The New York herald., 1876-10-17
THE HOUSE SHOOTING.
Trial of Mrs. House for the Killing
of Her Husband.
TESTIMONY OF THE WITNESSES
A Glimpse of the Divorce Law
yer's Home Life.
TRENTON. N. j.. Oct 10. 1915

WIS CITY tuiS moIuluS AIh lTcue A. v. house was
placed on trial, charged with mansIaughter. In having
killed her husband, orson A. House, In Lawrence
township, on the 3oth Of juno last Long before tho
opening Of the every available occupied,
and the space inside OF the railing. reserved for law
yers, together with the ases. packed. Tho in
terest in the was At high pitch, and continued
so throughout the day Mrs House appeared In court
about ton minutes after tho opening She
dressed IN deep mourning. Her face
very pale, and her expression careworn and
fretiul. She accompanied by her father,
a thin, wlry-looking man, with remarkably sharp
features. He looks more like a brother than the
father OF the prisoner Mrs. House seated between
him and her counsel, Mr. f. 7. Green. Now aud again
she closed her eyes and appeared n asleep and
other times she eyed the Court counsel closely.
bat hardly looked in the direction OF the audience
She amused herself with fan.
Attorney General vanatta assisted Mr. Beasley, Jr,
in tho prosecution. brother of the deceased, Mr..
the prisoner, occupied seat neat TO tho Attorney
General Mr.. Green alone conducted the defence.
JURY
There was not much trouble securing jury, only
three challenges having been made, and those were by
the defence, Jacob stull James Mutt and Mahon Mar
gerum being the gentlemen excused. Tho following
tho names Of the jurors
Henry @. Paxson, foreman; Henry 8. Booz, John
Rsdon, George Hays William Clark Thomas McNicho,
Charles Shilling, John vanness, Henry J. Bennett,
John Bromhotz, William F. speelcr. Casper Martino.
These gentlemen look bc possessed Of about aver
age intelligence.
Mr.. Bsasley. IN opening tho case for the prosecu-
ton, said that this which tho jury called
upon to try between tho State and Mrs. House
for killing hor husband, and is an
indictment for mansaughtcr Manslaughter is
second crime only to that of murder 1t
il an important case in every Of the word-na-
poriant to the prisoner tho bar the county and tho
State 1t is important TO establish, believe will
be established, that uries In Mercer county, they
have not in the past Will they in tho future, listen
to the sunocating and sckening pleas Of sentimen-
tality is done in some other counties IL 10 i'm
portant to establish that without fear prejudice
law In Its justice and integrity shall be maintained
He said Il than necessary casually refer
to the circumstances Of The case Ho here gave
outline Of the facts OF the shooting. and said he
had nothing further to add except he to call
the attention OF the jury, and no hoped they would
remember IL during the whole trial, that this is
case between the family and representatives OF Mr..
House and the prisoner the bar 1t might well be
understood that State prosecutions will not submit to
any outside interference, and he would say that the
law does not recognize any feeling anmosity. 1t is
the law that has been brokoa the side. 1t 10
true ihat have refused private counsel and as long
as hold tho Office OF prosecutor will cvor do SO.
will submit to have state prosecutions turned into
private prosecutions Ii the prosecution conducted
properly II will bo with but view and that is to
get truth OF the whole matter and then leave
70 the Jury TO decide. We will make every plea that
right and justice will demand 10 put now tor once
and forever ut an end tho vile sIanders OF miserable
prints when they nsnuate that justice shall not DO
dono in this case by tho prosecution, let Mercer
county jury establish the fact that they hero
other end but that Of the maintenance Of the law.
TIE EVIDENCE
The first witness called y as Dr. Thomas H. McKen-
ze:-Havo been physician for five years; am County
Physician; held that position for the past live tbs
June so last found the body oil llr House ut
residence, lying his back, with bullet wound In his
right temple, and a his forehead about two
inches In length and two bruises his nose the cuts
and bruises wero recently made; tho following morn
Ing, about hapast ten O'clock made post mortem
ination and found that the bullet had penetrated
tine back part OF the skull; II was the cause OF
death; the body WINS on tho back porch Of the house
when first got there; u was cold
This witness not cross-examined.
Mrs. Mary Hamll testified IL am younger sis
ter Of the prisoner; nm married; lived with Mr. and
band, daughter, Mrs Thompson Miss Rebccca Ger
man, Ellen Collins Morris Matthews and his son,
Willie Anderson, Harry Shucster George Slower Celtic
House. Mr. Houses athcr and colored boy also lived
sbero have lived there since January last the house
there to live farm hands; the 3otb OF June Mr.
House New York IN tho early part oil the day;
he arrived home at hafpast six IN the evening; when
first saw him that evening he aud Mrs House
sitting on pile OF old lumber At the barn; heard
him say that she could 60 TO New York when she
pleased; was standing in the dining room door: she
asked Mr. House to como In and nelp her Tho
payroll 10 pay OF the men she standing In The
hail door on the front porch, he was standing leaning
the back oil tho bench on the same porch; he
said he did not wish to go IN, he wanted talk his
father, who sitting bench; he told Willie An
derson TO get him saw, he wanted to fix chair Mira
House went away to her bedroom, about SIX
feet from where she was Standing; afcr that
camc TO her room TO say something about supper;
Willie came TO the door and said father House
crying; Cere House came down stairs when she heard
her iathcr WAS crying; we all went outside; Celtic
took hold Of her father shook him told him to be-
have himself; orson House sitting in tho front
yard IN company with Norris Matthews; Mrs. House
went 10 father House and asked him what the
matter, when he hit her, not Intentionally; Cettie
father House and Mrs. House went out through the
garden gate; Willie was with them Mrs House called
he and Mr. Matthews came up to ner;
Ircno said 10 him. ''It Is shame
said he wished Mr. House was dead; father House them
fell down. went back and stood on the porch, also
did Mr. Matthews; Mrs. House came and stood in tho
hall door; orson House came and Mrs. House put
her hand to say something TO him; he raised his ist
and struck her in tho forehead hard enough to knock
down. this the hall door; she fell backward
in the hallway; as she was falling he kicked her in tho
stomach; she said, '0h Orson, you have killed mel"
she doubled up and be stepped over her; ho
head back against tho trunk; he slapped her in
the face and told her to shut up she screaming
win PAM no TOOK her py the nair again anu pulled
her back and told her TO shut up then her Wiie
came, he said, Mr. House, don't hit my mother-she
my mother, don't hit hef;" she said, soh, Orson,
don't hurt my boy;' my husband then and pulled
away; aid not want to 60, but went; when got
to the dining room door, about four ieet from where
they were standing, looked back and saw Mr..
House have Willie down on the floor; | moved
toward the Kitchen door, went out near
the post OF tho scaiiolding about nineteen feet
from the hall door. when Celtic came, put
her hand on my shoulder and said Mrs. Honsc was
going to shoot; looked and saw Mr. House fail out
OF the door; heard no discharge OF pistol; did
not see the pistol pointed at him; don't know where
Mrs. House was when she Gred the shot; went and
turned Mr.. House over and wished his face; he was
breathing; IN about hftecn minutes or half hour
after ne died; my husband gave the pistol which
fired the shot on the next morning and put t away;
when went up 10 whcro House lying did
SEQ Mrs. House; alter she death OF Mr. House saw
Mrs. House IN her room; heard It was Mr. Houses
pistols while was washing Mr.. Houses head my hus-
band took loaded pistol out Of Mr. Houses hip
pocket; my husband shot u off,
On e lha NJ