The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-17
CONCLUSION OF THE WEST
PHAl BURGLARY CASE.
Ed. and Ike sWestphal and
Currans held in $4,000
Each.
Valentine Held in $500,
The Prisoners demanded TO Jail Until
Bail is Furnished.

! Inc cOuTt TOOu was CROWDED. tDlS mOFn
ing, tie interest in the case appearing t.
be undated The prisoners were brought
into court at $50. 1t soon got whispered
around that Currans was to take the stand
and intense interest seemed manifested
After some preliminary work by counse
the court was formally opened
Jackson Currans was the first witness
called and after being sworn testified as
| follows: My name is jackson Currans;
have been working in various parts of the
country; am a farmer; ] came to Rock
Island July Sd; was never resident Of
this county; am slightly acquainted with
the WestphalS: first met Edward West
phal on the road between Moline and Goa
Valley; was walking along the road in
quiring for work; never saw him before.
L stopped him and inquired for har-
vest work; he said he (WestphaD had
no work but that a man named Fields
had went to Westphals house and stayed
two nights 4; and then went to work Tor
Fields also worked for Byron I made
my home at Westphaps; his woman did
my washing. | also worked for Westphal
and Schneider Westphal offered me a
home saw Adam Nestphal once was
inquiring tor work do not remember
who told me his name. Edward West.
phal told me that his uncle wanted help
do not remember whether | asked Isaac
to go or not. This was about the 25th
OF July. | made my home at Westphal'
because had no other home; went at
one time to pasture to get horse for
Westphal he went with me don't know
who owned the horse can't remember
the exact date Of this occurrence; do not
remember the mans name who had the
horse. Westphal sent Isaac to Adam
WestphaPs to find ont about a woman
who was stopping there. There had been
talk between Edward. Isaac and | about
this business he told me there was mon.
ey close by and wanted me to go il
with him. This was at our first
meeting: He said he would fur,
nish partner; he mentioned Nalen.
tine; told him | would study over il
Valentine came to the farm on Sunday
lssac and | were in the hay NOV. About
half hour after this Valentine and Ed
ward came to where we were. Valentine
made the proposal first; then Westphal
said he thought the best way was to
chlorotorm the old folks and burn the
house. Irefused to do this. Valentine
agreed with me on this plan. 1t was
agreed that we should do this although
Westphal stood ont for burning the house.
On the Wednesday previous to the occur
renee Valentine came to the house of
Edward Westphal and it was then agreed
that we should do the work on Friday
night. On Friday night we all met, Isaac,
Valentine and i at the house and went to
Adam Westphars; halted at the gate and
arranged the plan of action: Edward
Westphal said he had kerosene if wan.
ted; we were to black our faces: got
the chloroform at Edward WestphaIs (bot-
tie here producedl. | recognize the bot.
tie; Think it is the same one. I cannot
say whether the chloroform was bought
for this purpose. We had talked this
matter up several times before this. |
carried the bottle Of chioroform; do not
remember placing it on the floor | don't
remember 1t was Ed. Westphal or Valen-
tine who first talked about burning tie
house. The reason why Ed. did not &c
was because be did not want to leave his
sick daughter, He did not 90 really be.
cause he said he had better remain al
home, for then he would be able to swear
US ont Of trouble; that he could testify that
we all slept at his house on the night Of
the crime. Do not remember how Isaac
got into the trouble; think lie knew al
| about ii: he never objected to it: think he
was kept posted. Edward Westpha
wanted us to burn the house; we were t.
use coal oil. | refused to go into this plan
| there was no arranged plan for firing il; &,
not think anything was said about kii!ing
the old folks unless it may have been bJ
Westphal. Valentine said he knew how
to use cholOroform. | told him | knew
| nothing about using it. We discussed the
plan OF action at the gate; we would go il
and get the money and not burn the
house; Isaac said nothing. Valentine sug
gested that a silk handkerchief should be
used for chloroform; bought the handke7.
CHIEF at Orion handkerchief produced and
identified by witness as the one purchased
about ) days before this business. West
phal did not want his family to know any
thing about the case. He said the money
was IN an old chest, or in small TOP
drawer of the bureau. Edward Westphal
was in debt to his uncle; he said he had
sold cattle and also not received his rent
for farm; that he must have that money:
| had no knowledge Of Adam Westphal
until Edward told me about him; GOT
the revolver from Westphal; the revolver
was kept loaded all the time; did not load
it especially for this occasion; did not in
tend to use the powder (bottle produce h
ia the house; Westphal bought the
powder and caps at some grocery store in
Moline. Valentine and ! went inside the
house in the night; we did this work ;
Isaac did not go in; have had DO CONVEX
sation with Westphal in the Jail, We
told Valentine that whenever he was
ready we were on hand to do the business:
did not know where the bedroom was:
went 10 the closet because it was the first
door | met; Isaac did not tell ME about
the house; Valcntiue told me to go straight
ahead. Valentine was the leader on the
night Of the occurrence Isaac had a
club; don't think be had any other weapon;
think Isaac went to the front door but
don't think he went in the house.
Cross examined Had 20 intention to
fire the house; brought the oil and corks
along to blacken our faces; Valentine
made the suggestion about the work; Ed
ward Westphal proposed to burn the
house; | never intended to harm the old
couple except to chloroform them: DO plan
was entered upon. Isaac is not smart;
he would not make good lawyer; think
he is weak minded Valentine fixed the
time for doing the work would not have
gone without him.
Re-examined by Mr.. Jackson-E Edward
Westphal said Valentine would go;
told him l would not go With Isaac unless
we had help.
This ended Curranss testimony, which
was listened to with close attention
throughout
ISAAC MeSfnhal was callad hut thrnnnh