The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-12-25
.sMlscEI1AN:99.
IFrom the New Lisbon Journal.l
THE COLUHfHIANA MURDERS.
Trial OF Irwin c. Porter for the MUIR
der OF His Children,

Trial OF Irwin G. Porter for the MUIR
der OF His children.
The trial of Irwin G. Porter for the
murder of his two children, on the 18th
of December, 1872, commenced in this
place on last Monday, December, Sth.
The circumstances of this horrible TRACE
dy, as published at the time. are fresh in
the minds of our readers. The scene of
The tragedy was at the house of Mr.. Hen
ry klickinger, the father-in-law Of Por-
ter, about two and half miles east Of
Columbiana. The house is q small log
one, having a kitchen and two rooms
down stairs The murder was committed
in the larger of the two rooms, which was
used both as a sitting and bed room.
As IN nearly every case Of like char
acter considerable difficulty was expert
enced in obtaining jury. ThIrty-six
men were subpoenaed in the first place
after they were exhausted four more pan
els of twenty each were called, and it was
nearly noon on Wednesday before each
party was satisfied with the selection of the
fecuisite number, twelve The peculiar
nature of the case, involving the sanity
of the accused, rendered the choice of q
suitable Jury one of extraordinary care
and discrimination. Nearly two hundred
witnesses were summoned, large potion
Of them from the vicinity of the tragedy,
and many others from adjoining counties.
Judge Frease is presiding, and the puz-
King questions sometimes appealing to
him for decision are carefully considered,
and we believe satisfactorily decided The
curry being qualified. NJ. Z. .5IaggaTt, prose-
SuGlng attorney, made 3 brief, pertinent
SUMMARY Of the leading facts. e The State
kasreprssented by the prosecutor, assisted
BY W. A. Nichols. Of New Lisbon and J
B. Barnes, Of LeetoHiA. The defense was
represented by P. A. Leubie, Of Salem,
w. b. Anderson, of CAnfeld, and John.
NJ Myers, Of Leetonia. - 30 --
TESTIMONY ON PART OF THE STATE.
Lydia PIickingey sworn-Rsside three
miles north of Columbisna daughter Of
Harry FHckinger, and aged 9bons Is
years; Porter married my sister don't know
how long have known him. They had
three children; two Irving at the time Of
the murder, Minda Eta and Ida Blanche;
don't know how old-thsy were: guess one
was about three and the other enc. They
lived with us about year. On the
morning Of the murder was sitting in the
kitchen with my brothers, Jacob, Solomon
came down stairs. We were IN the kiteh-
en- between the stove and the window
next to the road. Before this / had seen
Porter 60 up stairs, where he remained
about a quarter of an hour When he
came down he did not talk about any
thing that can remember. Jacob had
the Walnuts; Minda came and he filed her
hands with kernels, and she went into
the sitting room to eat them. Irv. told
Jacob that Joshua had got the hstchet
pretty dull. Just all Of what be said /
cannot now remember, He was looking
at the hstchet: put his hands back and
forth on the hatchet handle, and went in
70 the room. did not see where Eta
was when be went into the room. Wit
ness was shown a hatchet and identified
it as the one the prisoner had When he.
was in the sitting room did not see aim.
heard him tell Minda to shut the door,
and she did, and when it was shut she
said, ''It Is shut. papa" Ia about four
minutes after he went iato the room
heard her make q piIiful cry;I l don't know
what he was doing. didn't hear Porter
say anything Hardly q minute after
ward he opened the door and got Adeline.
I saw Minds on the floor, in blood, right
behind the door. saw Porter when the
door vas opsn; he took one step out and
got Adeline between the door and the
stove. he had the hatehet; blood was on
it; the hatehet was in his right hand He
took her by the hand and kind Of pulled
her in and killed her. We ran into the
yard as soon as hesteok Adeline. Did
not see whether be closed the door or
not. Heard no noise In tha Koom--I ran
along side Of the house; next saw Porter
at the gate near the road. This vas about
/ Eve minutes after We ran ont He open
ed the gate and started west. toward Co.
Enmbiana, along the road. We went into
1.-THE konsa and saw the children lying
there brother Jacob went in With me.
l Father and mother Were away, PoHteF's
vifs vas up stGlrg; she had gone up TO
malrs the beds; she was coming out Of the
door when Us went in. We all went into
the kitchen and to the room door, which
/ was one-third open; POrters wife went in
hrst; we saw the chilAren were killed. ]
don't know whether they were dead or
not both Of them were behiAd the door;
they were both cut in the head, and there
vas much blood there. The oldest had
three cuts the whole width Of the hatehet
on top of the head; the youngest had two.
Neither Of them moved OF spoke after We
went into the room. j don't know where
l Ll1o 0AlCQSb AA8 IOuLO. OOAAo O1O AOo@A
| II; il yas about half an hour before saw
1t again. don't know who Of the neigh
bors came fret This WAs on the l6'h Of
December, 1872 / doRlt know WhetasF
il was in Columbiana county or not.
Gross am 1S years old.
Stairway opens into kitchen; no door from
stairs to sitting room. It was at front
wall near the street; is-not opposite room
door; about three feet from -EAAi half way
\ to room door; door opens into slthng-
room. noticed Ainda on the Aoer when
Porter opened the door; abe was kind Of
behind the door, saw that her head was
bloody; father and mother were not at
home; mother was away for two days;
father went LhAB nUInlIs. Porter had
not been from house that morning, hewAs
up to spelling school the night before, at
| Huntstown, west Of COlumblanA, WeAL Of
! of ear house, between COlumbiana and
our house; don't know hOV long be was
gone, I WAs there; cannot tell the ume