New-York tribune., 1922-12-29
Jersey Grand Jury Indicts
Youth 10, After Comics.
sion of Attack and Slay-
ing in Home at Orange
StrangIed Victim
In Dark Cellar
Woman Had Gone to His
Aid, Believing Him In.
iured in Fall on Stairs

An indictment agains: William z.
Battles, the nineteen -year.old negro who
was arrested following the discovery OF
the body Of Mrs. Charles +. Brigham.
strangled, bruised and bearing evidence
Of criminal assault. in the cellar Of
her home. at 256 Fuller Terrace, Or
ange. n. j., Wednesday night, charging
him with murder in the first degree
was returned last night by the Essex
County grand jury, which sat late into
the evening 10 Newark for the purpose.
Judge stickel set next Thursday for
the trial.
Battles il said by the police 10 have
admitted his guilt yesterday, but 70
have maintained an almost nonchalant
coolness in spite Of the fact that suen
an admission connects him with a
crime that was hideous IN the cold
blooded manner Of its commission.
II Battles maltreated and killed Mrs.
Brigham. he selected a. his victim q
woman who was Fastening 70 his as
sistance in the belief that he had fallen
and Injured himself while working In
the cellar
Then Joined Children's Play?
II Battles killed Mrs. Brigham, he
went straight from his crime, the. po'
lice believe TO an upper room where
her three children were playing about
a Christmas tree, admired their pres
erts, Joined in their play and put on
questions about their mother with the
remark that she had gone out on an
| erTand.
Whoever killed Mrs. Bigham util-
lied, in an attempt 20 choke her cries,
County Physician Warren believes
| length Of rope which he tore from
ehild's swing IN the cellar.
All Orange was discussing the crime
yesterday and in all Orange there
| seemed 70 be no one who had any
doubt as to who committed II. Groups
gathered on street corners and waXed
so indignant in their discussions, some
/ times talking of lynchinR. that Cap
tain Ryan gave his men orders 10 allow
no such gatherings 10 remain, and sew
eral were broken up by the police.
II was not long after midnight when
Battles was arrested at his home. at
500 Madison Street, as the result Of
statements made by seven-yesr-old Vir-
| ginia Brigham. who is confined to the
house with measles, that the negro had
been there Wednesday afternoon wash
/ ing windows when her mother disap-
1 peared, and that when she asked linn
where her mother was, he replied that
she had gone out TO get loaf Of bread.
Scratches on Negro's Pace
1t was noticed Immediately that
| Battles right cheek was Scared by two
deep scratches, apparently freshly
made and that there was another on
( the left side Of his upper lip. Asked
about them he is said 20 have replied
that he inflicted them himself while
shaving Tuesday. DR.. Warren declared
that not only we're the scratches in
hicted later than Tuesday, but that they
we're not such cuts as a razor would
make.
According TO the confession the pris-
oner is said TO have made after hours
Of questioning by the police, Mrs.
! Brigham sent Battles TO the cellar
about 4 p. m. 10 put coal on the FIRE.
/ In descending the stairs he stumbled
and clattcred heavily down three or
| four steps TO the cellar floor.
Mrs. Brigham, alarmed by the sound
| of the fall fastened down the cellar
stairs, IL is said. inquiring whether he
was hurt. Battles is said 70 have re-
turned no answer until she was within
arms length, peering about for him In
/ the gloom Of the cellar
Then he is said 70 have seized he's by
| the throat, dragged her TO the side Of
the basement where the ehild's swing
hung, pulled down the rope and drawn
it taut about her neck. According 10
the statement he is alleged 70 have
made Battles denies that he inflicted
the numerous bruises which senrred
hiSvictim's body, some OF them on the
head being so severe as TO indicate 70
DR.. Warren the use Of club or some
similar weapon.
Confronted by photographs Of finger
prints taken from the door Of the pre-
serve closet in which the woman's body
was locked, which are said 20 be identi-
cal with his own. Battles is alleged 70
have admitted that he flung the body
into the closet, asserting that the IN
iuries found upon il were due 70 drag
eing Il across the cellar floor.
On reaching the top OF the cellar
stairs after the tragedy the negro Is
said TO have told the police that he
was met BY seven-year-old Virginia,
who asked him where her mother was,
a query which unneryed him to such
(cohtihVsd on bass tNs)