Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-10-09
CLEARING UP
THE INDICTMENTS
Court Disposing of Criminal
Business.
llIllI N0nll riallNu
WILL SOON FINISH.
Prosecutor Fithian Expects to Com.
plete the Criminal Calendar
Shortly.
from Daily Pioneer, Oct. sth)

NrAom Ddily floneer, OCT. Sth)
Criminal business continues and
will shortly be complete. Sentence
day is Friday.
The Brown arson case was conclud-
ed yesterday afternoon.
Emma Barnett, daughter of prose-
cutting witness, told how defendant
had abused her mother, and how she
had been present when Brown said
he would get Mr. Barnett. Brown was
then ordered to leave the place by
Mrs. Barnett, the prosecuting witness
wife.
Harvey Porch's testimony was moth
ing more than he passed the premises
Just before the fire.
Julia Briant, who resides in half the
double house with the Barnetts, fixed
the time of the fire at IL o'clock, she
having looked at the clock as awaiting
the coming of her husband on the
train.
Witness, while being confined at
that time was unable to get out of
bed, but testified to hearing somebody
about the premises just prior to the
fire; heard the barn yard gate open
and close.
( The testimony of William White was
that the fire was started from several
places at the same time and that he
found flames at three different parts
at the same time, which satisfied him
that fire started from more than one
place.
A. Cheesman, Herschel Cheesman
and Howard Smith, testified as to
Browns expressions of doing some
harm to Barnett
Officer Haines, of the Millville Po-
lice Department, testified as to seeing
Brown on the night of the fire and
as to effecting the arrest the follow
ing day. When arrested Brown told
the officer that he arrived home at
11.20. officer Haines testified that il
was later than 11.20 when he saw
Brown about eight squares from his
home. The witness was put through
rigid cross-examination
Harry Cox saw Brown at 11.3O on
the night of the fire. Court adjourned
until 1.30.
Benz. Rutter, a conductor on the
Millville trolley system, related how
Brown had boarded his car on the
night of the fire. How Brown left the
car in the vicinity of Barnett's barn.
The State rested it's case after the
testimony of officers Haines and
Wright.
In his opening of the defendants
case, Mr.. Mckee addressed but few
words to the jury any more than that
denial was made. The defence con-
tended that while Brown was in Mill
vile he is not responsible for the fire
but that the Barnetts were careless
about the stable with matches; that
they allowed smoking by the drivers
and that the Barnetts themselves
smoked cigars and pipes in the build
ing.
The defendant took the stand Af-
ter the preliminary questions Mr.. Nc
Kee put the question: Brown, did you
fire Mr.. Barnett's barn?" In loud
voice the reply came: Nope. Mr.. Nc
Kee then had Brown tell how much
he liked the horses.
Upon cross-examination Brown de-
MED the testimony of the States wit
nesses and especially did he deny
showing the gasoline to Petit.
Leon Hogan called. He merely
stated that he and others had smoked
about the livery stable.
Samuel Newman testified as to the
smoking about the building. The de-
PENDANTS here rested their case. There
was no rebuttal on the States part.
Attorney Mckee made a strong plea
in behalf of the defendant and laid
particular stress upon the absence of
any direct testimony. His address
to the jury consumed over half an
hour and at times was quite eloquent.
Prosecutor Fithian. like Mr.. Mckee,
made a lengthy address to the jury,
showing the preponderance of circum-
stantial evidence which should be suf-
ficient to convict.
Judge Tuller brought to'bear upon