1886 News

The Princeton Press, Sat., Jan. 9, 1886: MAYOR'S COURT                            Jan. 2, 1886 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     Edward Williamson was committed to the Jail of Mercer County in default of three hundred dollars bail, for assult [sic] and battery, there to await his trial. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .		The Princeton Press, Sat., Jan. 9, 1886:     Edward Williamson, colored, arrested for assault and battery in Princeton last Saturday, pleaded guilty in Mercer Courts yesterday, and was immediately sentenced to three months in the County Jail. Several witnesses had been summoned, but were not examined.
The Princeton Press, Sat., Jan. 23, 1886:     We notice in the New York papers that Thomas McC. Stewart, a colored man, who was born in South Carolina, has been admitted to the bar of that State. We presume the newly made lawyer is the talented graduate of Princeton Seminary in 1880, who supplied the A. M. E. Church during the time he was in the Seminary, afterward going to Liberia. Returning, he has been pastor of the church in New York to which the Rev. Henry Highland Garnett ministered.		The Princeton Press, Sat., Jan. 30, 1886: PRINCETON REMINISCENCES. XV. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     In a paper of the above date [1832], we find an advertisement of the sale of a black woman aged 17, and of a black boy aged 10. The sale was to be for a term of years, and was to be made by J. Gulick of the Kingston Mills. Such an advertisement sounds very strange to our ears. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
The Princeton Press, Sat., Mar. 20, 1886:     Princeton has a colored man who has twenty corns on each foot.		The Princeton Press, Sat., Mar. 20, 1886:     The Laundry is ready for business. Mrs. Catherine Scudder, one of the best laundresses in Princeton, has charge of the ladies' washes.
The Princeton Press, Sat., Mar. 27, 1886:     CHICKEN THIEVES.--On Friday night of last week, thieves broke open the hennery on Mr. Tulane's premises and stole therefrom sixteen chickens. Mr. Tulane was quite indignant at the boldness of the theft, and offered a liberal reward for the arrest of the thieves, and also for the return of the property. Assistant Marshall Amburg interested himself in the case, and ascertained that a colored man living at Rocky Hill, named Frank Harper, had sold eight chickens to Wm. H. Lyons early on Saturday morning, at a low price. Mr. Lyons, as soon as he heard of the robbery, informed the officer of Harper's transaction with him. Mr. Amburg went to Rocky Hill, in the afternoon without a warrant, to see the colored man and question him as to where he got the chickens, but the man, when he saw the officer, ran away. Securing a warrant, the officer returned to Rocky Hill in the evening and found the man he was looking for, unexpectedly, at another place. They brought him to Princeton, and in default of bail he was left in the borough jail until Monday morning. He denied stealing any chickens but could give no satisfactory explanation as to where he got those that he had sold.		On Sunday Mr. Amburg secured warrants for two other colored men, one for receiving the stolen goods, and the other for being in company with Harper when the chickens were stolen. Both these parties were brought to town on Monday morning, and an examination was held by Justice Clow, in the Council Room. There was no evidence produced to support the accusation against the two men last arrested, and they were discharged. The only evidence against Harper was the sale of the chickens to Lyons, and the inference arising from his failure to account for the way in which he obtained them. The Justice hesitated about the disposition to be made of Harper, and held him until Tuesday, to give time for further evidence, if possible to be secured.     On Monday evening, Larry McMahon, the tenant of the old Potter farm, discovered a bag of dead chickens lying in a ditch on his farm. As it was supposed these might be the stolen chickens, they were examined, and one of them at least was positively identified as belonging to Mr. Tulane. This find apparently cleared Harper of the charge made against him and he was also discharged from custody. No further clues have been obtained as to the perpetrators of the theft. On the same night that Mr. Tulane's chickens were stolen, eight head of poultry belonging to Mrs. Lyons of Mercer street, were taken.
The Princeton Press, Sat., May 8, 1886: MAYOR'S COURT.     May. 1. Richard Nichols, colored, was arrested for drunkenness and disorder on Nassau street. The Mayor sentenced him to be committed to the jail of Mercer county for fifteen days. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .		While Woodland was alone in the room, he espied a small gold bunting case watch hanging on the wall, and he took it. The watch belonged to the servant, and was not missed until noon, when she immediately suspected Woodland. Mr. Charles R. Hendrickson resolved himself into an amateur detective, and soon found out that Woodland had offered a watch for sale to one or two colored people, but they did not remember what kind of a watch he had. In the evening he made a tour of the jewelry stores, and found the stolen watch at one where Woodland had left it. Justice Clow was called upon for a warrant, and a little before midnight Marshal Amburg had the prisoner before the Justice, and a short examination was held. The prisoner stoutly denied his guilt, in face of the positive evidences of it. The Justice held him for trial at Trenton, and he was taken to the jail early the next morning.
The Princeton Press, Sat., May 22, 1886:     A SNEAK THIEF IN JAIL--Thomas Woodland, a young colored man lately from the South, called at the residence of Mrs. Philip Hendrickson a few days ago, at a very early hour in the morning, asking the colored servant in the kitchen to call some one of the family, as he needed to get money with which to bury a child of his, which had just died. While the woman did not give much credence to his story, she went to inform Mrs. Hendrickson.
