The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-06-30
ON TRIAL..
JOSEPHA KLINE CHARGED WITH POISON
ING HIS FATHER.


A Jury Obtained Wednesday Afternoon Hearing Of
Testimony Begua-ReUieO Of The Crfnle
The case OF Ohio vs. Joseph A. Kline, against
whom two indictments for murder In the first de-
gree was found by the grand jurIes for the Janu.
ary and May terms OF Court, was called by Jadge
seraphim Meyer In the Common Pleas Court at
1870 o'clock Monday afternoon. Prosecuting At
torney Harter, assisted by Parker, Esq, sp.
peaTed for the state and Messr. Shields and Bald.
win, Of Canton, and Arson Pease. Esq OF Mas.
sillUn, for the defense Sheriff Altekruse brought
Kline in and he seated himself at the table with
his counsel. Kline was dressed In dark clothes
and was clesnshaven. Helooked we'll, although
a trihe bescbed by his seven months imprIsOn-
ment. Sheriff Altekruse then called the veniEe
OF thirty eight names and all responded, save
Peter ROemhill, who was out ofthe county, Cyrus
NJ Young, whom the Sheriff returned as dead, and
David Smith, Samuel Kryder aud Emanuel Horn
berger, which three last named had been duly
served but failed to appear. Smith was after
wards reported as sick, and Kryder was hourly
expected Holnberger sent no excuse and JIdge
for contempt Of Court The Court asked under
which indictment the prosecution preferred to
to have Kline tried, and Prosecutor Harter elec.
ted the Indictment found at the May term, which
specifies morphine, arsenic and other unknown
polsons as the drugs used The former lpdlCt.
ment mentioned morphine only. The names OF
Daniel CrOwl, Of Paris township, and Jordan
Stanley Of Washington township, were then
drawn from the box by the Clerk and venire
facias was Issued for them. Shortly after four
o'clock Judge Meyer adjourned the case until
Tuesday morning at am,
TUESDAY.
Tuesday morning at 3 a. M Court opened aud
the venire OF thirty eight names was read, to
which thirty six responded. An attachment for
contempt was ordered against Jacob BaChtel;
similar attachment was ordered for Samuel KrY.
der Monday evening, As the requisite number
answered to the roll call the work Of forming
jury began. The venire was exhausted without
obtaining jury, aud a special venire OF thirty
nares was Issued. BY 3;45 O'Clock this venire
was also exhausted and only eleven lrymen
had been obtained Another venire Of thirty
names was issred and court adjourned.
WEDNESDAY.
The panel Of thirty.One names issued Tuesday
afternoon was used up Wednesday morning
without obtaining the twelfth man. Another
special venire Of eight names was ordered, and
In the afternoon the first man OF these eight who
was called was chosen. The ilry selected is a.
follows:
E L Saint, Marlboro township; Frank Perdue,
Minerva; John Taylor, Alliance; Collins McGre-
gor, Canton; Samuel Stands, Pike township;
Charles H Fogle, Osnaburg township; Jordan
Stanley, Washington townships Wm H BaChtel,
Canton; Jacob shaub, Canton township; Peter
v Loutz enheiser, Plain township; Joseph Lout-
zenheiser Plain to; Benjamin Sullivan, o5na'
burg.
Prosecuting Attorney Harter then made minute
statement Ofthe case to the jury The facts as stated
are substantially the following, which we reprint
from the the DEMOCRAT Of December 18th, 1885:
THE CRIME.
Mr. simon Kline, a stone mason who for a number
of years has resided on Roland street at its lntersec
ton with Mahoning died last Saturday night under
rather peculiar circumstances The family consist
ed of himself, his son Joseph and hOuse.keeper,
Mrs Martha yle. Mr. Kline followed his trad Of
stonemason and his son Joseph for time has been
a law student.
Mr. Kline was first taken sick Friday December
Sd. He felt i'll and was frequently attacked with hts
of vomiting On the following Monday DR. e L
Walker was called, who found Mr. Kline not serious
ly Ill. The.uouble seemed to have originated with
acod in the head DR. Walker visited him until
Thursday when ne found MIN sO.muCh improved as
to think any further visits unnecessary. Friday
evening Mr Kline remarked to Mrs. Boyle that II
Saturday was pleasant day he would take walk,
On Saturday morning one OF the neghbOrs dropped
In and asked as to Kllnes condition. Joe sad his
father had not rested well during the night and was
sleeping. About noon he called in again and iound
Mr. Kline asleep. In the afternoon he called the
third time and was told that he still slept Becoming
alarmed Joe was sent to summon DR. Walker. When
he arrived he found Mr. Kline In profound stupor.
He endeavOred TO get him to swallow some water,
but could not succeed; his breathing was SLOW ana
labored and respiration short the pupils of the eyes
were very much contracted He was bathed with
cold water, but without avail About $3.50 o'clock
Saturday evening he died in an unconscious condi-
ton. The neghbors had noticed Mr. Kline's frequent
fits of vomiting and the strange manner In which he
died, The funeral was set for last Monday morning.
but at the Instance of number Of the nelghOOrs'
councllmen Sabler and ROhrer had the funeral post
poned until post mortem examination could be
held and the suspicious circumstances surrounding
Mr. Klines death cleared up, Accordingly MONDAY
afternoon coroner @ Cock assisted by Drs Brant
and Phillips, made post mortem examination The
conten nts of the stomach were removed and Will oe
subjected to chemical analysis The examination
showed that all the organs were in healthy cOndl'
ton, but the lungs, liver, kidney and brain we're all
more or less congested Death resulted from para
lyzatlon OF the nervous system and the circulation
This was produced by some poisonous narcotic, like
morphine. This settles the question regarding his
DEATH as 1t clearly shows that did not result from
natural causes.
r Shields Esq, said in behalf fthe defense that
the life and liberty OF the prisol was in theF
hands; that Kline was anxious that the cause OF his
fathers death should be investigated, OF which he
was entirely ignorant that he had always been on
good terms with his parents, and that he was In the
habit of using morphine for neuralgia with which ne
was afflicted
The witnesses for the State we're then called and
the testimony Of Mr. Michael Thompson taken.
THURSDAY.
The testimony Of the following witnesses for
the State was heard Thursday morning: Miss
Ida Haynam and Messrs, L X HurfOrd, John
Kimes and James Thompson.
--SsH---
MAYORS COURT
Sdtg -
Elmer Hanna, against whom an aHiiavit for