The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-27

and did not know anything Of it. nor did anv OF
with the writing or sending OF the dIspstch. or
know anything about IL: am the teleerap phi OPP
S e ~ TINS staton OF tne r q * - L. railway.
- eliminate myself"
Mr.. Thompson discussed at great length
in support of his objection to the witue. sea
testifying further, and was proceeding 10
read many authorities in support OF his posi-
ton when he was informed by Msjor Cor
don that there could be no discussion be-
tween them on the point as no lawyer would
argue to compel the witness 10 criuinate
himself. This closed the examination OF
witnesses on the part of the state.
THE DEFENSE.
CORwIN's CAsE-JUsrIFIcATIoN Axp KxPLA-
TIoN-rHE END OF THE EXAMINATION.
The first witness called to the defense was
DR.. WE. Spann. He testified rs follows:
Colonel StIlwell, some time ago, here upon
the streets in the city of Anderson, In front
of George Pence's grocery. in the presencs
of Mr.. Medara, stated, "they have an indict-
ment against me-" Although had heard
Of it before, 1 said, sis that so7" and he said
Eyes," and said he, "I think 1 can get up
courage enough between this and night to
LOAD up my shot gun to kill one or two s-s
of b-hs." Think that was the Saturday be-
fore he went to the country. He went to the
country on Sunday morning; no names
were mentioned. don't know further than
that expression whom he referred to.
Edgar Hen 1erson was next called by the
defendant. l reside in Anderson; am a
druggist; my place Of business il on the
east side of the square, about seventy-two
feet north of the First National bank; am
acquainted with Thomas N Stilwell. also
with John K. Corwin. Col. Stilwell has
been in my store almost every day for the
last five years when he was in Anderson. He
dropped in frequently in the evening. Mr..
Corwin traded with me about three years
ago. About three years ago Col. Stilwell
and Mr.. Corwin had difficulty In front Of
my store.
@. State, il you know, whetrs Col. Still
well did OF did not show a revolver to YOU
just before that difficultyf Question was not
allowed by the court. The witness contin-
ued: On the Friday before the killing had
conversation with Col. Stilwell. Is was on
Friday evening-last Friday one week ago.
He came to our store, and came back to the
desk where / was. / asked him what IL was
for, and he said it was for embezzlement. 1
didn't know any thing abopt it. He said
the s-n of the b-h was the cause of the
whole Oft told him 1 didn't know, and
wouldn't want to say that unless knew
more about it. He said he ought to kill
him. told him he ought to stop talking
about it, or people would think
there was something in it. He
odlQ no utip IL. ne t&lQ No
OUGHT TO KILL HIM,
And he said he believed he would. told
him that wouldn't do at all. He said in the
same conversation that Slater bookkeeper
in the bank, had turned against him. He
said that Kline had gone off and people
would think there was something in this
thing. He said that Mustard, that used 70
be assistant bookkeeper. had turned against
him, and he didn't know whether had or
not. i told him that had not.
John Marsh was called to the stand and
corroborated the testimony of Durham in
regard to the weight of the bullets.
Mr.. Moses Cherry testified that he was ac-
quainted with Mr.. Stilwell in his lifetime,
and also with Corwin. He stated that their
houses were close together. Corwin's was
on the same side, only little further down.
Corwin came up on the opposite side Of the
street from Stilwells house. He said he
didn't want to go up on the other side
of the street as he was afraid Stilwell would
shoot him. He ted that he came up the
street one time before the shooting with
Corwin and turned across to the hardware
store, and Corwin went into his bank. At
the entrance of the hardware store be met
Stilwell who inquired of him what that s-n
Of a b-h had been saying about him. that
be was afraid to walk upon his side Of tho
street. The witness said that Stilwell told
=
would send them to New York II make
buttons. The first conversation was three
or four weeks ago.
RELATION OF THE DEAD.
Mr.. Isaac r. Conway testified: am dep
uty auditor of this county; am related to
Mrs. Stilwell; am a cousin of Mrs. Thomas
N. Stilwell; was well acquainted with Mr..
Stilwell in his lifetime; can not safe posi-
lively that I saw him on Friday or Sstur-
day; it was the latter part of the week be-
fore his death; he came into the auditors
Office; do not think he was under the in
fiuence of liquor at all when he came int
the office.
@. What did he say, If anything, as to
Mr.. Corwin, if he made any threst7
A. Mr.. Stilwell came in there. / can not
say positively that Mr.. Corwin's name was
mentioned in the conversation that follow
ed. NV impression was that he was refer
ring to the Indictment. His remark
was this: that he thought that ID scoun-
drel over there was the cause of the Indictment,
and he thought he ought to go and shoot
him. This was either Thursday or Friday.
O. What did he say as to whether he had or
had not been indicted?
A. don I know whether he stated whether
he had been or not. / had heard that he had
been indicted. He wasin there not TO exceed i've
or ten minutes altogether. This conversation
occurred after he bad been in there a minnie or
two. L DOM think ne was very much excited.
Cross-examined.-Id did not say whether It was
after the indictment was returned or not. Mr.
Stilwell had heard of IL from the way he spoke
in the conversation. When he came
I'm there Mr.. Nickle was in there, and some one
else, | don't remember who. After he came
in Mr.. Nickle and the other gentlemen went
out. There was then nobody else In the ofncs
but Stilwell and myself. He had kind of way
of shaking his head. Shaking his head In that
way lin the direction OF Mr.. Corwins Office he
said sthat id scoundrel had been the
could not say positively whether any name was
mentioned or not. This conversation took place
before Stilwefi went TO the country. under
stood that he went TO the country on Saturday.
i went to his house on Sabbath; heard that he
had gone to the cssntry. He thought he ought
to go and shoot corwin, or something OF THAI
kind.
Redirect examination: I was very well ac-
uuainted with the difficulty between 0orwin
and Stilwell and knew Sfilwell's manner very
well. The whole circumstance being before my
mind. 1 may have thought or Mr.. Oorwins
name, as If he mentioned IL. | remember his
shaking his head in the direction OF Oorwins
bank.
A InuRSAI.Isr OF THE STAND.