Thursday, May 15, 2008

Kissed Her Lover in Court

New York, 1895

The scene was affecting in the court room Thursday afternoon when the jury returned a verdict of not guilty in the case of John Alt, a farmer of Bayside, who had been on trial for his life for three days for the killing of Warren Frost, a colored farmhand, near Obermeyer's hotel, Creedmoor, on July 29 last. Alt seemed dazed for a moment. In an instant his eyes filled with tears and he was embraced by Miss Della Wench, his sweetheart, who attended court faithfully and sat by her lover's side during his long suspense. Justice Bartlett immediately discharged Alt from custody. Henry A. Monfort, who defended Alt, occupied nearly two hours in addressing the jury. The defense admitted the killing and contended that the shooting was justifiable.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Jan. 25, 1895, p. 12.

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