Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-28
Trial Of Hurst, she Wifo Killer.
IRspoFtsd for The Leader.
AEROS, Nov. 20, lt

AKRON, Nov. 20, 1851.
At The June term Of the Summit County
Common Pleas, the Grand Jury found bill
of indictment against Henry Kurst, for the
murder Of his wife, Mary Kurst, on the 14th
of May preceding. The prisoner was ar
raigned and pleaded not guilty. Upon sub
mission Of 9 professional statement BY de-
fendant's counsel, setting forth sufficient
reasons, the Court granted q continuance Of
the case 10 the present torn. The trial was
Get for Tuesday, the 26th inst.
Accordingly, the case was called at half
past one O'Clock P. NJ, to-day, when the
prisoner, in charge of the proper officers,
soon made his appearance in court.
The enOrmity of the ofense charged, and
the aggravated circumstances connected
with lis perpetration, had excited much
curiosity TO see the prisoner. ,..and the aPeCta-
tors, jurors and witnesses present, crowded
the courtroom to its utmost capacity.
Hurst, as his name indicates, is German.
his personal appearance is not htriking, and
upon first view of his countonanee he seems
TO be more dolt than devil, though close OBJ
servation detects enough Of that individuals
propensities to render the countenance of
the accused we'll worth minute study. He
is about Eve feet eight or nine inches high,
stout built, has dark complexion, brown hair
and whiskers, which are short and thin
cruel, gray eyes, large nose, and an extreme
ly vulgsr mouth and chin. His head is we'll
developed in the region of the animal plo-
pensities, snd combatstiveness Is amply
prominent. He is about forty five years of
age, and has several children by former
wife.
Such is a brief description of the man who
it is said, less than a year after marriage,
and after repeated threats and deliberate
preparation, was capable of shooting '0ye
in open day and the presence of Witnesses,
from the effects of which she died but few
moments after.
The prisoner came into court with roll
licking confident step, and cOmposedly took
a seat near his counsel, gazing careleasly
about the room, apparently as unooncerned
as the most disinterested locker on. A mo-
tion for continuance wss made by defend
ants counsel but overruled by the Court.
N. D. Tibbals, Pro ecuting Attorney assisted
by VIM. H. Upson, appeared for the State,
Gen. L. V. Bierce, assisted by VIM. Mcneil,
Esq, and Charles Baldwin, Esq, in behalf
of the prisoner. Some difficulty was ex-
periencsd in the selection of jury, four out
of thirty-six excusing themselves because of
Conscientious scruples against capital pun
ishment. The jury, ss finally completed,
is as follows:
Fitch Purdy, Springfield; Elisha Els
worth, Rich6eld; A. NJ. Russell, franklin;
Jonathan Star, COplsy; Adam silsby, Frank
lin; David Stump, franklin; Alpheus Bah
cock, Bath; Tsllmon Bsardsley, Coventry;
Israel Allen, Coventry; Virgil NJ. ThomP-
son, Stow David French, Greenj VIM. Al
len, Coventry.
The jury were swern and the case opened
on the part of the prosecution by reading
the indictment and stating the facts which
the State expects to prove, when Court sd-
iOurned until half past eight o'clock to-mor-
row morning,