The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-04-28
Court.


O'Clock yesterday afternoon. some Grimm
al matters were disposed of.
ST am a drinking woman, Judge, but
am not drunk now," declared the mother
of Edward Wedel, of Edgewater Park,
when she. told what disposition she
thought should be made of her son, aged
10 years, charged with arson. 81 haven't
had drink since Easter Sunday morning"
continued the parent, although she could
hardly stand upright or talk straight from
the effects of her last high ball
The youthful prisoner pleaded guilty to
setting fire to the barn of Albert Atkin
son. He said he committed the crime
alone because he wanted to see the place
burn. The flames were finally extin-
guished and the building saved.
The boys grandmother, living in Phila-
delphia. said she heard there was some
flame, but she couldn't believe there was
fire, as she had examined the place yes
terday and there was no evidence of the
fact She was greatly surprised, and
would not believe the story had it not
been for the confession of the boy, as his
minister and school teacher gave him a
good reputation. This was the first she
had ever heard against his character. 81
want him sent to the Vineland Home, u
she said, but begged the courts pardon
when she found that the Judge had nc
| Jurisdiction. Edward needs some at.
tention, both medical and moral, and he
should be committed to the reform
school"
The mother, who said she had five chill
dren, declared that Edward was very
sick at times, and she had come to thu
conclusion that he was weak minded, bu
he didn't look it. He had never been il
a scrape before. Her husband worked
for Mr.. Atkinson. She thought the boz
should be punished, and when he set thu
barn on fire she whipped him in the FIELD
Tight in the presence of Mr.. Atkinson
"He had better go to the reform school,
was her parting suggestion.
What the boy said to the court in ex
PLANTATION of his conduct could not b
heard, but Edward was sent back to jail
and the case will be disposed of later.
Weyman Beecham is the colored ma
, who was captured at Camden with hi
! hands and face polished with stove black
i ing in order to escape detection. Il
pleaded guilty to two charges of break
+ ing and entering and of breaking jail 8
) Palmyra. James Jackson, anothe
colored man, who was sentenced to fou
months in the county Jail for stealing som
cushions from house at Riverton whic
r had been damaged by fire, was implicate
: in one of the charges against Beechan
8 and at separate times both had told
G different story about the case.
It 1t was learned that Constable Coop
had given the keys to an irresponsib
:, negro named Brown, who had charge I
II cleaning out the cells in the lookup
d While the latter was asleep in the &c
t. Beecham got the keys and slipped out.
,f "You are a bad individual, said Il
Judge, in addressing the prisoner. II
= latter then began to tell his version of Il
ID affair, but information at hand caused Il
IL court to remark:
. "Beecham, you are lying"
:, mo, sir" answered the prisoner.
~ "But / still think you are" answer
" the Judge "You may be taken back
ut Jail and remain there until you see fit
re tell the truth"
Lewis Garron, who has a state pris
: record, was given five months in t
&c county jail for stealing wearing appal
OF from the hallway of Haines Preparato
school at Burlington.