The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-28
THIRD EDITION
PROBST.
THE GREAT MURDER TRIAL.
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PROCEEDINGS IN COURT TO-DAY.
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ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE.
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SPEECH OF PRISONERS COUNSEL.
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THE ENsE SET UP.
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SPEECH OF PRISONERS COUNSEL.

Special Report for The Evening Telegraph.
Tn smornipg there was not the slightest dimnution
in the crowd Of persons assembled around Inde-
pendence Euuare to witness the usual mornings
walk of the Ielon PTObst up the main avenue OF the
Square his way from the prison van to the court.
house.
Directly after leaving the van and upon entering
the Square, the GRO Rd usual s)t up hdeous yell.
1t seemed however. to make no impression upon the
prisoner he has BY this time got pretty we'll used
to such greetings Az soon as the Square gates were
closed, Chief Ruggles, who had charge of the
prisoner turned him around facing the crowd and
permitted those assembled to get q view of his
features. The Chief, however, cautioned the crowd
rot TO make any nolse which request was only par
TALLY observed.
Just before the prisoner entered the courtroom he
was stopped for few moments, in order TO permit
the crowd on Sixth street TO him. Here, as at
the south gate, Chief Ruggles notified the crowd to
keep silence, and thus prevented another terrific yell
the part OF the mob There is little change in the
manner or appearance of the prisoner since yes
teroay.
At 10 O'Clock punciually the Crier, Mr.. James b.
Dare, opened the Cou.t The courtroom was, If
possible, more crowded than on any former day
during the trial, the desire being very great to hear
what line OF defense would be taken up by the pri-
soLer's counsel.
OPENING ADDRESS For THE DEFENDANT.
John A. Wolbert, Esq, delivered the opening ad-
dress the part of tie defendant, in an eloquent
and sble manner Owing to the fact that the copy
of his address, and that following ofJOhn p. ONeill,
Esq, is constantly being Iought by messengers from
the court room to the Office of The EVENING TELE-
GRAPH, in detached sheets, as prepared expressly
for these columns, we present as comprehensive
an abstract of the marks for the defendant as the
difficult circumstances OF the case will permit
John A. Wo'bert, ESQ, said MAY 1t please your
HOHOrs-YOu will pardon me, gent emen. IN open.
ing my case If first maze mention o my position,
and that OF my colleague When assigned here, 1
SAID 1t was position, perhaps, not pleasant enc.
Feeling deeply lntel esed as one must IN trial IKE
this come 10 YOU 10 meet the commonwealth
case. ask at your hands, gentlemen OF the jury,
no sympathy / come on Lehali of the prisoner 20
meet the Commonwealth case, and answer 1. from
beginning to end. 1t is not by eoduence we TO
Try this and lew equal tne eloquent District
AltoInev who shall follow me-
The pr at the bar Antoine Probst, is twenty
four years of age; his tather, moth n, and three
brothers and SIS ers now res de AZ Baden, Germany
18th OF March, and arriving May H. 1868. He had
been here but two hours when he stTayed INTO Caste
GaI den, and was persuaded to enlist there oy an
officer of Ihe United States Army. he enlisted in
an infanlry regiment, 81 ate oil New ork. He went
to camp and thence TO Virginia He served, and his
time OF enlistment ex Irng, he came to Philadelphia.
He stayed hele three or four weeks because the
bounty was returned to him, and he had money 20
spend then. He stayed with h s comrades unt the
money gone and then enlisted the 9th Pennsy-
vania Cavalri /; went to Camp Cadwalader; staId
| then at Deep Run Virginia, a place of little note:
not known when there, he commenced dome
plcke' outy and scouting, having been before in an
picket duty he, too, was shot and lost that thumb
| on his right hand
Coming ome a few days after the capture of
Richmond, he went TO MIR. Moore, on Front street
| He had some money, and gave it TO Mr.. Moore,
staying fourteen days; then went to New York, to
| Greenwich street, and stayed there three iour
days; returned to Philadelphia; not being well, ana
meeting a comrade, the friend said Come with mo
HOmo,V
| two weeks. He left, and his money being gone,
Why he went to the Neck can't say; but, perhaps
thinking IT was nearer TO the tarmhouses, he went
| there, being used 10 teamwork He went to ihe
house of Mr.. Dearing; he away, but his wife
| said they wanted man, and Mr.. bearing would be
there at oc ock. He was tnen engaged TO work
earning wages ne left, and went 10 Mr. MoOres; LEFT
in a few day S, and vas sent by an employment Office
to Maryland to pick peaches. Fear ng the typhoid
| fever ne returned 10 Philadelphia, and was taken
| sick with the fever. Went to the mshouse, aud
caed Sn Mr. %oore Snd got IT, He them VENT to
| New Jerseyj worked, am then being discharged
| came back to Philadelphia; remained one day, and
then returned to Mr.. bearing, who engaged him at
| $40 month. The prisoner stayed there until his
Now, gentlemen of the iury-1st, the Common.
| wea th have failed to prove when this murder was
committed. No living person can say when. Eight
| persons have been murdered, and yet nobody can
| tell one syllable about the murder. The lact Is
only we find them there. MIR. Everett
goes to Mr., Dearings barn, and finds a
stocking sticking out; this is the furthest Kno yn
and they are hen dug up, the neighbors gather,
examine and find the stocking has in it mans
| the police uncover the hay and find the body OF
| Christopher Deanng. That Is ali the Commonwealth
have to us in reference TO the murder. They have
only the naked fact ne thus found BY the
side of his body was Elizabeth Doan; the same
may be SAID of her and had indeed TO say they
are dead Yet this inquiry to-day iJto determine #
murdered, who murdered them, The murdered
mother lay with dead chi dren covered up the
hay. No one can throw any light upon the case; no
one living. .
| The Commonwealth on this trial have offered to
| you, gentlemen circumstantal evidence might
have brought before you stacks and stacks of books
and shown people convicted thus when the people
| were excited, when the Commonwealth would hoot
at defense and yet aIter conviction aud execution
the man has been proved innocent But these facts
are household words MIGHT have excluded many
| OF you from the box; but we only wanted to have
honest men in the jury boxi we only asked TO have
twelve honest men TO try HIM fairly; that you would
exclude the halloOing and tumult nom outside the
court house, and think you are TO dsolde upon the
lhe or death Of fehOW-being. think you will not
do that hashly-not IN a case like this where the
| links of evidence are broken.
The bodies were found dead q sorry sorry sight.
pass it by untouched upon. The bodies were found
as described by Commemorative witnesses, The