The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-18

the testimony in the Westphal burglary
case, which shows that if the three prison
ers, Edward and Isaac Westphal and Jack
Currant, had not plead guilty the jury
would undoubtedly have "sent them up"
to the full extent of the law.
As will be seen by the testimony of
Marshal Halves, that Ben Stemple and Jack
Atkinson. OF this city, had informed him
Of the plot to rob old man Adam West
phal, months before the attempted bur.
glary. and the question is oiten asked,
"how did they know about the affair"
TITS question would probably have been
answered had not the prisoners plead
guilty; but now the matter will probabl y
remain mystery for the present
Ever since the attempted burglary many
people have come to the conclusion that
there is regular organized band Of thieves
10 this county, and believe that many OF
the burglarieS, highway robbcries, incend
AIRY fires. etc., which have occurred in this
vicinity can be laid at the door Of this gang.
Some people also think that Westphal and
his gang could tell something about how
Nelson Stark, Swede shoemaker living
near Orion, and not far from Westphal' S
house, was murdered and robbed about the
Sth of last April. Westphal and his gang
of scoundrels are none too good for this
kind of work Edward Westphal has been
twice in penitentary-oncei in Virginia, for
burglary; once in this state, for horse
stealing, and now he will meet his punish
ment for attempting TO rob and murder
his uncle.
| Following is the testimony:
Adam s. Westphal-My name is Adam
| 5. Westpbal; | am married, and my wife
is in town; she was Il last January; | am
IS years old; | have had two children,
both dead; died good many years ago; |
live in this county, Rural township, about
| / ] miles from west side of township, and
about ! mile south of line of Rock Island
county, in sec. 81; | have sold my farm;
had 220 acres of land: sold it since thi:
trouble; have lived there on that farm
since 1851; lived N Indiana before | came
here; | lived in Indiana about 25 years
| lived a while in Kentucky, about 4
years; was born in Randolph county
Virginia, now West Virginia; / liveI
where | now reside on the llth Of August
Ed. claims to be my nephew; he came t
my house and introduced himself as IL!
nephew. | am acquainted with dcfendan
Isaac. Defendant I'd. W. lived on IN,
farm for d short time, some time ago;
remember OF this burglary, it was a brigh
night, Ilth day of August last; had seer
Isaac at my house little time betor. til,
burglary; saw Ed. W. some time lefor
the burglary; | saw Isaac between the 5ti
and lth OF August last at my house; h
came little after noon; he was sittin
in the north roou when | came in til
house; | aud Isaac talked when | came i
he asked me how | was; | said not yer
we'll; be asked me if had any guns here
| said yes; he asked If [ had my rife;
| said yes; then if had shot quo; | SAT-
yes; he asked NE if / conld shoot; SAT-
yes, but not so well as | used to as
could not see; he looked at the door of tn
room wherc | and the old lady slept: b
looked through the window into the room
where We slept; he said nothing and the
turned round aud came back; he the
asked about the horses, and we went GU
and looked at the horses and shoats, and
man came and he and the man went of
Isaac had not been there After | had 90
the information of what was to be done wit
; us, Isaac came again. On the 9Th of Angus
| got notice Of the burglary. The frs
time Isaac came there be asked when th
hired girl would go away. Alex. Valer
tine told me that the burglary would b
committed Valentine told me that Isaa
would be back again before the burglary
| got my information from Valentine tha
they were coming to rob US and bur
US up; the officers came in the afternoo
on Friday, August III, 1876, Herkert
, Halves, and another man came. l sent f
r Hyde to come and stay with me. Th
officers came and asked for control of III
o house, and | gave it to them; L and III
J wife went down 10 the cellar; we wer
r down there about dusk and we stayed ther
o till we were called for by the officers; tn
shooting commenced about 9 Or 10 o'cioc
a at night; the first heard was the scree
! door bang: the next ] heard pistol 90 of
I the pistol seemed be by the north door; til
Q next | heard was noise, and then some OF
r said. Uncle / want light, and | lit
couple of candles; | saw Jack Currar
laying there shot; they searched Curran
a and they gave me a bottle of chloroforl
= and a bottle of kerosene; | never ha
J. chlOrotorm nor kerosene in the house
. they showed me pistol;
/ never saw chloroforn before; Gu
e rant came to my house and wanted to &,
f harvesting, about July; told him | ii
: not farm and did not want any farm hanC
y lie came again one or two days before
i heard of the burglary; | and Ed. Yves
i phal have not had much ass )ciation for
It or years.
o Cross examination-Mary Barber W;
Il at work for me when Valentine came ar
e told me about the burglary. Isaac ha
e only been in my house 2 or times in
IS years. Isaac went as if to get drink al
E looked into the bed room aud then 81
down.
= Redirect examination. have brot
ers alive.
Charles w. Hawes-I am city ma
shall and constable; have been city ma
Is shall d years; Adam s. Westphal lily
2 in Rural township, IN this county; |, He
y, kert and Ankrum were out to Westpha
ID on August H. 1875, / had information
ID the burglary: knew the persons wi
ct were to be thrre; | was informed th
E. Alexander Valentine and Ed. Wes
K phal would be there at first; attcrwar
that Valentine, Currant, Ed. or lisa
Westpha would be there; | was fist
formed about months ago, and then or