The evening world., 1911-01-30
TRIAL Of NEGRO
SLAYER N JERSEY
PROCEEDS SWIFTLY
Hundreds of Friends of Muir.
dered Pastor and Wife
Crowded Out of Court.

TRENTON. y. j., Jan. 5o-John Sears,
a mulatto. was placed on trial here to-
day before Supreme Court Justice Al
fred Leed for the murder OF the Rev.
Amzi L. Armstrong and the istter's
wife AT Dutch Neck last Thanksgiving
Eve.
The trial Is proceeding with proverbial
Jersey swiftness. The jury was selected
with very little delay and three wit
nesses had testified before the noon
hour.
The courtroom was crowded to the
doors and about half OF those present
were m Nearly zoo persons were
refused admittance TO the courtroom. A.
II was already filled. A large delega-
ton came from Dutch Neck and many
OF the old friends and n~elghbors OF the
aged minister and his wife were unable
to got into the courtroom.
Sears 10 Nervous.
For the first time since his arrest Sears
seemed to-day to realize his position
and appeared vol The trial Is ex-
pected to last two or three days. II Is
understood tina insanity will be the plea
OF the defense.
Prof. William j. Crossley. who Is con-
Quoting the Ease for the state. has asked
for a verdict of murder In the first do
gree. Among the witnesses he will call
are persons who heard Sears declare
that he committed the murder In cold
blood. believing that ~ the Armstrong;
we're out of the way he would be given
a large sum of money left for him In
trust by his father. a white man. once
a wealthy resident of Cranbury. who
mysteriously disappeared from his Sec
ton three years ago and Ia now believed
to be living in Philadelphia.
Sears's lawyers are silent and will
not make their plans known until the
trial develops.
The Rev. Anal L. Armstrong and his
wife lived on q small farm Just Outside
of Dutch Neck. The parson was almost
eighty years OF age and was known
throughout this section for his kind
meas and charity.
On Thanksgiving Eve Mr.. Armstrong
was IN his library preparing . hanks
giving sermon he had been asked 70
preach In the old Dutch Neck Church.
Sears came from his homo attired In a
new suit OF clothes. Mr.. Armstrong. &C.
cording to Sears's W story. asked him
to 70 to New Brunswick and purchase
food for the farm stock. The hah.breed
declared that ne had something else TO
do, and protested. A quarrel followed.
| Mrs. Armstrong interfered and scolded
Sears for his disobed1ence. II 10 Al
| legged that she called him q ''ni9gsr'
| and told him TO do a. he wa told.
Knew He Wac outoast.
Sears. in his confession to County De-
tectivs Kirkham. said that thda made
him realize more than ever that he wal
an outcast and he then resolved to rid
himself OF what ne thought the burden,
He went out. found . shotgun and
killed the couple.
His mother confessed hat she wal
IN her room Just before the shooting
She says that she was aroused by tn,
barking of a pet dog and 8 down
stairs to Investigate. h woman de
clared that she found her son standing
over tho bodies with the shotgun In hi
hands.
After sears's arrest ne was brought I,
the scene Of the murder end confronted
with the bodies OF his bsnefactor an,
b~ensfactress. The oficials h aocom
panied him will testify that ne brok
down completely. confessed and led then
TO the spot whore he had buried q wNtcl
he had stolen from Mr.. Armctrong Sine
his confinement in he county jail Scar
made an endsavor to get h AID o
his wealthy white relatives.
Mrs Sears may be tried a. an a%cessor,
after the fact.