The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-03
ALEX. VALENTINE FOUND GULL
TT OF THE MURDER OF
NELSON STARK.
He Gets 40 Years in the Penitentiary.

The trial Of Alexander Valentine, for
the murder of Nelson Stark, the Swede
shoemaker living near Orion, about Ethe
8th of last April, which has been oc
cupping the Henry county circuit court for
several days past was concluded last even
ing, and to day dispatch was received at
THE ARGUS OFFICE from Cambridge,
stating that Valentine had been found
guilty and given 20 years in the penltentiary'
The particulars of this case are already
known to the readers of THE ARGUS, as
the first account Of the affair appeared in
this paper Stark was an old bachelor;
miser; was supposed to have 800 or $500
concealed in the house; was found
murdered in his house on the 10th of
April, and. from appearances, had been
dead about two days. Everything con-
nected with the affair was mystery un-
til after the arrest of the Westphal
burglars, when THE ARGUS suggested
that the officers pump" those parties
and see if something could not be learned
in regard to the affair, etc., etc.. The
suggestion was followed, and the result
was Valentines arrest-and now his con-
viction,
Valentine turned states evidence against
the Westphals and Jack Currant in the
Westphal burglary case-and they were
'sent up" for 20 years each. In retalia-
ton, the Westphals. Ed, the father, and
Ike. the son, turned states evidence in
this murder case, and they were brought
from Joliet in charge of officers to testify
at the trial. They were kept separated,
not even being allowed to talk in the cars,
yet both told very straight story Ike
said that Valentine, Ed. Westphal, himself
and fellow calling himself Doc" Brown,
| formerly of Davenport, had done the kill
ing; that his father was posted on the
outside of the house to watch, while Falen
tiEE. Brown and himself went into the
house; that Brown held Stark while Val
entine killed him, while he (Ikel stood by
and was too badly frightened to do any
thing until after Stark was dead, when he
assisted in the search for the money; he
told where the money was found; how
much there was (about $500 in gold, silver
and greeDbacks); how it was wrapped up;
how divided, and also stated the position
of the body aud some of the furniture of
the house when they left the house-which
was exactly as they were when the muir
dered man was found.
Ben Stemple, of this city. testified that
Valentine had proposed to.him to rob an
old man near where Valentine lived-and
that short time afterward Stark was
murdered and robbed-and that from
Valentines conversation this was the
place he hadlmeant.
A number Of other witnesses from this
city were also. called and examined in re
gard to what.they had heard or knew o
the matter-among them August Hues
ing, late sheriff; August Herkert, lat,
deputy sheriff; City Marshal Halves
States Attorney Parmenter, and Circui
J Clerk Harson.
' The attorneys in the case were State
! Attorney. Thomas!E. Milchrist, of Galva
. and Hon. Charles Durham, of GeneseC
| for the prosecution; sand Ira Marstor
e Esq, of Cambridge, (of Shepherd
Maistonl and Hon. W. W. C'Brien c
Chicago for the defense.
Mr. o Brien was at the Harper Hous
last evening and when he told L
that the case had gone to jury we aske
his opinion of it. He said, 81
nobody can tell what a jury wi
do. | thought / had a good Gas
If until | heard Mr.. Dunham's thre
Re hour speech at the close and that Stage
u ed me. consider Mr. Durham one
n the ablest men in the state, He is one
II the closest and most forcible reasoners
IS have met. His speech was very powe
j. full one indeed. But l had to be IN Chlcag
in the morning and could not wait for ii
Jury"
Rev VIM I'll Chairman. Pastor of \