The Princeton Press, Sat., May 29, 1886: MAYOR'S COURT.     May 24.--Edward Williamson colored was arrested, as a dangerous character, and required to give a bond to keep the peace, which he neglected and refused to do. He was committed to the Jail of Mercer County, and will there be examined by the County Physician. Some believe him to be a proper subject for the Lunatic Asylum. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     Charles Lambert, and Lake Davison were each fined one dollar and costs for drunkenness on Nassau Street.     Several cross dogs have been complained of. The Mayor will proceed according to the late ordinance concerning dogs, passed by Council, and if they are not taken care of they will be killed. One of them bit Joseph C. Sinclair, Esq., on Friday while passing along John Street ; and another on Witherspoon Street bit a son of Aaron Lake.		The Princeton Press, Sat., June 5, 1886:     MERCER COURTS.--Thomas Woodland, committed by Justice Clow for stealing a gold watch from a colored woman two weeks ago, yesterday pleaded guilty of stealing a dollar, and was committed to the County Jail for thirty days. If the Prosecutor, instead of taking the word of a prisoner, would investigate the cases a little, such an inadequate penalty for the crime of Woodland would not have been given. Edward Williamson's sentence was three months in the County Jail.
The Princeton Press, Sat., July 3, 1886: COULDN'T GET HIS STATEROOM.     Mr. T. McCants Stewart is a member of the bar of South Carolina and of New York, and was once Professor of Mathematics in the South Carolina State Agricultural College. He has a law office in Cedar street and lives at 81 Adelphi street, Brooklyn. He was admitted to the New York bar on Jan. 5 last, on motion of Algernon S. Sullivan, who will be his counsel in a suit which he intends to bring against the People's line of steamboats for damages for violation of contract. Mr. Stewart says:     "It was my intention to go to Albany on legal business by either boat or cars, and before I had determined which route to take I went to see Charles H. Orr, the People's line's agent at 207 Broadway, to get his advice. I had known Mr. Orr for some time. Mr. Orr led me to believe that a night's rest could be had on a steamboat better than in a sleeping car, and I therefore bought and paid for a passage ticket and engaged stateroom 217 on the upper main cabin of the night boat, the Dean Richmond. I had travelled repeatedly on the big Sound steamers and occupied a stateroom. Mr. Orr telephoned to the People's dock and had my name registered with the number of my stateroom, and advised me to pay the purser for the room.		When I applied to the purser on board of the Dean Richmond for the key to my stateroom he said :     "'Who do you want the key for?'     "'For myself,' I replied.     "'Are you Mr. Stewart?' he asked.     "'I am,' I replied.     "'Well,' said he, 'if you are Mr. Stewart you can't have the stateroom, or any other stateroom on this boat.'     "Then I sought the Captain. He listened politely and attentively, but refused to let me have the stateroom just the same."     Mr. Stewart is a coal black African, but his face is purely Caucasian in mould.     "The line I shall seek to draw here is not the color line, though," he said. "It is the broad line of violation of contract. I had no ambition to get into a civil rights case."     At the office of the People's line Cashier George S. Riggs said that he was told by the Captain of the Dean Richmond, which was in Albany, that a better stateroom than No. 217 was offered to Mr. Stewart, and that he refused to take it.
The Princeton Press, Sat., July 10, 1886: BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS.      COUNCIL CHAMBER   July 5, 1886.     Regular meeting of Board of Health. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     Complaints were reported against pig pens of Sam'l Hampton and Moses Schanck [sic] near the corner of John and Hulfish streets, and the Board being satisfied that they were a nuisance,     Resolved, That Mr. Hampton and Mr. Schanck be notified to remove, forthwith, their pigs outside the Borough limits. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     The matter of passing an ordinance concerning the keeping of cows and pigs in the Borough was discussed, after which the Board adjourned.      JAS. R. DRAKE, Secretary.		The Princeton Press, Sat., July 17, 1886: CONVICTED OF FRAUD.     William Edward Simpson, formerly of Princeton, a dealer in jewelry and second-hand clothing, and who was manager of a colored base ball club in this city in the early part of the season, was tried yesterday in the Mercer Court, on an indictment found at the last October term, in which he is charged with having obtained goods under false pretences. In the course of his business Simpson obtained from Thomas W. Lavake, a Princeton jeweler, two watches, a ring and a chain, of the value of $34.50, on the plea that he had a customer for them. He promised to make payment as soon as the sale was consummated. After waiting some time, Lavake brought suit before Justice Cumming, of Princeton, and recovered judgment. Simpson was released on his own recogizance [sic] to give him a chance to settle up. The next time Mr. Lavake saw Simpson was in the Mercer Court-room, in July last, where the latter was endeavoring to take advantage of the bankrupt act. Senator Vanderbilt, who appeared for Simpson, endeavored to show that the transaction was a simple sale, and in support of his claim presented the papers in the case before Justice Cumming. Mr. Simpson also testified to that effect, and said his reason for leaving Princeton was that his father came to Trenton to live, and he came here to work for him. When he left the State it was to go to Harvard College on business for his father. He had made efforts to settle the debt, but was unable to make collections from his debtors. The Court found him guilty, and suspended sentence till Thursday next.--State Gazette.
