Amador weekly ledger., 1858-02-27
TRIAL OF
SAMUEL STEvENTON AND WILLIAM
se LIVERSAGE.


CREANoR, presiding.
TUESDAY, FEB. 22d, 1858.
The People vs. Samuel Steventon and VIM.
Liversage. Indicted for the murder of
Abraham HoStetter, at Union Flat, near
Volcano, Nov. 30th, 1S57-Stevento as
principal and Liversage as accessory.
The reader will recollect the affray, last
fall, at Union Flat in which Hostetter and
De Haven lost their lives, and Steventon,
principal in the above indictment, had his
skull badly fractured.
After considerable difficulty, and the inter-
vention of triars-Messrs. Campbell, Meek
and Page-the following jurors were sworn:
VIM Smith, G. Felch, M. Silver, d. Ed
wards, Jno H. Williams, J. N. Kimbraugh.
| B. Burt, j f. Babcock, l.. Teller, IL. G.
Harring, J. B. Coolidge and Chas. Goslet.
The Clerk read the indictment, and stated
that the defendants each plead "Not Guilty"
The District Attorney made brief but
pertinent statement to the jury, and invoked
their serious, unbiased and careful attention
to the testimony that would be introduced.
DIR. Chas. w. .Shoeneman, sworn.--I am
practicing physician and surgeon at Volcano,
was subpnned December lst, 1851 to make
a post mortem examination on the body of
Mr.. Hostetter. Found a wound penetrating
in the abdominal cavity, inflicted about
inches above the anterior and superior protu-
berance of the right os ium. The edges Of
the wound were sharp, seemingly inflicted by
sharp cutting instrument. The fatal stab
cut the colon cGcnm, the mcso-col0n, inside of
the psoas muscle, and severed the inferior
rena cara about inch above its bifurcation.
A wound of such character is an absolutely
fatal one death being produced by internal
hemorage from the incslon OF the large vein
Fca THE PROSECUTION.
r. II. Huston, siooril-Reside at Union
Flat, about one mile from Volcano Have
lived there two years. | am miner. Ac-
quainted with defendants, and was with Ho-
stetter Am also acquainted with the loca-
tion of their respective houses upon the Flat,
and with the location of the spring of water
was present when Hostetter received his
death wound, and witnessed the whole affair.
1t was near sunset, on the 29th or 30th of
Nov, 1857, and in Amador co. Hostctter
was making fence; at the time the difficulty
commenced he was mailing slab to post
He was fencing in about an acre of ground,
on the Flat, and had been working at it all
day. was making sluice-boxes, a short dis
tance away. Phillip Raspberry, Bill Coyle
| ~ n. (,xh., lo1\ af rfrl.
with Hostetter | saw Stcventon come
down from his house, with bucket, to where
Hostetter, De Haven and others were at
work; Hostetter and De Haven were mailing
board or slab to the posts. Steventon
kicked off the board they had just nailed on
Steventon said he wanted them to make q
gate there, on the trail from his house to the
spring. He at the same time drew knife
and flourishcd il towards Hostetter. One Of
the party called out to him to "stand back"
Steventon went on to the spring, got buck
ct of water, and returned to where Hostetter
and others were at work. As Steventon came
back, some one cried out to Hostetter that
he, (Steventon,) was armed. Llyersagc
came along at the same time, and said he
had a weapon also" Steyenton put down
the bucket, and advanced upon Hostetter
and cut him with the knife. Hostetter i'm
mediately struck Steventon upon the head
with the hatchet which he held in his hand.
Liversage at about the same time fired his
pistol. Hostetter gave back, and as he re-
treated, Steventon advanced upon him.
Steventon snapped his pistol several times
at De Haven, and finally fred a second time.
AT first fire, Liversage was some fifteen feet
from Hostetter and Steventon. was ten
or twelve feet to one side.- At the first fire,
Liversage pointed his pistol at Hosteter--
Hostetter was standing about erect when
Steventon cut him, he was mailing board
on, and Strengthened up as Steyenton advan-
ced upon him. Steventon, when he put down
the bucket. was eight or ten feet from Ho-
stetter. De Haven was at the other end of
the board, and about twelve feet from Hos
tetter. While Steventon was gone TO the
spring, Hostetter and De Haven put up the
same board Steyenton had kicked off, and
were mailing it on when he returned. Steven
ton could go from the house to the spring by
another route. From one door of his house,
the other route or trail to the spring was a
few feet further and from another door il
was few feet nearer 1t was about as good
road; the only difference was that the 9TH
er route was more on the side Of the hl.---
Hostetter, after he received the wound, stood
ON his feet until the fuss was over--some
two or three minutes He walked. towards
his house, and helped to carry him into the
house. Hostetter lived two or three hours;
| was present when he died. l was working
at the same place, in the vicinity of Hostel