Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-02-27
Testimony OF William Connors

testimony OF William COnnOrs
We copy from the Democrat, the follow
ing testimony given by Connors in the
Thornburg murder ease. 1t is RAJ her in
coherent, but we give it as we found it.
l am acquainted with Krier; | was ac-
quainted with him in 1870. | never was
acquainted With Thor,.burg | saw him
about two weeks before this occurred
There was good many on the sidewalk
and Kier were night-watchmen Krier
hired me, and paid me except watching
the mill. | had no conversation with
Peter krier about Thornburg. | knew
him as | would know one of the citizens
here. Showed me the man that pulled
out his pocket book, and pulled out
piece of scrip, and asked me if l wanted
any money. | told him did not want
any money | have plenty of money of my
own. He asked me how was my pocket
book Krier said this / told MIN my
pocket book was all right This is all
and went over to the engine. Then Krier
paid me whatever he was to pay week
1 went home that evening alter that.
piece of scrip out of his pocket book.
iIrier made motion that he was the man
pointing to him. The above was stated
by Thornbnrg to Kricr, as Krier told me.
The next time | saw him was the 18th of
january, at Bendcr's saloon on tile same
night of the scuffle. l suppose that part
oft was on the 18th, part of it ON the Goth.
The first | saw him was in Bender's sal
oon-Bodsell, Brown. Bender and wife,
but did not know them | did not see
krier there. | was i'll three or four min
utes. This was between 1c and II o'clock
at night, It's near as can remember it. |
saw krier two or three minutes after that
pretty close to Bender's. Ibid not see him
go in that saloon that night. | walked
north on the sidewalk | don't know
which way Krier went | next saw Thorn
.purg in the street with Bodsel. They
had some low words, and Thornburg was
backing into the street. Michigan street.
| came back as heard them talking low.
He WAS standing right there on the side
walk. [ did not see when came out and
went Off 1t was pretty clear night, a
moon light night. The affair did not last
very long. He motioned with his arm to
come into him, and backed out into the
street. l saw Bender come out of his sal
oon and speak to Botsell | do not know
where Thornb,rg went. Krier and
went across the street, and don't know
where Krier went Kept on the street
Saw Thornburg half an hour or so after
-Thornburg-waS on the street. | saw
him there between the middle of the
bridge and the street. Krier was with
,,xo VVa fo1loxuoJ b;,,, Wo co,,y ,,,a,.
standing on the street-corner there, and
we said we could go down and see who it
was. That man appeared to be standing
there. We got half way down there
We did not increase our speed any at all
We followed him up as far as the bridge.
He was then down as far as the tavern.
Bill Haslanger's tavern. He went into
lane or an alley-way. near that house |
said to Krier to watch, to hear if anybody
opens window or anything, and l will
go around on the other side and see what
he is doing. went up the west side of
Michigan street, down toward the railroad
bridge There is a kind of a crossing
there. He went north as far as the lane;
as [ came to the corner he jumped out of
it. Krier was close by KefEy's blacksmith
shop. Krier could hear me talk to him.
AAO luii uNAOoo biiO oulCCb. doNONt iAllI
what he was doing If he went one step
farther he would shoot his head off. |
said you wouldn't shoot watchman
would you. He said G-d-n you | will
shoot you; at that time he ran back of the
shop, and ran to the railroad and went up
that embankment close to the railroad
bridge. The Ft Wayne river bridge. L
was about the middle of the street krier
was close by him. krier did not move.
/ cannot say how far it was He spoke
loud enough for me to hear Krier then
came over the bridge and walked up
Michigan street; up as far as Blain' S.
where we heard footsteps. We walked
on west side Michigan street. We went
down near the corner and he was on OPP
posite corner. We crossed the street on
cross walk, right then we went across to
Buck & Toan's store. Weut across
Michigan street diagonally. We want to
Dickson's store He went up on the side
walk, and we followed up to Pershing's
corner. We came up and there was man
standing with his back to the house. We
came up and l said to him amt you the
man that threlteued to shoot me- He
says you are mistaken | told him |
didn't think am mistaken. ] am pretty
positive you are the man. He clapped
his hand on my shoulder and said, let us
go and have glass of beer. Wewent up
north to Chas, Haslanger's saloon and