The Princeton Press, Sat., July 17, 1886:     There will be a public installation of officers of Fidelity Lodge, 966, G. U. O. O. F., in Witherspoon St. Presbyterian Church, on Wednesday evening next, at 8 o'clock. The public are cordially invited.
The Princeton Press, Sat., July 24, 1886: IN CHANCERY OF NEW JERSEY. TO LETITIA DOWERS. By virtue of an order of the Court of Chancery made on the 6th day of July, A. D. 1886, in the cause wherein Paul Tulane is complainant and William Dowers et als., are defendants. You are required to appear and plead, answer and demur to the bill of said complainant on or before the 7th day of Sept. next, or the said bill will be taken as confessed against you. The said bill is filed to foreclose a mortgage given by Barzilla Dowers and Mary J. Dowers his wife, to Paul Tulane on lands in the Borough of Princeton, County of Mercer and State of New Jersey, dated Febuary [sic] 1st, A. D. 1877, and you Letitia Dowers are made defendant because you are one of the heirs at law of said Barzilla Dowers, deceased, and a part owner and tenant in common of said lands.       GEORGE O. VANDERBILT,       Solicitor of Complainant. Princeton, New Jersey, P. O. Box 335. jy24-6w.                  Dated July 6th, 1886.
The Princeton Press, Sat., July 24, 1886:     Wm. Edward Simpson was brought up for sentence on Thursday, in the Mercer Courts, for obtaining goods from Mr. Lavake as noticed last week. His Counsel laid before the Court representations of Mr. Simpson's character in such a favorable way as to induce the Court to inflict the light sentence of $50. and costs.		The Princeton Press, Sat., July 24, 1886:     Secretary R. F. Bowser of Philadelphia and a good sized audience was present Wednesday evening at the installation of the following officers of Fidelity Lodge, No. 966, G. U. O. of O. F., at the Witherspoon St. Church. C. Wikoff, N. G. ; E. Voorhees, E. G. ; R. B. Williams, P. S. ; T. James, E. S. ; R. Hendrickson, Treas. ; M. Jackson, Warden ; P. K. Hoagland, P. N. G. ; F. Beekman, P. N. F. This is the oldest lodge in this State and its ranks are on the increase.
The Princeton Press, Sat., Aug. 7, 1886:     THE CEMETERY.--Philip Scudder, who is in charge of our cemetery, has been unwell much of the time this Summer, and so unable to give as constant attention to it as has been needed. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .		The Princeton Press, Sat., Sept. 4, 1886: George Cudgoe claims to have killed thirty-four dogs, and we see very few of them on the streets. It has been suggested that he now turn his gun toward the numerous cats who infest the town.
The Princeton Press, Sat., Oct. 9, 1886: CENT A WORD COLUMN. LOST.--On or about Sept. 4th, 1886, Pension Certificate No. 218,713, made out to Mrs. Ann Hampton. It is of no value to anyone but the owner. Anyone finding it will confer a great favor by returning to the Post Office or to oct 9          MRS. ANN HAMPTON.		The Princeton Press, Sat., Nov. 6, 1886:      COUNCIL CHAMBER, Nov. 1, 1886.     Regular meeting of the Board of Health. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     Mr. Brown reported that he notified Mr. Hampton to move his pigs, and they were moved away ; but after a few days they were moved back again, Mr. Hampton acting as though he had taken advice in the matter. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     On motion, the matter of Mr. Hampton's pigs was deferred to a meeting of the full Board. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
The Princeton Press, Sat., Dec. 11, 1886:     Justices of the Peace oft-times engage in questionable transactions, for the sake of fees, but we would like to know the name of the Justice of Mercer County who gave two colored people "bills of separation," from their spouses, assuring them that it was as good as a divorce from the courts, upon the strength of which "bills of separation" the colored people were again married, with a resulting indictment for adultery. If the statement of the Court is true, that the offending parties were led into the offence by the action of the Justice, the Court has neglected its plain duty in not directing the attention of the prosecutor to the case of the Justice, who is an equally guilty party, being presumed to have greater knowledge than the poor negroes.		The Princeton Press, Sat., Dec. 11, 1886:     Tuesday was sentence day in Mercer Court, and among those called up for sentence were : Henry Serrine and Hannah Stanhope, of Washington, charged with adultery. This is a peculiar case and the Court said it was more embarrassed to dispose of it than any other case that had ever come before it. Both parties had been separated form [sic] their spouses by written articles drawn by a Justice of the Peace of Windsor, who told them that his bill of separation was better than divorces granted by the Chancellor, and they had a right to get married. They were married, and as they had been misguided the Court would suspend sentence. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
Additional article: Jan. 9, 1886

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