The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-09-24
BOONYILLE. INp. Sent. I'll, 18t

The September term of the Warrick
Circuit Court, which has just closed,
has been one of unusualinterest, more
especially on the criminal side of the
docket. Six men were sentenced to
the penitentiary for terms ranging from
Imprisonment for life to term of two
years, while one man, for committing
petty larceny, was sentenced to i'm
prisonment in the County Jail for fire
minutes, and to pay fine of .tfoe cents.
+ Public interest was very much
aroused as to the result of the case of
the State as. Conrad Schusler, charged
with the killing of John Frederick,
at Newburgh, in October of 1866.
This was a cold blooded murder,
committed by breaking Frederick S
skull with hickory club; Schusler
waylaying him at the door of his sa-
loon abouts11 o'clock at night. Col:
DENLY had been specially employed
to assist in the prosecution and Major
Hynes defended. The former insisted.
with his usual ability, that it was a
case for blood; while the latter, with
his peculiar earnestness, urged the
entire innocence of the accused. The
jury, however, thought the evidence,
which was entirely circumstantial, suf
fcient, and returned verdict Of
murder in the first degree and impris-
onment for life.
Wilcox and Neal were jointly in
dicted for stealing three horses. Will
COX pleaded guilty and was sentenced
for two years. Neal pleaded not
guilty and was tried mainly upon the
testimony of Wilcox, who turned
States evidence. The substance of
Wilcox's statement was, that he was
prevailed upon by Neal, who is an
old villain, while Neal is young in
crime, to steal three horses and run
them to Kentucky, and the parties
would divide the profits. The three
horses were accordingly taken from
the neighborhod of Boonvilie and
brought to an appointed rendezvous
by Neal. One of the horses was
taken from a young gentleman who
was at the time engaged in what the
Hoosiers call sparkling expedition.
Prosecutor Hargrave appeared for the
State, and l. S. Moore, Esq, for the
defense.
Moore insisted that the testimony
of Wilcox was entitled to no weight,
he having been convicted of the lar
ceny already, and making a very in
genious and severe argument. Har-
grave insisted that Neal had used
Wilcox as cats paw and was really
the principal in the stealing, and in
sisted that the jury should not permit
him to escape because he himself had
brought on Wilcox's disability and
really had caused his downfall The
jury seemed to see it in this light"
and returned verdict of imprison-
ment in States prison for five years
Zacharia Miles hired horse from
Haney's livery stable, in Newberg, to
ride to his boarding house, half a
mile in the country; but not return
ing at the appointed time, the owner
of the horse became uneasy and pur-
sued. Upon inquiry he found that
Miles had gone there, but had got his
clothes and ridden in hot haste to-
ward Evansville. Haney continued
his pursuit, and upon arriving at the
Henderson Ferry found that he had
. crossed into Kentucky at that point,
ana ultimately came up with the thief
in possession of his horse In Chris
tan County, Kentucky Miles show
ed previous good character, and so
was only sent for four years.
William Howard and William
Sailor each went for two years for
larceny.
Two riot cases were tried, resulting
in the conviction of the rioters.
Several other cases of minor i'm
portance were tried and appropriate
fines assessed. = rrxTYr
In fact the staid old County of
Warrick. seems to have been / putting
on city airs" perhaps in imitation of
Vanderburgh.
Some of our Democratic wire
workers are predicting the defeat of
the Republican party in this county
at the coming election; and we con-
fess that the state of public morals
indicated by our criminal docket is a
bad omen. Nevertheless we hope for
an increased majority by dint of hard
fighting and the popularity sof our
ticket.
But l must not omit to mention
the eUent of the week-Judge Parrett's
lecture before the Teachers Institute
on last Friday night. 1t was certain
ly one of the most scholarly and elo-
quent efforts it has been our good
fortune to hear in this quiet village.
The speaker chose for his topic, |
Education, and its Connection
with Progress and Civilization.
We had long been, aware that the
Judge was a ripe scholar and an ex
tensive reader, but we were not pre-
pared to find him SO well adapted to
the platform of the lecture room.
His resume of the progress of the
inventive faculty; of the perfec- |