Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-08

JOHN MICHAI KAKM & ANNE MARIA VEITENGRllBERF.
81 FOR THE MURDER OF
81 JOHN GEORGE V-ITENGRUBER,
= VI LIN SIyLLIEd v HOENT'Y Is
IN SULLWdN COUNTY.

na Maria Eeitengruber, indicted for the murder
of John George Veitengruber, commenced in
the Over and Tcrmincr of Sullivan county, at
the February Term. Hon. ID WnMor, pre-
siding, Hon j. a. SPEAKER and WV. CoLLEY
Associates. For the prosecution, District At
torney Mctcalf and p d. Morrow. For the
defendants, Mercur, Deiterick and Richardson 4
James j Seibeneck was sworn Interpreter. 1
The trial was called up on "Wednesday. Feb
ruary 2Tth, and after challenges, the following
jury was sworn =
John ID, Robbins, Joseph Yonkiu, Jacob
Hoffa, David NJ Mamire, Jeremiah Hunsinger,
Benjamin Vaughn, Be,nall Wensi. Francis $.
Bumgartner, Daniel Youghn, Joseph DaddOw,
Godliep Bartch Peter C. Little. The deien-
dants plead not guilty. The case was opened
by the District Attorney, and the examination
of witnesses on the part of the Commonwealth,
commenced The main facts as elected are as
follows =
The defendants came from Germany in 1854,
and arrived at Elkiand township, Sullivan Co
in August of the same year. They purchased
piece of land and lived in the same house to-
gether, until May +, 1875, when Veitengruber
was missing. kamm and Mrs. V said he had
gone to Canton to work at his trade. lie was
a shoemaker, and was commonly designated
!" Shoemaker" lie did not return, 'and finally
suspicion became directed to the defendants,
as being guilty of some foul play They were
arrested in October, but the evidence being in
sufficient the Justice discharged them.
On the l4th Of November, James NJ Carty
discovered what he thought TO be grave and
called to a man by the name of Smith, who
came to him. 1t being then nearly night, they
agreed to make further examination on the
! following morning. This grave was about 30
rods from Veitengruber's house, and right be-
hind the root of large hcmlock that had been
/ blown down. The defendants heard NJ Carly
call Smith. On the following day, M'Carty
/ and others went 10 make the examination
/ They dug, found grave about twenty inches
/ deep, found toc-nail, the thick skin off the
! heels, a number Of hairs, aud a very offensive
stencil issuing from the place. The defendants
were Immediately arrested and committed to
/ Jail They denied all knowledge of Neitcngru-
/ bers whereabouts The evidence showed that
ever since their arrival at the Lake, they quar-
relied occasionally and violently so that the
neighborS could hear them at distance-that
Kamm had threatened to shoot Yeitengrubcr
that the defendants had lived in adultery
before V. was missing, and continually since
that kamm had in his possession all his cloth
/ ing, pipes, snutf-box, watch, &c
/ The trial progressed until Saturday morn
ing, when the son Of the deceased, aged about
IL years was brought into Court to give testi-
mony on the part Of the Commonwealth I'm
mediatcly upon entering the room, his mother
became intensely excited, rushed towards him
and claSped him in her arms The excitement
brought on fairtng fit to which she is sub
/ jcct3 and the Court adjourned until afternoon
/ In the meantime. Mrs. V. sent for the Judge
Counsel, and preachers to her cell, in order to
make statement She commenced, and sud
denly stopped, saving that was all she knew
about it,
At the coming in Of Court in the afternoon
the boy was put upon the stand. lie testif-
( ed as to the identity OF the clothing, pipes, &C.
as belonging 20 his father The mother be
coming more and more intensely excited, as
every article of clothing was sworn to by the
boy as belonging to his father, until at length,
she spraRg to her feet, terror and alarm de-
p.cted upon every line of her countenancc, her
hands extended and eyes toward Heaven, she
exclaimed, in German, " The Priest the Priest I!
the Priest = Help me help me help me !.
am innocent. That is the mamie did it
he often threatened my husband to shoot him
he has put me where | now am" pointing her
finger at hamm. She sat down, laughing hyS-
tericalIy. and the Court adjourned until Mon
day morning
Mrs. Neitengruber on Saturday evening
made statement 10 Mr.. Bauer, also to Mr.
Sebenick, and Oh Sunday morning again to
Bauer. Her statement was somewhat inco-
herent, and in many particulars, differs from
kamm's account, She had evidently become
insane, and has since been entirely Indifferent
to the trial. and is up to this time a raying
maniac On Tuesday, by order of the court
the trial was suspended as far as concerns the
woman.
JOHN MICHAEL KANW's STATEMENT
/ Sunday evening, March 81, the defendant,
!. kamm, having iutimated his desire TO make a
statement, Judge WHNor and the counsel on
both sides attended in his cell for this purpose.
He then made confession which was inter