The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-03
THE NEwTowN MURDER.


all the details of anything that smacked
of the. sensational or horrible, pressed
and jammed In and about the doors oil
the Corone's office this morning, where
the continuation of the Weber inquest
was in progress. The jury was impan-
eled yesterday afternoon at Newtown,
b scene of the murder, aud several
very important witnesses examined, the
first being Charles Webber, the brother
OF the deceased.
lie testified that the deceased was
twenty-five years OF age, unmarried,
steady and temperate in his habits, and
was employed by Shipman & Co. as a
laborer on the Union bridge, over the
Miami river. He knew nothing of the
difficulty between Harpe and his
brother:
Isaac Deal, proprietor of the Deal
Housein NeWtoWn, the boarding place
OF both Harpe and Webber, testified as
to the sobriety and good character OF
the deceased, and as to the quarrel be-
tween tue two on Friday evening last,
and the subsequent renewal Of the
quarrel on Monday night, which result
ed in the murder OF Webber, he said /:
On Monday evening, about a quarter to 7
O'Clock, my daughter came III the sit
said, "Oh, father, they are
hghting." l ran out into the recep-
tion room, and saw Webbef standing up
with his arms extended, nothing in his
hands, and Harpe on the floor, blood run
ming down the side of his face. | told
Webber to 60 out of the house, and he
did so. l then started with Harpe for
the doctor's. Before took him out of
the house l noticed that he had pistol
out, and appeared to put load in it. L
made him put it up, and heremarked:
Snow, Cd d-n him, L can fix him.
and ON our way to DR.. w. w. High
lands he said: ,"The s-n OF b-h, l will
shoot him on sight," When he got in the
doctors house he told me to tell
w ebber to speak for his coffin. He made
several threats on his way to this doc.
tors. l left him with the doctor to get
his wound dressed and came home, send
ing man back with lantern to see
him home, and told him he must leave
as l feared Harpe would be back and
shoot him. He said he was not afraid,
but for my sake he would go home, and
asked me 10 send him his clothing in the.
lent him fifty cents and that!
was the last saw him alive.
Harpe returned in about an hour
and asked for Webber. / told
him he was not in the house,
He then left and said he would shoot
Weber. About ten minutes after he,
left heard disturbance inthe street
opposite my house. [ did not 20 out 20
see what it was but suspected the truth.
l never heard the deceased
the life OF James Harpe. Never
saw the deceased have any weapons
about him at any time, but frequently
heard deceased say he was fixed Tor any
of the SIS of BIS and had couple Of
pistols at home.
DR.. Highland, at the request of Coro-
ner Maley, made the post mortem, and
testified that the nsture of the wound
was sufficient to cause almost instant
death.
Thomas Reynolds was next sworn. He
was present at the quarrel related byl
and Mr.. Andrews to.the drugstore, op-
opsite. the Deal House, to get cigar,
when / noticed Harpe go in the barber
shop across the way, and come out and
90 in theDeal House. l went In after
him; saw big revofyerin his hand. Hell
asked me where Webber was, and / said
did not know. He walked out, still hold
ing the revolver in his hand. / saw
Harpe, the prisoner, swinging his re-
volver over his head, and heard him say. |
Il will shoot you, you Dutch -; YOU
struck me when / was not looking:
come outside and take ten PAGES and
I'll shoot y0u." ] saw something shin
ng in Webber's hand, but could not see
what it was. 1 noticed old man Harpe
With bowlder in his hand, and swing
ng it around. ! caught hold Of his arm
md told him not to throw it. Young
aarpe turned to me and said, 'sDid YOU
strike my fatherw l said, "No, but / |
10 not want to.see him strike Weber,
His sister came rushing in then, and
'aid: "Jimmie, go out; 1 will spend
thousands Of dollars on you If you dor
Finally he was pushed out. Webber |
lad gone behind the prescription desk |
md out of sight. Harpe remained out
ide for few moments and kept saying,
o do it;" and his sister said, III
o 20 home. He finally got loose from
lis sister and father following him. Il
aw Webber stagger backward. Web
,er came from behind the prescription
lesk case, and walked in front OF the
ounter where they were, and throwing
Iis arms apart and exposing hisbreast,
aid: ."Now, here am, IL you want to
hoot me" As soon as he staggered |
iarpe's sister ran between him and her
rother, ana Weber was recovering
rom the blow. when Earpe said:
Did you strike my sister, you
Dutch ---." He bad not struck her.
Vebber appeared to be just opening his
mouth to speak when Harpe put his re-
oliver over his sisters shoulder and I
red. He was almost on Webber when
70 shot, and his sister was between them
rying to get him out. AS soon as the |
hot was fired WebbeF fell; Harpe stood
yer him and said, 81 am not afraid OF
ny OF them; they said l would not |
hoot, and they see have done it," and |
sked, 'sDo any more OF you want any Of
tr He then came out swinging his re.
Oliver. was in the store, and about
en- feet from Harpe, when the sbet was
red. Webber died within a minute.
Benz. HI. Anderson was the first wit
ess sworn this morning. He testified
s follows: Knew nothing of the quarrel
etween Harpe and the deceased at the
)aal House; went with Mr.. Webber and
'tm Reynolds TO Desque's drug store on
he evening OF the murder To get a cigar;
ad been Ia the store about i've minutes,
'hen Jim Harpe, accompanied by his
lther and another man, came ini Harpe
I'D revolver III his hand and his father
owlderj Jim said be would shoot the