The Beebe murder trial, 1907
from the New Jersey Mirror 8 May 1907:
The jury empaneled by Coroner Seeds to investigate the killing of David Beebe, at Chairville, the previous Saturday night , heard the evidence presented at the inquest at Medford on Friday, and after brief deliberation held Caleb Rogers, Theodore Wells and Walter Simons, three of the seven suspected men taken from the county jail to Medford by Deputy Sheriff Fleetwood to give testimony before the coroner, if they so desired. Harvey Reeves, another one of the men arrested on suspicion of having been implicated in the killing, was not held for his connection with Beebe's death, but was committed to jail in default of $350 bail on the charge of carrying a concealed deadly weapon. There has been a determined effort on the part of the court to break up the practice so common among a certain class of young men, of carrying revolvers, and it is possible that a term in prison awaits young Reeves, even though he escaped detention on the more serious charge.
There was a crowd of several hundred people in and around Odd Fellows' Hall, in Medford, when Coroner Seeds held the inquest. Damaging evidence was given by Clifford D. Prickitt, Walter Batterson and Barzillai Smith, all eye witnesses of the brutal beating which resulted in Beebe's death under the crowd of fighting men. Prickitt stated that he arrived in front of the Mathis house just after the party of drunken men from Medford had reached there. At that time Wells and Rogers were fighting and Beebe had come from the house to stop the trouble. As he turned to go back to the house, it was related, he was attacked and knocked down by Rogers and then kicked about the body. Rogers, he stated, then jumped on Beebe's stomach with both knees, seized him by the throat and pounded him on the head. Simons, he stated, then took a hand in the attack upon Beebe and gave him several kicks. This statement of Prickitt was corroborated by Barzillai Smith, who witnessed part of the attack. Batterson said he saw Rogers beat Beebe about the head, and while the victim lay on the ground helpless Wells ran up and kicked him on the right side of the head. This witness went over to Beebe after he had been left by the men. He heard the men express the belief tht Beebe was only "fooling" when he did not get up. Harry Spicker, brother of Charles Spicker, stated that he pulled Rogers away from Beebe and said: "You ought to know when a man gets enough." To this Rogers is said to have replied: "I wonder if I killed that man, for if I didn't I will give him more." Spicker saw Wells have a club, but did not see him use it. Howard Beebe, a nephew of the victim, said that he saw Rogers strike his uncle, but that he did not go near them because he was afraid. Mrs. Howard Beebe stated that she was standing twenty-five feet away from the man, but heard the blows struck that caused her brother-in-law's death. During the proceedings Prosecutor Atkinson, who looked after the state's interests, gave all of the men held in connection with the crime an opportunity to make statements. Rogers and Simons had nothing to say, but Wells undertook to defend himself by stating he did not touch Beebe. He claimed that he was thrown down by some one and brutally kicked, but he did not know who the offender was. He said he did not even see the fight, as he was nearly exhausted and too drunk to fight or see anybody.
Rogers was represented by Eckard P. Budd, of Mount Holly, but the others had no counsel. The officers brought Rogers, Wells, Simons and Harvey Reeves back to Mount Holly. Howard Reeves, Harry Hammell and Charles Spicker were discharged immediately after the inquest.
The jury empaneled by Coroner Seeds to investigate the killing of David Beebe, at Chairville, the previous Saturday night , heard the evidence presented at the inquest at Medford on Friday, and after brief deliberation held Caleb Rogers, Theodore Wells and Walter Simons, three of the seven suspected men taken from the county jail to Medford by Deputy Sheriff Fleetwood to give testimony before the coroner, if they so desired. Harvey Reeves, another one of the men arrested on suspicion of having been implicated in the killing, was not held for his connection with Beebe's death, but was committed to jail in default of $350 bail on the charge of carrying a concealed deadly weapon. There has been a determined effort on the part of the court to break up the practice so common among a certain class of young men, of carrying revolvers, and it is possible that a term in prison awaits young Reeves, even though he escaped detention on the more serious charge.
There was a crowd of several hundred people in and around Odd Fellows' Hall, in Medford, when Coroner Seeds held the inquest. Damaging evidence was given by Clifford D. Prickitt, Walter Batterson and Barzillai Smith, all eye witnesses of the brutal beating which resulted in Beebe's death under the crowd of fighting men. Prickitt stated that he arrived in front of the Mathis house just after the party of drunken men from Medford had reached there. At that time Wells and Rogers were fighting and Beebe had come from the house to stop the trouble. As he turned to go back to the house, it was related, he was attacked and knocked down by Rogers and then kicked about the body. Rogers, he stated, then jumped on Beebe's stomach with both knees, seized him by the throat and pounded him on the head. Simons, he stated, then took a hand in the attack upon Beebe and gave him several kicks. This statement of Prickitt was corroborated by Barzillai Smith, who witnessed part of the attack. Batterson said he saw Rogers beat Beebe about the head, and while the victim lay on the ground helpless Wells ran up and kicked him on the right side of the head. This witness went over to Beebe after he had been left by the men. He heard the men express the belief tht Beebe was only "fooling" when he did not get up. Harry Spicker, brother of Charles Spicker, stated that he pulled Rogers away from Beebe and said: "You ought to know when a man gets enough." To this Rogers is said to have replied: "I wonder if I killed that man, for if I didn't I will give him more." Spicker saw Wells have a club, but did not see him use it. Howard Beebe, a nephew of the victim, said that he saw Rogers strike his uncle, but that he did not go near them because he was afraid. Mrs. Howard Beebe stated that she was standing twenty-five feet away from the man, but heard the blows struck that caused her brother-in-law's death. During the proceedings Prosecutor Atkinson, who looked after the state's interests, gave all of the men held in connection with the crime an opportunity to make statements. Rogers and Simons had nothing to say, but Wells undertook to defend himself by stating he did not touch Beebe. He claimed that he was thrown down by some one and brutally kicked, but he did not know who the offender was. He said he did not even see the fight, as he was nearly exhausted and too drunk to fight or see anybody.
Rogers was represented by Eckard P. Budd, of Mount Holly, but the others had no counsel. The officers brought Rogers, Wells, Simons and Harvey Reeves back to Mount Holly. Howard Reeves, Harry Hammell and Charles Spicker were discharged immediately after the inquest.
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