Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-08-09
THE EDISON FERGUSON
HOMICIDE.
Wm. Ferguson Assaults VIM. EdsOn-
and II stabbed TSgiee-Deash OF Fer
gusOn and the rrest and AequIstal
OfEdson.

shocks the entire community occurred last
Friday night, at Conneaut, which resulted
in the death of William Ferguson, aged
% years, son OF Israel Ferguson, of Ashta-
bula Harbor. William Edison, who caused
the death of Ferguson. is 20 years of age,
and his home is in Westfeld, n. Y. For
several seasons past he has spent his time
as fisherman, being at the time he COM
mitted the cutting in the employ Of L..
Jones & Co., of Conneaut.
Last Friday night, about 1870 O'Clock,
Ferguson, in company with Edison and sew
eral other young men, went to the Hamil-
ton House, located near the Conneaut Sta
ton, and endeavored to procure convey
ance to go to Eagley's Grove. which was
refused them. Here they drank several
times.
There was employed at this house as a
servant, girl by the name of Lena In
gallsby, of questionable character, who
had been discharged by Mrs. Hamilton
about the time Ferguson and his party ar
rived. Edison and his victim met the girl
IN the hall and talked to her. While there
they got to quarreling, and in the scuffie
Edison stabbed Ferguson twice, once in
the left breast, penetrating the muscles Of
the chest between the second and third
RIBS and very close to the breast bone; the
other, flesh wound in the muscles of the
upper part of the left arm. Ferguson ran
out OF the house and fell on the sidewalk,
where he lay for about an hour before med
ical assistance was procured. He was then
carried into the house, aud about four
o'clock Saturday afternoon died, and his
remains were brought to Ashtabuls that
night. The funeral took place at the Har-
Dor on Sunday.
Edison seemed to be surprised to find ne
had so dangerously injured Ferguson, and
did what he could to make him comforta-
BILE. About three o'clock Saturday morn
ing he left him and went out on the lake
with the fishermen. During the afternoon
warrant was issued for his arrest, and a
constable with posse went out on one Of
the piers to arrest him when he returned.
Instead of landing at that pier the tug wss
run to the other and Edison leaped ashore
and ran away. He however returned the
same night and gave himself up Sunday
morning after learning of Ferguson's death.
On Tuesday an examination was held
before Justices Jennings and Baldwin.
Prosecuting Attorney E. B. Leonard and
A. NJ. Cox appeared for the State, and C.
R. Goddard for the defense. After exam
lining many witnesses the Court consulted
few moments and rendered verdict of
not guilty, and as the Reporter says, ''to
the apparent satisfaction of the large crowd
in attendance" One of the leading citi-
zenS Of COnneaut, is, however, of differ
ent opinion, and in writing to the TELE-
GRAPH says: ''Many of the lawabiding cit
izens are amazed. at the result of the exam
ination. Edison could show no mark of vi
olence or injury upon his person that had
been committed by Ferguson"
We copy from the Reporter the follow
ing testimony:
E. Jones, swOrn-HaEe lived in Come
aut ten years; was at the Hamilton House,
Aug. ID; haYe known Edison since he was
bOy-Ferguson for several years; were
together at the Hamilton House about II
P. NJ; Ferguson asked for admission; told
Mrs. d. who he was and I let him in; he
came alone; F. had been drinking some;
behavior was good; Edison and party came
within five minutes of F.; after finding
out who they were they were let in; saw
no unplessantness between Ferguson and
Edison; after all were in the bar-room Guy
called for beer-all drank beer-drank
once; left the premises after drinking the
beer in fifteen minutes; left at the request
of Mrs. H.; defendant had been drinking;
was under the influence Of liquor but not
staggering drunk; saw his whisky; went
out first; went up towards town; went out
through the hall door; the outside door
was locked; turned the key; the hired
gill went out next to me; knew she was in
the hall; could not tell who went out next;
heard conversation in the rear of me; did
not hear what they said; the conversation
was not angry or noisy; knew the voice of
Ferguson and Edison; heard Ferguson say:
Young man you're too fast;" heard no
reply; stood with the woman little while
some five minutes; went back; as / went
met F.; he asked me if l had revolver,
Edison had stabbed him and he wanted to
shoot the ---, when met Edison
told him that Ferguson had been stabbed;
Edison said he had stabbed him twice in
the breast; he said Ferguson got him by
the throat and had choked him; Edison
made no complaints of being injured; did
not see him again till the next morning,
when he went out fishing, and saw him
again after he came back from Girard.
Cross-examined:
Gives Edison good character; describes
Ferguson-does not make him out a very
bad man
Saw him, Edison, next morning, explained
to me how Ferguson had pitched on to
him; went out on his fish boat; was out
with him all day; came back on the tug;
got off on the east pier and went off east
in his working clothes; after he came back
he told me that he had been to Elk Creek;
there he heard Bleasdale and Turner say
that Ferguson was dead; did not surren-
der himself then, but came back to Come
aut, and to his room.
William Edison, sworn-My home is in
Westfeld, n. Y; aged 20 years, Feb. 9,
1873; was home three weeks ago last Fri
day; was home part of the Winter, and
five months in Nebraska; came to Come
aut five years ago; have been here every
season since-fshing for E. Jones, ]. Jack
way, James Kennan and D. Jones; was in
the Life Saving Service on lake Huron last
Summer; in Winter was in the fish market
with my uncle; been to work for Z. Jones,
]. Blakesley and Keyes; Friday was play
ing croquet with some ladies; got acquain-
ted with Ferguson last Summer; my ae-
quaintances are the fishermen here; had
been trying to get a rig; went to Lyons
and got pint of whisky; tried all the sta
bles to get a rig, but failed; went to Ham |
ilton's; heard some loud talk; Ferguson
listened, and said, there is q girl in the |
house of bad repute; he got in; we went
in; got something to drink; saw the girl
in the hall; went up and talked with her; |
as was going out with her Ferguson |
showed me over the stairs, with an oath; |
he took me by the throat and showed me
against the house; wanted to get away. |
took the knife and stabbed him first in the |
breast and then in the arm; he started up |
street; Jones comes back, says bill is hurt, |
you had better see to him; had no idea L
had cut him as bad as / did; l went for |
the doctor; doctor said that he thought |
the wound was net serious; went down TO |
the hsrbor; went out in the place OF j.
Blakesley; came in on the tug; went on to |