The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-07-21
Minister Killed.

!
Rev. Samuel Benjamin Davis Prickit
was shot and killed at Metuchen, on Wed
nesday. Mr.. Prickitt was a native of thi
1 county, and has relatives still living II
this neighborhood. A brother, Abram
lives near Chairville, one sister lives OF
Murrell street, Mount Holly, another, the
wife of Mahlon Hartshorne. resides al
Camden, and he has numerous other rela-
tives, Henry,P Thorn, of Medford and
Thomas B. Thorn, of Mount Holly being
cousins.
Mr.. Prickitt lived here several years
ago, acting as deputy sheriff for his uncle,
Sheriff Samuel T. Leeds. He entered the
ministry under the M. E. Conference, and
finally gave up that calling and retired to
private life He had lived at Metuchen
for about 10 years, and was editor of a
newspaper owned by his son. He also
filed some public offices, one of which
was that of Recorder of the village. 1t
was this Office that was responsible for his
death, as his fatal wounds came from the
hands of a man named Heron, who had
been sent by Recorder Prickitt to Jail for
ten days, and who had declared his in
tention ''to get even"
Mr.. Prickitt lett his home, which is on
the outskirts of the borough, about four
O'Clock on Wednesday to hire some one to
repair pump. He had just been talking
to his son Charles, who lives next door,
and when father an ! son parted the son
remained just inside the front door. He
heard his father exclaim:-
whats the matter2 What are you
going to do2
Charles stepped out of the door His
father had reached the sidewalk and had
gone to the corner of his lot and was
standing there. Just as Charles looked
out there was revolver shot and smoke
curled up, but bushes interfered with
Charles seeing the shot fired. The son
ran down the path to meet his father,
who came staggering toward him. AS
the elder man turned after the shot
Charles says he heard the Words
''Thatll finish you. You'll die"
By an effort Mr.. Prickitt kept up until
his son was almost up to him. Charles
Prickitt says he could then see Heron
going down the street. The wounded man
exclaimed
HE shot me. Don't mind him, catch
me-" He sank down then, but his son
kept him from falling. The son then
lifted his father and managed to get him
to the stoop, and then into the house.
Efforts were at once made to get Mayor
Ellis, who is physician, and DR.. A. G.
Hunt, of the State Board of Health, who
lives at Metuchen, but neither could be
quickly located. Word was then sent to
New Brunswick for physician, but be-
fore he arrived both DR.. Ellis and DR..
Hunt were there. By that time Mr.. Prickitt
was dead. The bullet had entered the
right lung.
Heron walked to his home, couple of
blocks away, and on the way met Mrs
Charles Prickitt, who ran out of her house
on hearing the shot. She asked Heron
what he had done and he replied:-
you'll find out soon enough"
whats your name2 asked Mrs.
Prickitt.
Heron, replied the man.
''What Heron asked Mrs Prickitt,
and the reply was:-
"Archie Heron"
As soon as it was found that Mr.
Marshal Fouratt but he could not be To-
Gated. His wife, however, aroused Con-
stables William Greenwald and A. H.
Cornish. They gathered force of men
ana started to search for Heron. 1t was
found he went straight to his own house,
and when the posse arrived he showed
himself armed.
Standing at the head of the stairs, with
a revolver in his hand, he dominated the
situation. There was some parley, in
which he was told he would be taken
dead or alive, no matter how many of the
besiegers he killed. He surrendered, but
as he was letting down the trigger of his
revolver it slipped down hard and explod
ed a cartridge. the bullet from which went
through his left hand. The revolver he
had two empty shells. He
was placed in an automobile at once and
sent to New Brunswick jail.
Mr.. Prickitt was sixty eight years old.
He had many friends in this county who
will greatly regret to hear of his untimely
and violent death. His funeral took place
on Saturday, the remains being inferred in
the Mount Holly cemetery.