The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-07-15

Held for the Grand Jury.
I Albert s. Petit, justice of the peace
presided at an inquest that was held a
the Court House on Tuesday Afternoon
by Coroner Elwood W. Bolton, when ligh
was shed on the fatal tragedy which oc
CURED at Borton's Landing on the morn
ing of July 4th.
Prosecutor Samuel A. Atkinson pre-
jury of Moorestown citizens in holding
Thomas Baker for the killing of his step
father, Hudson Weber.
DR.. Richard H. Parsons, of Mount Hol
ly, said that with the assistance of DR..
Stroud, of Moorestown, he made a post.
norton of the remains. They found all
the organs in healthy condition and wit.
ness said that in his opinion death was
caused by internal hemorrhage. The doc
tor stated that Weber was 30 years old,
we'll developed and weighed about 165
pounds. Five shot entered Weber's face
There were forty-three in his body and
arms, two of them having passed through
his heart. The lungs had also been pune
tured Some of the shot removed from
the body were handed to the Prosecutor.
This testimony was corroborated by DR..
Stroud.
Robert Black, of Philadelphia, was then
called. He is Employed on the farm of
Samuel q. Roberts, a member of the
Board of Freeholders.
The witness and friend were at the
Weber house on the fatal morning and
ate breakfast there. Baker did the cook
Ing owing to the fact that his mother,
who is the wife of Weber, is blind, and
because he appeared to be slow in doing
so Weber cursed him. After Mrs. Weber
said to her husband, you are always
picking on that boy" he slapped his wife
In the face and cut her lip. Angered at
the sight of the flowing blood, Baker
threw brick at Weber and the latter
chased him. On returning to the house
again, Weber's mother said to her son,
Hudson, look out, Thomas has got a
gun" Baker then shot at the house while
the men were eating.
II wonder if Baker is shooting at mes"
asked Weber, and then he went out of
the house. At the second report witness ran
out of the house and saw that Weber had
been shot. Baker went toward the creek
with gun In hand. Witness ran to inter-
cept him and was called back by his
friend Dougherty. They carried Weber
to the house. This was about g. 80 O'Clock
and death followed In about ten minutes.
Witness ran to the house of a ueighbor
and telephoned for a physician and the
police. Baker told witness that he shot
In self-defence and to protect his mother
81 saw Weber strike Bakers mother In
the morning." continued the witness,
land he was always picking on him. At
the first shot Weber remarked: If he is
shooting at me will get him first and he
will never come In this house again.
Coming back to the house Baker went to
me, didn't really mean it. He remain
ed there until the officer came. Before
the fatal shot was fred Weber's mother
said, BE careful, your life is In danger
told her to go home as she was always
making trouble"
James Dougherty, of Philadelphia, who
also works on the Roberts farm, handed
Dbl HI 80 al 1 1
turned to the house and also told him
that Weber was dead. He went on like u
crazy man and cried out, 'What am 1
going to dor" Weber was a powerful
little man and he never liked Baker since
he married the formers mother.
Leonard Boyer, of Borton's Landing,
said that with gun in hand Baker came to
his house and asked for the loan of two
shell. He said he wanted them to kill
dog which had bitten his mother.
Isabella Weber, mother of the. murder
ed man, lives nearby. and she proved to
be an important witness She said she
saw Baker break into the house of Geo.
Hill, her neighbor, who was away and
come out with a gun. Hill married
sister of Baker. After the first shot had
been fred at the house Weber went out
and he was followed by his aged mother,
who swore that she saw Baker shoot her
son as she stood on the porch steps. She
started to run to help him but was una
BILE to do so.
After being properly warned that what
ever he might say touching the crime
would be used against him, Baker was
asked If he wished to make statement.
By advice of his counsel, Robert Pea
cock, the prisoner said he had nothing to
say.
The jury rendered verdict that Hud-
son Weber came to his death by the will
full and malicious shooting of gun in
the hands of Thomas Baker. The de-
PENDANT was returned to jail to await the
action of the grand jury.
Prosecutor Atkinson asked that Black
and Dougherty be held as witnesses under
$500 bail each because they are residents
of another state. Both men became in
dignant and said they would have left the
Jurisdiction of the court if they thought
they were to be locked up For several
years they had been coming to this coun-
ty to work during the summer and fall
and they did not think they should be
put In jail.
1t developed that the men lived at the
Weber house, and the board which they
paid was used In supporting the family.
By taking away this income it would re-
suit In hardship to the widow.
As the men are really witnesses for the
defence. they were released in their own
recognizance under 5000 each.
Water Board Upheld.
Chancellor Walker has filed an opinion
he of