Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-02-19
CRI N r.

Last week mention was made Of the
arrest Of a number of men in Lebanon
county, for the murder of a man named
Raber. A hearlug was granted the
men last Wednesday. Under oath Jo-
seph f. Peters told the following:
"On the evening of December 4, lS-
IS, myself and wife were up in the gar
ret of Drews' house. About five O'Clock
we looked out of the window and saw
Drews, Raber and Stechler going to the
creek. said to my wife: Now they
are going to Hill Raber.' She said:
Come away from the window but |
remained. The parties then walked on
the plank that crosses the creek when
Steehler took hold of Raber's leg and
jerked him into the water. This is all
l saw, as the bushes surrounding the
creek hid them from view. About
half an hour alter they came TO the
house, when my wife and | went down
stairs. Stochler was all wet. Drews
gave him a change of clothing, even to
stockings, and put the wet clothes be-
hind the stove. and said, if any one
came in, to hide the clothes. They
said Raber was very strong, and that
they could hardly hold blm under the
water"
The witness went on to say that he
was prevented from telling this story
before for fear that bis lite would be
taken. "Srortly before the MURDER"
he continued, "Brandt came to me
while l was chrpping wood and asked
ii | wanted to get rich quick. l re-
piled, yes. ii l could get rich honestly
He tEen told me about the conspiracy.
Under penalty of death if L revealed
anything, be offered me two hundred
dollars to go into it. l refused. l
vas importuued several times alter this
to 60 in with them, but steadily refused.
The reason went to Dauphin county
to tell it was that | was afraid of ny
life. l was in the ARMY eight months,
then came home on furlough. My
company is now at Newport Rhode
Island. l am twenty tLree years old.
Until l revealed this secret | had no
rest day or night. Drews and Stechler
we're in Drew's house planning the mur-
der, but could not hear the CONVEX
sation right and Was afraid to 90 down
stairs, as they would have made me go
along with them to commit the murder"
The witness finished his story and
gave way to Amanda PeSers, who cor
roborated her husband in a great
many points. She said; 81 am twenty
years old. l knew all about the tram
action. Father spoke Of it in the fam
lily. did not see the murder commit
ted, as l was lying on the bed, but
heard the conversation of S;echler aud
father in the room below. l was told
if [ said anything would be shot.
Brandt said it was ny fault that my
father had not killed Raber before"
Dr. Swinehart insurance agent, tes-
titled that Hummel, Brandt an Zech-
man came to him on December 13 to
make out the proof of Raber's death.
The policies were four amounting to
six thousand dollars. Some of the
policies had been dropped. He did not
sell the policies to the defendants.
Elijah Strecbler, brother Of the ac-
cused, testified that several weeks be-
fore the murder Drews offered him $l00
to kill old Raber, and planned how he
could do it. After Drews would throw
Raber into the stream be was to jump
in and hold him under the water. He
was then to swear before a jury that he
went into the water TO save Raber.
This occurred three months before the
Coroner Weber testified that before
holding the inquest Brandt came to
him and proposed that il be would make
a good report on the body of Raber
that Zechman, Wise and Hummel would
pay him $40 each. John Mckinney tes-
tilted that Zechman told him to go and
guard the body in the creek, SO that no
one would remove it, and they would
each pay him five dollars. Several
other witnesses testified to the same
facts, after which Judge Henderson re-
nanded the prisoners to Jail for trial
1t the April session.