The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-12-09
TRAPHAGEN TRAPPED.
He Confesses to Shooting t. j. Orr, in {
Vain Hope OF a Mitigated Sentence.


He COnfesses to Shooting t. j. Orr, in the
Vain Hope OF a Mltigated Sentence.
Every reader of newspapers will recol-
lect about the case Of shooting, at dead
Of night, of Mr.. Thomas j. Orr, book
keeper at the Steel Works, who was
aroused from his slumbers at midnight,
called to the door, where he was con-
frOnted by a man who asked him If he
was Mr.. Orr. Upon replying in the af
firmatiVe, the villain pulled out pistol
and shot the gentleman in the face, in
flicting dangerous and painful wounds,
from when he has but lately recovered.
The assailant was identified as Oscar
TTaphagen, a man notorious for his
many crimes, and promptly arrested
and lodged in Jail. The Grand Jury
found true bill against him, and after
lingering in Jail since last May, he was
brought to trial, in the present term of
court, when the testimony went 80 over
whelmingly against him, that he,
through his counsel. plead guilty before
the case went to the jury, although too
late to save his Skin, as he Is very bad
character, having even made threats
cupying the bench, who will doubtless
mete out the full measure OF the law
to this dastardly wife-beater and Vitriol
thrOwer.
Various witnesses were examined, and
we print the most important:
r. H. ANDERsoN-Was formerly COrO-
ner Of this county. l know Trapha-
gen, and saw him nearly every day dur
ing the first part Of May, 1882. 1 saw
him at ThOmpsOn's office where 1 was
engaged in writing advertisements,
about week before the shooting of Mr..
Orr. Witness was shown the anOnY-
nous letter found In bed. Traphagen
asked me If / had time to copy a letter
for him. The letter was written In PEN
ell, and he said he wanted 1t copied in
ink so he might preserve it. copied it.
He took the OriRtnaland put 1t in his
pocket. Atshis request i took the copy
! he had given me and mailed 1t to his
address. I copied the original exactly.
Traphagen told me he was going to
Richmond, Ind. The only reason he
gave me for wanting 1t mailed to him
was, he desired postage stamp and the
mark of the pOstOffice upon IL. The let
ter you showed me Is the one copied.
Charles Schafer-I live In Canton; am
employed in Moushey's barber shop and
know the accused personally. | saw
him about o'clock Friday evening, May
18th. When he came in and sat down
in my chair noticed pistol in his
pocket. - ~ eH7
James SeIl-Am q member of the Can
ton police force. Was serving on night
patrol last May. On the morning Of the
i7d 1 was standing at Bast's corner,
North Market and Third streets, in COM
pany with policeman Nichols. When
between 2 and 3 o'clock heard a shot.
A few moments afterwards l heard a
man coming down on the south side of
Third street. was standing on the
south west corner, and he crossed the
street diagonally, leaving the stdewalk
about eighty feet before he reached me
followed the fellow and kept him in
sight till he reached what is now MOtters
blacksmith shop, when he escaped me
Cross examinatiOn-Ther reason took
no alarm at hearing the shot was, thai
Nichols Thought the noise was the kick
ing of a horse in stable near by.
Esther Miller-I have been confined
in Jail since the 10th of June. know
the defendant, who has also been In
prison. Early in August 1 had con
versatiOn with Traphsgen respecting
Mr.. Orr. The accused was confined IL
cell number one, fronting on Fifth stree
from which he could see out into thu
street, the window being raised. wa
in the cell Immediately opposite him
He sat near the door of his cell, and
at the door Of mine. Arising from hi
chair he went to the window and re
mained there several minutes. Afte
returning ne e4cLalneu' Il JUST say
the son of bitch go past; he was in
buggy. and there was boy driving" Ii
an instant he contin1ed: "Orr had
black cloth cap over his jaw. If ha'
to do it over again I'd kill the son Of {
bitch.
Cross-examination-I was COMMITTEES
to Jail on a charge Of stealing. Ienter
ed a house to get something to eat an
was arrested for it. have been comm
ed in Jail for several weeks past 70 Q
held to testify in this case. l told tn
turnkey about this conversation shortl
after it happened. had had some trou
ble with Trapha4en. He had called m
very indecent names. never told a
inmate of the jail had told this stor
on Traphagen, because he had treate
me mean. never told Nj
Van Orman, from Canal FultoI
who was for time confined Ia my Gel