Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-07
THE zEDTLER MURDER CASE.
REPORT OF THE M0RCHIE TRIAL AT
NEVADA CITY.
The Testimony on Which the Defendant Was
Charged -Circumstantial Evidence
"A Verdict of Not Guilty.

A RECORD UNION correspondent at Ne
vada City writes concerning the trial of j.
C. Murchie for the murder of julius Zedt-
Ter, German. The trial has recently been
in progress at Nevada City, and was con-
cluded yesterday:
On the morning of October IL, 1879, the
body of Zedtler was found in the woods
near his house, death having evidently been
the result of gunshot. A Coroner's inquest
was held at the time and the jury returned
a verdict to that effect An Italian named
Cookies stated to some parties that he had
seen man near the place of the murder
with shotgun ON his shoulder, and upon
his evidence a complaint was sworn out
against J. c. Murchie, a neighbor of the
deceased, who was arrested and taken be-
before Justice L. Garthe. The evidence
taken at that time established an alibi, to
the satisfaction of the magistrate, and
Murchie was discharged. A post mortem
examination was held October 18th by Dr.
C. D. Bobo, of Nevada City, and five buck
shot somewhat fattened) and several
smaller shot taken from the body. On the
10th of October second complaint was
SWOln OuU ttStfiEov u " SlliS, ssuu upOH
the evidence then adduced he was held,
without bail, to await the action of the
Grand Jury, which found an Indictment
against him for murder. This case came
on for trial April 2Sth
Julius Zedtler was a German. At the
time of his death he was engaged in the wood
business, and had in his employ Antoine
Fuchs, German; Barcelli Annaball, Angiolo
Lombard, Laurita Michele, Vincenzo Pip
per Utalians), and German named Frank
Mormoret His widow is about 80 years of
age. They have one child, a boy of 49,
J. G. Murchie, the defendant, is old res
ident of the county. He is IS years of age,
and quite active He maintains the coolest
self possession in Court and does not seem to
be at all nervous. He is the father of nine
children. His people are all respectable,
moving in the best circles of society, and
have many friends.
The trial created great deal of interest.
The motive alleged and sought to be proven
was that the parties had quarreled about the
timber ON piece of land.
Testimony for Prosecution.
The testimony on which Murchie was first
arrested was in substance as follows. An
italian named
BARClLLI ANNABALL
Testified that he was sitting on the lumber
pile about quarter of mile distant from
the place where the body was found, waiting
for some persons and that the defendant,
Murchie, came along about fifteen minutes
before the shooting, with a double-barreled
shotgun on his shoulder that Murchie spoke
to him, but he did not understand what was
said that Murchie was dressed in dark
suit of clothes and had on dark felt hat-a
hla hot 10 xUaa shnwn different hafv op1
pointed out black one which was similar to
that worn by Murchie. That he (the Ital-
ian) went from there to where the body lay,
| and then came to town to be examined as
witness, as ordered. 1T was upon the evil
dence given by the italian that Murchie was
| first arrested.
C. s. s. GETcHELL
| Testified that when informed of the murder
he drove up to the spot left Day in the
buggy; went to where the body lay and ex-
amined it. There was pool of blood about
two or three feet away. He was very par
ticular in making examination, knowing that
he would be called upon to testify. Three
men were there. He asked one Of them, the
Italian, where the shot came from. A clump
of bushes was pointed out. He paced the
ground to the bushes it was nine PAGES.
Behind the bushes was the track of boot
The wearer had evidently, from the appear
ance of the track, walked up to the bushes,
| brought his feet close together and fred. The
| shot cut off the tops of some bushes between
the shooter and his victim. The tracks showed
that the murderer had then turned on his
heel and walked down an old road for some
distance, then turned to the right and made
one long step, the heel showing plainly where
he left the old road and coming down quite
heavily in the dry leaves. after which it could
not be seen. He asked the men if they had
seen anybody around there with gun. One
Of them replied that he had not He then
asked each of the other men the same ques-