The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-24
STATE NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Continuation of the Testimony in the
Trial of Kennedy.
Henry Custin Shot Through the Head and
Instantly I<illed-News Gleanings in
Indiana and Illinois.
INDIANA,
Testimony in the Kennedy Trial-The Record
of the Inquest.


Testimony in the Kennedy Trial-The Record
of the Inquest.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
SHELBYvILLE, Dec. 22.-The State contin-
ued the examination of their witnesses to-
day, and as usual each witness called square
ly contradicted the other. So far the testi-
mony against young Kennedy has been one
long line of contradictions. No two wit
nesses corroborate each other as to the facts
of the tragedy. One thing connected with
their story seems very strange. None Of
the leading Democrats have confessed
to having been in any way connected with
the fighting on that day. Howard Lee Andy
Ensminger, George Tucker, Mike Yearling,
and many others who are known to have
been prominent figures in leading the Demo
cratic forces against the red-pants boys on
that day, when on the witness-stand were
very innocent of having taken any part in
the fight.
The evidence, to-day, was to the
pressed the defendant east, on
Broadway, after he came out of the saloon,
numbered from 200 to 400 persons. John
Shaner was called and testified as follows:
When the crowd came out of the saloon |
crossed over on ahead Of them; saw the de-
PENDANT fire the two shots; Albert Robertson
and Otto Kennedy did not take hold OF each
arm of the defendant and move
east on Broadway, nor did Ed.
Kennedy jerk his right arm loose
from Robertson, turn around and fire.
Robertson testified directly opposite in this
particular.] The crowd pressed in from all
sides to see the racket. Saw the fash of the
L Il.
vOlver was pointed at McCorkle. Don't
know whether McCorkle stepped within the
line of the revolver when it was pointed.
Daniel Deprez said the crowd numbered
some 200 or 300 persons. On cross
examination said he did not see
any revolver in the hands of Kennedy; he
also said he saw clubs flying in the air and
much fighting.
Jacob Theobold said two shots were fired,
and at the second shot McCorkle threw up
his hands and said: ooh God! l am shot"
Saw pistol in the hands of the defendant.
Hiram Corners said he was twelve or ff-
teen feet from MeCorkle when he was shot;
saw the pistol.
Erastus Carson testified to seeing the
trouble on Broadway and at the time was
perched on a tree-box He said the second
shot was fired into the air above the heads
of the crowd. Kennedy's first shot was in
the direction of the crowd. The crowd
There was a good deal of fighting at the
time; 1 thought at the time of the second
shot the revolver was pointed upward.
Hugh Campbell said the crowd followed
McCorkle and Kennedy out of the room;
Kennedy had gone down Broadway piece,
and walked back and fired; Kennedy was
not on the south side OF
the street in the gutter when
he fired Robertson did not have hold of
defendants arm, nor did defendant jerk
away from him and fire. Saw Glib. Kennedy
strike MeCorkle and the latter strike Glib.
Then Ell walked back and fired. at the
hrst shot mcCorkle threw up MS hands ana
said he was shot.
Considerable comment was caused this
evening by the appearance OF the following
paragraph in the Daily Democrat:
"His Christmas present might be q coy
little corner in the cave of gloom"
This paragraph is in harmony with other
recent blood-thirsty utterances of that paper
i'll regard to Kennedy. Good men of all par
ties denounce in strongest terms these raw
ings of the Democrat, and they are only ap-
plauded by the cringing sycophants who bow
at the feet of its editor.
Several weeks ago the same paper
published that the attorneys of the
defendant had stolen the record of the coro-
ner's inquest from the clerks Office. On
Friday morning the defendants attorney, in
open court, demanded the record of the in
Judge Hord refused to order them to turn it
over unless defendants attorneys made oath
that they did not have possession of the
papers Afterward the States attorneys said
they would turn the record over this morn
ing without more ado. This morning the
States attorneys produced the record, and
on being pressed by the defendants attor-
neys, said they bad got the record in a
proper manner. This forced Judge Hord
TO say that he had found the record some
months ago among other papers, that he had
kept it at his house until recently and had
told the States attorney to go there and get
it. 1t is being generally asked: Why should
Judge Hord ask for an affidavit from the de-
fendants attorneys when he knew all the
time lust where the record was?
Henry CustiD, a Resident of Petersburg,
Assassinated.
Special to the Indianapolis journal
EVANSVILLE, Dec. 22.-At Petersburg, at
II o'clock last night, Henry Custin, clerk
for C. f. Montgomery, a dry goods merchant,
was shot through the head on the street and
instantly killed. The assassin was traced two
miles in the country to the house Of Charles
Harvey, where he was arrested and is now
in Jail. Blood was found on his boots and
clothing for which he could give no salts
factory explanation. Threats of Iynchiug
are freely made tonight. IL is supposed mat
Custin was mistaken for his employer, who
usually carries large sum of money on his
person.
The post-mortem held afterward developed
the fact that either shot would have pro
duced instant DEATH The murderer Harvey
is the son of Marston c. Harvey, an old resi-
dent OF Pike county, and brother-in-law of
Mr.. Knight, the editor and proprietor of the
Pike County Democrat Young Harvey has
been residing with his parents on a farm,
about two miles from Petersburg, until with