The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-09

THE MAN WHO FIRST PLOTTED THE DROWNING
OF RABER-fiow THE INSURANCE WAS TO BE
CoLLECrED-oTHER CRIMES CHARGED AGAINST
WISE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
LEBANON. Pa. Nov. 3. 1879.
Henry F. Wise. one of the four persons who
plotted the urder Of Joseph Raber for the $4,000
insurance ON his life the witness stand nearly
all day and was subjected to rigid cross examine
ton by the defendants counsel Wise
victed with Israel Brandt. Josiah Hummel. Frank
stichler and Charles Drews all accused of the
murder Of Raber. Wise. according to his testimony
to-day proposed to turn States evidence. but his
counsel now representing Zechman. who is on trial
the second time, dissuaded him. on the ground that
tho Commonwealth would not accept the PROPOSE
ton. Wise admitted that he in the original
plot drown Raber in millpond. but. that project
having been abandoned. he resolved to have nothing
further to do with the contemplated crime for two
reasonable pitied the old and was afraid that
he would be punished. fear OF the law was the
prevailing cause OF his change of feeling.
zKcHMAN's TREAcnERY
He testified to having had several conversations
with Zechman and the other conspirators. in which
the murder Of Raber discussed, the accused
taking an active part In the aeii1erat,ons wnen
pcrienccl in Turing the intended victim to the pond
selected tor the drowning Zechman remarked that
ccss.ully. Rabcr was induced to accompany Drews
and his son-in-law. Joseph Peters. to the water
inadequate to the emergency and the old mans life
was saved tor the time being. subsequently,. ON
the sunday before the Saturday OF the crime Zech
came to him and requested that he visit Drews
and urge him put Raber out OF the way before the
lapse OF another week. Wise testified that he un-
dertook the mission and while communicating to
the man sci, cited commit the murder the desires
OF Zechman, he advised Drcws not to Kill the old
man The next day zschmsn urged MIN to use MS
following saturday. In the evening. the dead body
OF Rsbor was found IN Indiantown Creek. short
distance from the residences OF Brandt ana Drews
for his services Brandt had promised the murderer
$500 aud portion OF the insurance money.
MoDrs oPKrASDI
Tho following is tho evidence OF Wise relative to
After Brandt had expressed doubt a. to whether
lsabor could bs induced to 40 fishing. "Ohi have
old Joe In good tune just now; when We are ready
can get him up; III tell him that my wife
but then we must he careful he gets no Marks"
wo talking about old Joe Raber Brandt said
the pant legs. throw him into the water. and
hold him there until he was drowned;
this was to tshe place in Kitsnier's
pond; brandt said that after he drowned one OF
then would come down to and Zechman and let
us know. aud zechman should then go for the cor
oner; before this 40 had a conversation on the
dance door: this was soon after had started this
thing; George Zcchnan. Josiah Humme Israel
brand, and myself were together at this time;
wanted 90 20 West to hunt place to move to;
Rsser ws. TO DO drowned while was out
West, that was made out between US; when
wfe; on the receipt OF that letter zechman was to
send telegram informing me that kabcr was
dro~ncd and vas 90 make information to the West
crvtilo lOhiol Company ON my way home; was to
throw Oh q few hundred dollars TO got tho money
sooner. had agreed TO 40 this.
cHsRoYs
A. Wise has been very disrcputaole fellow the
defence assaulted his character. IL was shown, who
the witness under cross-exs mnation,
that he had insurance his mother,
aud the defence endeavorcd to show that
he had chokei hts mother and that in
apprrhsnzion that he would kill her for tho money
she lad induced him % abandon the insurance. The
sterniy denied that he had maze tho assault
dc.sribci. and sald the insurance had been with.
drawn bccsure the company was unreliable Colonel
tisbin, who defended zcchmsn and Wise at the
previous trial. Expresses the conviction that Wise
nal intended 10 murder his mother, and that, IL
gwen opportunity, hecould prove that he burned
his house aud barn different times to get tho i'm
sursuce. This afternoon no proposed To show that
Wise organizer OF crime, and that he
haA participated fn all kinds Of offences. from
chicken stealing 10 highway robbery. but the Court
did not consider the questions that had been ar
ranged 90 be put 10 him relevant IL was also pro-
posed -ho~ that Wise had written letter. at the
bottom Of which was . cofin threatening death to
certain trr.on ia q coal mine. The letter
hbsd 10 tho witness. who admitted that the hand
writing similar 20 his, but declared that 10 Was
not his Ne said that he knew who wrote the letter.
but that hs would not name hira under pledge Of