The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-10-19

ASKeW properly on Ellis bGreet, uOW W
cupied as Polish club house. james N
Davis represented the defendant.
1t was shown that death resulted fror
a ruptured bowel, causing peritonitis. tn
probable result of an injury. Testimon,
to this effect was given by DR.. Jones, o
Camden, who made postmortem of tn
remains at Cooper Hospital. Corrobora
tive testimony was given by DR.. Litch
field, Camden county coroner.
One of those at the club house on thiI
occasion was Paul Adamantis. He saw
the defendant strike his brother with {
chair. The latter was all bloody as he
lay on the floor, and for fear that he
would be attacked, witness ran out of the
house. Death resulted three days after
the injured man was removed to the hos.
pital.
AS all the parties connected with this
case were Polanders, the testimony was
conflicting, and 1t was difficult to ge. head
or tail of the matter. The jury rendered
verdict of not guilty.
On Thursday morning Thomas Ford
and Thomas ]. Kerrigsn were placed on
trial for assault and battery on William
Thompson. William j. Langin was also
connected with this affair, to which he
pleaded guilty. Henry W. Savage repre-
sented the defendants.
William Thompson, the complainant,
first took the stand. He is golf instruct
or at the Riverside golf club. On the
night of August his daughter arrived
home at late hour and told her father
that she had been accosted and insulted
by the defendants Thompson got out of
bed, and with lantern went to the rail-
road station in search of an officer. While
standing on the platform Thompson was
knocked down by Langin and Kerrigan.
To prevent himself from being struck
Ford caught Thompson by the wrist and
held him.
Katie Thompson, aged IS years, said
she had been to dance at Riverside, and
while on the way home Langin remarked:
"Come here, kid, you will have to take a
walk" Katie ran home screaming and no.
titled her father. Later she saw Langin
strike her father.
Fannie Faunce had been to the dance
with Katie. She said they returned to
RiverEen on the cars and went directly
home, living near each other. Kerrigan
called to her but she ran. She saw Ford
grab Thompson by the wrists, and the
latter fell into waste paper basket after
being struck by Langin.
William QuigleY, the city marshal,
went to the railroad station and saw Ian
gin strike Thompson. The latter then
swung his lantern and accidentally struck
the officer. Quigley saw Thompson fall
as the result of the blow delivered by Ker-
rigan.
Clarence Flynn, of Beverly, employed
as night operator at Riverton, was a
witness to the assault. Flynn was cor
roborated by his cousin, Charles Faunch.
Robert Stackh house, who was at the stas
ton during the fight, saw Kerrigan and
Langin assault Thompson. Ford seemed
to act as peacemaker.
Self defence was the plea entered by
Mr. Savage. At the station Thompson
called Kerrigan vile name which most
men would be apt to resent Counsel de-
clared that Thompson broke his lantern
when he struck Langin. Kerrigan's part
was to prevent Thompson from hitting
Langin second time while the latter
was being led away by Quigley.
While on the stand Langin said Thomp-
son came across the platform like wild
man and wanted to know who assaulted
his daughter. Thompson hit me on the
shoulder with the lantern and l struck
him back" said the witness, land l have
pleaded guilty. did not follow the girls.
1 was sorry hit Thompson. Later went
to him and apologized and he accepted
my apology. went home on request of
Quigley."
Thomas ]. Kerrigan said the only time
he laid hands on Thompson was when the
latter tried to strike Langin when Quigley
was taking him away. 81 caught Thomp-
son by the chest to hold him, and the
force used sent him down on his knees
Thompson went up to Ford In threaten
ing manner. and Ford grabbed his wrists
before he could strike a blow. The wit
ness admitted that about five years ago
he was tried in court and convicted for
causing disturbance In trolley car.
Thomas Ford said Thompson seemed to
be in hurry to get at Langin, who was
hit with the lantern. Continuing the
witness said when Thompson got up
he rushed at me and asked What are
you hitting me forY caught his wrists
but did not strike him. For this offence
was given hearing before Squire
Hires and discharged.
A number of witnesses called gave the
defendants good character. The jury
acquitted Ford and found Kerrigan
guilty.
Alonzo P. Kirby and Daniel Gravatt,
of Pemberton township, indicted for as
sault and battery with intent to kill Har
vey Snyder and Elmer Major. were placed
on trial at the afternoon session, and the
case was not given to the jury until after
10 o'clock at night, there having been an
agreement that the case should be finished
that day.
There was delay In starting the case as
Prosecutor Atkinson had been notified of
an attemptto tamper with the panel of
jurors. In the examination of jurors as
to their qualification to sit In the case, 1t
developed ia the case of some that they
had not been approached personally, but
that the case had been discussed in the
lobby of the court house and on the street
by strangers within their hearing. The
persons who thus talked about the case
could not be identified in the court room.
William Snyder, son of Ernest Snyder,
was the first witness. After hard day g
work with the threshing machine which
he operates, he ate supper, sat on the
porch few minutes with Harvey and
Major and went to bed about o'clock.
Witness was awakened by two reports of
a gun. Sitting up In bed he looked out
of the window and thought neighbors
were shooting cats. major ran up to
the house and told mother what had hap
pened" said the witness. 81 hitched up
horse and went after Harvey. He was
lying at the edge of our meadow, was in