at this
point that HammeIl drove the crowd |
home.
Those who saw the body at Riley's
morgue, Sunday morning, noticed consid-
cradle blood on the face There was
laceration on the nose and two on the /
right forehead back of the temple. One |
of them looked like puncture, into which |
a piece of wire was inserted This gave
rise to report that Beebe had been shot |
but witnesses say there was no shooting. |
Neither were any clubs, pieces of wood |
containing nails nor anything of that
kind used.
Coroner Seeds was rather slow getting
to Medford because of his long drive and
poor roads, and the autopsy was not be-
gun until after one o'clock. While this
was going on large crowd stood waiting
outside the morgue. After DR.. Small and
DIR. Sharp had finished their work, the