Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-04-21
Graham Martin.

Many of our readers will recognize
in the below the name of one who
was raised in this county, and lived
principally in or about Saxonburg
shortly before leaving the county.
The following is among the proceed
ings of the Criminal Courts # Pitts
burgh last week. We copy from the
Commercial Gazette:
CRIMINAL COURT-JUDGE WHITE.
The case of the Commonwealth vs..
P. G. and w. w. Martin, indicted for
conspiracy to defraud the Ancient Or
der of United Workmen, is on trial in
the Criminal Court before Judge White.
District Attorney Robb, Thomas c.
Lazear and NJ. Caldwell appear for
the Commonwealth, and j. D. Ramsey
for the defense. P. G.. Martin was
member of General Custer Lodge, No.
ll8. In the early part of the summer
of 1878 he went to Memphis as an
employe of the steamboat Cherokee"
His brother, w. W. Martin, accompa-
MED him, and also son, who was
taken i'll and returned before they
reached Memphis. Subsequently the
wife of P. G. Martin applied to the
Lodge for an insurance of $4,000, rep
resenting that her husband had been
drowned at Cincinnati on July 81.
She produced letter from w. w.
Martin, reciting the particulars of the
supposed drowning, but the body had
not been recovered, and there was
mystery about the affair which the
Lodge demanded should be cleared
away. An investigating committee
was appointed, before which W. W.
Martin and James O'Hara testified
they saw the drowning, and that it
was entirely accidental. 1t appeared
that the boat had returned to Cincin-
natl, where the Martins were dis
charged for want of work, and that on
the night of the alleged drowning, p.
G.. Martin, W. w. Martin and James
O'Hara were sleeping together on 3
wharfboat The two men said that
about O'Clock in the morning P. G.
Martin rose and stepping over the
body of one of them, fell into the
river. They saw his head in the
water and they saw his hat floating,
but were unable to rescue him, al
though they made diligent efforts to
do so. They say there was an eddy
in the river, at this point, and that
they had not been able to find the
body. On the same day, w. w. Mar
tin started for Pittsburgh, working and
stealing his way He arrived about
week afterwards, and, about the same
time, O'Hara appeared here, when they
told their stories. The matter was re-
ferred to the Grand Lodge, which re-
fused to pay the money. Suit was
brought to recover it, and while it was
pending, p. G. Martin was discovered
in the city, working at Chess, Smythe
& Co.'s mill, on the South Side, under
an assumed name. This proceeding
was then instituted by the Grand Re-
corder against the wife and the two
brothers, who were arrested. From
the testimony, it appears that Martin
was behind in dues, and was in danger
of being suspended. A request had
been made that the Lodge withhold
suspension, and during the absence of
P. G. Martin his wife paid up the
dues. Mr.. Mendel, member of the
Lodge, testified that, being friend of
the family, he had suggested to the
wife that she ought to pay up the dues
and put her husband in good standing,
because, being river man, he was
liable to fall overheard and be drowned
at any time. Some six weeks after
this suggestion the wife made her ap-
plication for the money, reporting that
her husband had fallen overheard and
been drowned The defense contends
that the wife of the brother believed
P. G.. Martin to have been drowned.
The wife is included in the Indictment,
but she is out of the county, and there
fore not on trial. p. g. Martin repre-
sented at the time of his arrest that he
planned and carried out the scheme, in
order to get rid Of his wife and
brother. 1t is presumed that this will
be a part of the defense, with view
of showing that there was no conspir-
scy. From the crossexemination Of