River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-05-22

school house, at an expense Of nearly
TWO hundred dollars. Some dlssatis-
faction is expressed on account of it.
Considerable excitement has pre-.
vailed here for week past over the
arrest of Henry Otis upon the com.
plant of one Alexander Jasmer, alleg.
ing that he lost fur cape aud one
hundred dollars in money OF the ninth
day Of February last; and, still further
alleging that Mr.. Otis feloniously took
the same. The complaint was made
before +. uuot, Esq, who thereupon
issued warrant for the arrest of Mr..
Otis.
Mr.. Otis was arrcigned and the
case was continued until last Monday,
at two o'clock p. NJ. +. II Ives. Dis.
trict Attorney, appeared for the pros
ecutiop, and \. Morse, of River Falls,
aud +. L. ellison, of Ellsworth, for the
defendant.
The examination was held in the
grist mill of MIR. Huot. Excitement
ran high, aud men aud women for
miles around had gathered there to
witness tho proceedings. Notwith-
standing the outside pressure, the ex.
animation was conducted in a cool,
quiet, but decidedly earnest manner.
Mr.. Jasmer was the first witness sworn;
he identified the cape; knew it was the
property of his wife; said he found it
in the possession Of. Mr. Otis's little
girl one week ago last Sunday; it was
taken, and the money with it, on the
ninth of Feb. last; said he accused
OTIS Of stealing the ape ard the money;
that Otis looked queer-red in the
face, aud told him (Jasmer) that the
cape was found by Frank Wallace, and
by Wallace given to the girl; that he
could have the cape, if it was his prop.
erty; it was worth three dollars; said
that he told Otis his money was in the
same trunk with the cape, in an envel-
ope, aud was stolen at the same time.
Cross examined by Mr.. Morse. Tie
cross examin ton was very Interesting
and searching, and left not enough
against the defendant 70 raise even sus-
picion of his guilt
Mrs Jasmer was then sworn. She
appeared to he candid aud truthful
but nothing was elected, save that the
time of the alleged theft was unmis-
takably fixed on the ninth of Feb. at
ABOUT the middle of the day. She
thought the cape was the one she lost,
but could not swear positively to it.
The prosecution here rested.
The defendant was next sworp.
Said that his brother-in.law, Frank
Wallace, brought the cape to his house
on the thirteenth OF fourteenth Of Feb
ruary; Wallace said he found il, and
gave it to his daughter, who had since
worn it whenever she had occasion
Mr. Otis said that on the ninth day OF
February he was at work for his broth
or "a distances OF some four miles from
Jasmer's); that his brother worked
with him--came in to dinner with him.
and returned with him.
The defendants counsel offered to
support this testimony by that Of Der
win Otis, with whom defendant worked
on that day; aud. also, by his sister
who was at defendants house when
Wallace gave the cape to the little giil
But the District Attorney said, ".NiJ
Kamroas ,(aichh komm hcraas)-
(uothing comes out Of iD-moyed tha,
the case be dismissed aud the defendant
discharged
p. Sit may not be improper to
add that Wallace "yamoosed the ranch
two months or more ago.
REMARKS
IL would scarcely be doing justice to
! Mr. Otis not to aid that this was oLC
-. Of the most aggravating, aud seeming y
9 inexcusable prosecutions yet on record
b We know not where to attach the
! blame, but il is most cruel, unmiti
) gated piece of tyranny to thus arraig n
any man without any cause whatever.
The Injury TO the persons feelings,
n aud those Of his friends, under such
IS circumstances, can scarcely be imagined