Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-07-15

day of the killing, not to send for her for
supper till he went away. John Tschap-
at, Jr., had told me Pa had said he'd give
her HI of Cd id beating, and
then 60 away. Wednesday mother was
standing by tree in the front yard, and
told her she'd better prepare to die, as
she wouldn't get to live long if Pa didn't
change. He said in her presence and out
of it he didn't intend to live with her, as
he hated her worse than a id copper
snake. He had quarrelsd about picking
gooseberrieS. He was swearing. Picked
up hoe handle and said he would
beat her id brains out. He beat the
bushes, the pan out of shape, the early
| harvest apple tree and the fence, and sat
down and then laid down in the fence
corner and seemed to give out. Corn
nearly done planting when he was kill
ed. 1 know about throwing knife. Ma
asked him why he didn't bring home
coffee from town Saturday night. He
said he wouldn't get her coffee to save
her id life. In that quarrel he threw
knife at her. She was at the table and
he raised up with the knife and said he
would cut her id heart out, and she
ran into the room and he threw it; it
struck the door and broke off. She took
sick that day and DR.. Riggs visited her
She was in bed about eight days, and
was somewhat sick all winter
CroSs-eXamination by L. Danford: At
ter the shooting wasn't in the kitchen
but few moments. Davy said pa was
killed. looked out and saw him lying
down, and went to him. Mother was
standing crying. The door was not open
to the room then, but was fastened. I
showed Messrs. Cracraft and Faris
where mother stood when she shot. l
was holding the door, Didn't think of
latching it. All 1 thought of was to hold
the door. Was examined by the coro-
ner. Was scared so bad 1 don't hardly
remember what did say. The evidence
was written down. 1t was the night
they arrested mother. Davy and had
pushed pap out. Mother did not touch
the door to open it. She had revolver
in her bosom. The door was not pulled
open by her, but was pushed open by
him. The door was pushed open about
two feet. She raised her hand that way,
and no quicker done than she fired.
Don't know where the revolver is new.
She didn't tell me when Cora Helms
was there to get it. On the day of the
killing, after dinner, she came and ask
ed me where 1t was. L remembered of
it being in an upper drawer, where I
had put ita good whilebefore. She said she
was afraid and wanted to protect herself.
and that she had as good right to pro-
tect herself as he had. 1t was then i told
her she had better make peace with God,
sc. The two last nights she staid in the
little room. He set around about the
house good deal Of nights. Just before
the shooting, fIther had struck her in
the face, which seemed like hard licks.
She did nothing but try to pull away.
They had quarreled for the last ten or
twelve years, commencing about Mrs.
D.. Others have seen him strike
her-Mike Hess and Mr.. McMullen. My
husband saw it last winter. He struck
her with rake handle. Hess saw him
strike her four or five times and took
him away in the last six years. Had
marks on her face two months at time.
Sometimes green settled around ler eyes,
and she would till people something else
caused it. l have seen her strike him.
Not often, for she didn't dare. He'd
provoke her till she didn't know what
she was doing. Have seen her throw
wash water on him.
Last winter she picked up the poker
at him and he had chair up at her. l
didn't particularly take part with moth
er only I'll stick to it till | die, he had
no business to charge her with other
men, for know she is not guilty. The
evening before the killing mother and l
had little dispute, and 1 called him to
to the house for him to tell her better.
She blamed me for hiding eggs for pa to
buy tobacco with, and said she'd whip
me. Yes, l have said 1 had fears that
pa would kill ma. 1 say positively it
was not the evening he was killed that 1
called him to settle the dispute, and my
husband didn't swear it before the coro-
ner, but told me had before the grand
jury, and said that he had made a mis-
take and wanted to know how he could
correct it to the evening before. When
mother was leaving in arrest she didn't
say "you can save me if you will" She
said "if everybody would tell the truth,
and shed get justice, she would be clear
ed" Said she was sorry she had done it
but couldn't help it, and that she would
rather live in hell than with him." She
wrote me letter from the Jail which l
Showed to DR.. Riggs. There was some
thing in it like, "She depended on John
and me to tell the truth to save her, not
that she depended ON us to save her
merely" When pa came back to the
house just before the killing and asked
where the AK WAS, she said, "None of
your business" l testified before the
coroner, "after she had knocked him
down with the rolling pin on Tuesday,
she showed him the pistol and told him
If he attempted to kill her she would
give him that" But didn't see it well
enough to know whether it was the re-
yolver or not. [ recollect better what
occurred now than / did then. l don't
think my testimony there is reported
right, where it says, 'that between pap
and mother they OverpOwered me and
opened the door," l did tell DR.. Riggs
the next day that l had told the truth
on my examination as near as | could
remember.
Davis Warren, sworn: am ten years
old; am the son of the deceased and de-
fendant. Heard pap say in the cornfield
that he was going TO beat mothers id
brains out and leave when the corn was
planted. told mother. / was there at
the shooting. She was eating supper by
herself after tie rest were done. Pap
came to the house and pulled her hair
and beat her in the face. think he
said he'd beat her brains out or cut her
heart out. Claudy and me pushed him
out. went out, but don't know how.
l was at his back pushing him out. The
door slammed shut. He picked up
cane and beat the door, Told me to go
to the cellar and get a mattock; that
he'd split the door down, and beat her
brains out or cut her heart out. l didn't
get the mattock. In the morning he
wanted me to come into the field and
drop corn. l said It was too cold for my
feet, and he stoned me. He called moth
er bad names then.
Think he had cane in both hands
punching the door He Dunehad and hit