The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-01-19

The mystery surrounding this terri.
BILE murder seems to grow darker and
more impenetrable. The examination
Of Koever closed last Saturday at Leba-
non, and after full and careful invest
igation Of the evidence, he was acquitted
and discharged. He was handed over
to the custody Of the Provost Marshal
at Columbus, by whom he was arrested,
to await his punishment as a deserter
from tho army, (which he is according
to his own confession. Tho Prosecu-
ting Attorney of the county, Mr.. Geo.
r. Sage, 10 his closing romarks'said:
"He was satisfied the testimony would |
not warrant an indictment against the
defendant. The handkerchief found
near the house, the morning after the
murder, was not positively identified as
the defendants. The testimony that
Keevor washed blood stains from his
sleeve at the bowling saloon in Cincin-
natl lost its weight by reason of the
proof on behalf of the defendant that he
had exchanged shirts at Hamilton after
the murder. The conduct of the defen-
dant after his enlistment, his restless
ness and uneasiness, were explained by
the fact that he was a deserter, that the
extra precautions to prevent his escape
and the orders carefully to guard him,
might well have led him to fear that he
was suspected, and the announcement
in his bearing, that he was to be sent to
Columbus, passing Deerfeld on the
route, must have led him further to fear
that he would be seen, recognized and
reporte to the military authorities. As
} to the whereabouts of Keever, the
weight Of testimony was with the wit.
nesses from Hamilton. The defendant
was in their company for three days. -
They could, not be mistaken. IF their
testimony was not true it was wilfully
false.
The prosecutor said he had learned
upon careful inquiry, that they were
witnesses above impeachment for verac-
ity; aud he was satisfied they were hon =
est, and that the Deerfeld witnesses
were honestly mistaken, as were ais tb c
conductor, engineer and porter on the
train from which Keever was put Off
The witnesses all agreed that the night
when Keevor was put off the train, was
= a very cold night. But Christmas
night, the date stated by the conductor
was unusually warm, the temperature
being above the freezing point all night
as was proven by the weather record
while the night of Monday, the 19ih
. the date fixed by Ramsey and by K9ev-
= er himself, in his statement, was bite
! cold.
The Prosecutor said he was the NOR
willing thut'the accusation should b
dismissed, because the defendant woul
not be set at largo, but would be remar
ded to the custody of the military au
thorities."
To add to the horrible nature Of tn
, murder, it appeared in the evidence c
:, the examination, that there were stror
indications that the body of Alice, Il
, oldest child, had been brutally yiolat,
- before she was murdered She W
about Is years ofage, but more ful
y developed than girls Of that age gene
y ally.
Mr.. Roosa, the father of the famil
0e has returned home from the Daytt
.' Asylum, and the statements made
10 Mrs. Roosa, Frances and JeanneI
- show that the the object Of the mt
' derer was money. The Lebanon ST
says:
1t appears that on Wednesday befc
the murders, Mrs. Roosa received |
''' ter from her husband, dated at the Da
, ton Asylum, directing her to send
ed the barley to Morrowtown, sell it, C
1c- lect the proceeds and pay out up
tes school orders. Mr.. Roosa is the Ire
not urer of Onion township. The lett
By which was quite lengthy, gave an
ors count of Mr.. Roosa's life at the Asylu
cal Alice went to Deerfeld the same
,ck and took the letter with her. 1t ,
i've exhibited to several persons, and T,
use publicly at Cooper's store.
TO Joannette states that on the nigh
me the murder she was awakened by AL
me who whispered to her that someb'
was in the house. Presently the n
}. came into the room. He deman
oney; said something about che
and orders, and inquired about the
-" . ley money. He dragged Alice out
'"o bed and sent her for money. She "
"u to her mothers room; was followed
eou the murderer, and never returned
siVe Mrs. Roosa states that she was
Gun struck while she was asleep. AS
u 10 voLanad sba onran0 nm md oauOht