The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-03-26
INC case OF BaItzen.

Jacob BaItzell; of Wheeling, who last
fall made Il murderous assault on his
wife and father-in-law up at Allegheny
City, has recently been tried and dis
posed OF at that place. He was sem
fenced on Saturday last to seven. years
imprisonment in the penitentiary. Be-
fore sentence the prisoner made quite a
speech on his own behalf, the substance
OF which is as follows:
The prisoner was called forward, and
saying that he had a statement to make,
the Court allowed him to proceed. He
seemed much affected and there was an
unmistakable air of candor and truth
fulness in what he said. He married
his wife at Reno, in the oil regions, in
ance In September, 1865. The marriage,
he said, was with her mothers knowl-
edge and consent, but at her requeat the
father was kept ignorant of the matter.
After the marriage his wife visited him
at Wheeling, where he resided with his
mother, who died since his incarceration
His wife's father taking ill, she went
to attend upon him, her parents having
| in the meantime removed from Reno to
Allegheny City. He visited her at dig
| ferent times at her fathers, and the
subject of her going to live with him
was discussed. Her father first learn
ed of the marriage in November last.
Mrs. StrenR, the mother in-law, had
had difficulties with BaltZell, (as he
stately, called him hard names, at
tempted on one occasion to strange
him, and bite him in the face, and he
supposed would have succeeded in BIZ
ting a piece out, had her false teeth not
given way. Mr.. Streng took advice
concerning the marrige certificate, and
talkp1 nf having the maFriaUa an
I nulled as fraudulent, intimRting that
BaltZelPs designs were dishonorable,
of which Baltzell was informed by
letter from his wife. He came to the
city, had further difficulty with the
Streng sfamily, took advice himself
concerning the marriage certificate
and finally returned to Wheeling great
Iy discouraged at his failure to get his
wife to 90 with him. What had tran
spired so affected his mind that he
could not work, and he quit his situa-
ton. He determined to see his wife
again and came to the city. Antici-
pating trouble with his father-in-law,
as he stated, he took the pistol. In the
conversation which took place in the
bedroom, he said his wife became very
angry, as he also did. He had no clear
conception of what took place subse-
quently. Upon returning into the
house latter the shooting,) and going to
the side of the bed where his wife had
been, he realized what he had done,
again left, and attempted to take his
own life, the pistol missing fire, just as
the officers overlook him.
The above is the substance OF Bait
Zell's statement to the Court. 1t will be
recollected that his wife testified to his
having told her that if he could not en-
joy life with her no one else should.
In regard to his attempt to take his own
life, after attempting that of his wife
and parents, (Which circumstance has
not heretofore been mentioned in con-
nection with the case,) the statement
seems to be corroborated in the fact
that when the pistol WAS taken from
him two loads remained In it, the caps
for which were exploded.
Judge Sterrett prefaced the sentence
of the law with few well expressed
observations. He thought the prison
er'S own statement as to preparing
himself for expected trouble bore heay-
lest against him. His affection for
his wife seemed very strong and
tocontinue undated, and although he
might have felt annoyed at not being
allowed to possess her, which was his
right, and which the law gave him,
still it must have been with a wicked
heart that he armed himself with the
pistol. The Court was impressed with
what had been said and shown in his
favor, but justice demanded his severe
punishment for the offences he had
committed and to which he had plead
ed guilty. Appeals for clemency, ifthe
case was considered proper one for
its exercise, shOuld7be made to the Ex-
ecutive of the State. His Honor then
sentenced Baltzell to undergo an i'm
prisonment in the Western Penitentia-
ry for term of three years and six
months upon each indictment, seven
years in all, the sentence last pro-
nounced to take effect after the expira-
ton of the first.