The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-11-16
coroner,a Innneat.

Coroner's Inquest.
Coroner Seeds and jury sat at the
Court House on Friday. to investigate the
cause of death of John Cameron, who was
fatally injured in mysterious manner at
Pemberton on Sunday morning, Novem-
Der 18th, and who died from his injuries
that evening.
The jury was composed of r. ]. B.
Slack, Charles R. Fenton, Benjamin w.
Zelley, Bennett Risdon, Irving G.. Gaskill
and G.. Howard Curtis.
Charles Cameron, brother of the man
killed, testified that he lives at Magnolia.
On Saturday night, November 9th, wit
ness, his brother, and Robert and Will
liam Matthews, Charles Dickson and
William Sweet were in Mount Holly, and
went to Pemberton on the midnight train.
They all had been drinking more or less.
On the train the crowd played poker, but
there was no quarrel. After they reached
Pemberton. witness went home immedi-
ately. At about eight o'clock in the morning
he was notified that his brother John was
lying in ditch along the railroad track.
Witness went there at once and found his
brother with two legs broken, face cut,
and otherwise injured. A wagon was
secured and the man was taken to the
Mount Holly hospital, where he died that
evening. John was conscious nearly all
the time; said he did not know who In
jured him; denied having been struck by
the cars; said he had been with the Mat
thews boys.
Joseph 0. Jones, plumber at Pember-
ton, was awakened soon after the arrival
of the train by hearing persons quarreling;
got out of bed to see the men, but could
not recognize them.
Several witnesses heard loud cries or
screams coming from the direction of the
station that morning.
Floyd Kinsinger was on the train that
night. He saw Cameron and the others.
They had all been drinking. They were
playing cards for money In the baggage
car.
Michael Britton met the train at the
station; saw the men go up the street.
They were intoxicated and were
''jangling."
Constable William 81. Thompson said
Cameron's body was found 1s41 feet east
of the switch light near the South Penn
berton station. There were drops of
blood along the railroad track from a
point near the switch to the place where
Cameron's body was found. A few steps
above the switch there were indications Of
scuffle. Witness arrested four men
Robert and William Matthews, Charles
Dickson and William Sweet-on suspicion
of having caused Cameron's DEATH
Robert had blood on his face when ar
rested.
Daniel Seeds saw Robert Matthews that
Sunday morning Robert had dollar
bill, which he said he had won from the
boys the night before; "won it easy on a
pair of deuces."
William Timmins saw the two Matthews
boys after they were in custody of the
constable. at looks like my finish" said
William.
Ulysses 8. Wells, locomotive engineer,
said he ran a freight train from Sea Girt
to Camden that Sunday morning. 1t left
New Lisbon at about 2.45 o'clock, going
west. When nee1 the switch light at
South Pemberton station tie train was
going at about seven miles an hour, as a
stop was made at that station. The loco
motive had just come out of the repair
shops and the headlight was bright. Did
not strike man nor see one on the track.
1t was possible that the engine could
strike man without witness knowledge,
but hardly probable
DR.. Elmer D. Prickitt was at the hospi-
tai when the injured man was brought in
Cameron was conscious; said he remem
bered having game of cards at the
switch light, but did not know how he had
been injured. Witness and DR.. A. Fl.
Small made post-mortem examination OF
the body on the day after death. Both
legs were broken below the knees, there
was bad wound on the chin and mouth,
the teeth being nearly all broken out.
The kidneys were considerably injured.
the bowels perforated, and there had been
internal hemorrhage. There were very
few bruises on the face and body.
DR.. A. H. Small gave detailed state.
ment of the injuries revealed by the post
norton examination.
Charles Dickson, after being cautioned
by Prosecutor Atkinson that any state
ment he would make might be used against
him, then took the stand. He was one of
the men under arrest for committing the
crime. He said he lives on the Earl farm.
He was with the crowd in Mount Holly
that Saturday night. They all got con-
siderable liquor at various places. They
all went home on the last train. The
Matthews boys and John Cameron played
poker on the train. They left the train al
North Pemberton and walked from there
| to the South Pemberton station. There
was some wrangling but no fighting
OWCCb Wuo AOAO AubOAtOoUOA SAoA OA'
others The same trio that played cardI
on the train started game at the switch
J light near the South station. After the
game, John Cameron and Joseph Mat
thews had quarrel over bottle of whis
key, but soon settled the matter amicably
Witness then went home. Sweet was ly
ing on the ground at that time. William
Matthews left the crowd a few minutes
before witness.
William Sweet, another man under ar
rest, refused to go on the stand and maxi
q statement
William Matthews, another suspect
after being cautioned about testifyint
against himself, said he was in the Grove
that night. They were all pretty wei
filled with whiskey except witness, VIII
did not drink anything. They had a gam
of cards at the switch. John Cameron
suggested that they play cards. Playe'
three hands and then quit because job
refused to put up his money. After tina
witness went home. He did not have an,
knowledge as to how Cameron became in
jured.
Robert Matthews told about the sam
! story. Said there had been no quarrel
Cameron wanted to fight, but witness wa
not SO inclined. Cameron's home wa