The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-11-21
GUILTY.
Broken up--Thc Leaders Safely
Lodged in the Penitentiary

lars that were tried last week. IL j. not q
great deal to boast of that IN the very heart
of Pennsylvania civilization, band of out.
laws almost as daring as the Jesse James
gang, has been in existence Tor several
years. but it Is certainly a matter of congrat-
ulation that the gang has been disbanded
and the leaders safely lodged in the Peni.
tentiary. The many bold, daring and law
less deeds committed by his band, is only
too well known to most of our readers. The
story Of their capture and arrest has already
been published in the HERALD. and it is
with pleasure that we write the closing
chapter, giving brief sketch of their trial
and conviction. Tuesday morning the
Grand Jury returned true bill against
Isaiah Wechtenheiser and Abraham v Mus
ser, the leaders Of the gang, charging them
with robbery, on information of Ross Phil
lippi. This was followed by a true bill
against the same parties on a charge of stat
utory burglary, on information of jeremiah
Liston. Then came bills against Isaiah,
Chauncey and David Wectenheiser and
Abram v Musser, for the Knepper, Schrock
and Short burglaries, and bill against each
of the four for carrying concealed weapons.
with one against Chauncey for resisting an
officer and assault and battery, making in
all eleven bills OF Indictment, a true bill
beng found in each and every instance.
The crowd in attendance at court was un-
usually large during the entire week, and
Tuesday afternoon when the first of the cas-
es the Phillippi.robbery, was called for trial,
the court room was packed almost to sutIo-
cation. The Commonwealth was represent
ed by District Attorney Scull W. II. Koontz,
f. J. kooser and James /. Pugh, Esqr's.
The defense by Messrs. COfroth * Ruppel.
This case being triable exclusively in the
oyer a Terminer Court, almost the entire
afternoon was taken up in empaneling a
jury. The case was opened on the part of
the Commonwealth by the District Attorney,
when court adjourned till Wednesday morn
ing Wednesday morning she commenced
submitting her testimony. She started the
defendants from their homes in Stonycreek
township ON the morning of the 18th of July
and traced them from place to place till noon
Of the l4th, when she showed them at the
house of Mr.. Ross Phillippi, in Lower Tur-
keyfoot township. Mrs. Ross Phillippi tes-
titled that about noon OF the 14th, a large
man. whom she identified as Isaiah
/ Wechtenheiser came TO her house and asked
brought bucket of fresh water, and while
the man was drinking, a second man, whom
she identified as Abraham V. Musser, came
/ into the house with handkerchief tied over
his face, and pointing a revolver at her head
demanded her money. Wechjenheiser drop
1 pei the water bucket, seized Mrs Phillipp
and searched her person; then, while Mus
ser was still covering her with his revolver,
/ Wechtenheiser made a complete search of
the house. but only succeeded in finding
some sixty cents. The prisoners were next
shown to be seen by parties who knew them,
returning from the direction of Phillips
house the same afternoon. This. in conneC-
/ ton with the fact of a mask, Burglars tools,
/ fuses. etc, having been found in the house
where Ncchtcnheser lived, and he himself
1 having fed 10 the lumber regions 'of Clear
/ field county after warrant was issued for
/ his arrest constituted the Commonwealth
case.
The defense was an oiibi. Nine witnesses,
most Of them relatives or close friends of the
defendants, were put on the stand to show
that the defendants We're in Stonycreek
township at the time of the robbery. The
evidence was all in by three o'clock in the
afternoon, when 4. H. Coffroth, Esq, went
10 the jury on part Of the defense, and was
followed by W II. Koontz Esq, on part of
the Commonwealth. Immediately upon the
converting Of court in the evening, Judge
Bacr delivered an able. fair and impartial
charge 10 the jury, who retired to their room
a little after eight o'clock. Before adjourn
ing the Court notified the jury that if they
came to conclusion during the night, they
might seal their verdict and bring il into
court in the morning. Shortly after court
adjourned the Jury came from their room
and promptly at half past eight o'clock IN
the morning, were in their seats in the court
room Upon being asked by the Clerk wheth-
er they had agreed upon a verdict, they re-
piled in the affirmative. and when asked
what that verdict was. they chorussed out
Guilty in manner and form as the defend
ants stand indicted" The vast audience
heavei a sigh of reiiefand look Of satistac-
ton appeared upon the face Of almost every
one present.
The next case called for trial was that of
the Commonwealth ". Isaiah Wechtenheis-
er and Abraham V. Musser, charged with
burglarizing the store of Liston Brothers, in
Listonburg, Addison township, on the night
of Sunday July the LIST, last.
ON that night the store Of these gentlemen
was entered, the safe blown open with pow
der, and money and goods to the amount Of
over 5 90 taken and carried away. The eyi-
dence, of course, was circumstantial, as no
person saw the crime committed, but It was
very complete and satisfactory.
The defendants were traced through the
country for several days prior to the commits
sion of the crime, the Commonwealth show
ing what roads they travelled, where they
procured meals and stopped to make inqui-
ries. and bringing them to Listonburg on the
day of the burglary.
1t seems that after their arrival at Liston-
burg Musser went 10 the house Of one of the
Liston Brothers, it being Sunday, and ask
ed to have the store opened, saying he wish
ed 10 get a piece Of tobacco; that he had
none and could not do without It.
( Mr.. Liston went with him TO the the store
and gave him The tobacco. This the Com
monwealth argued was merely trick to en-
able the burglars TO see whether the store
was suitable place for their operations,
as il was shown that MCsser does not use
tobacco.
After leaving the store they went on to-
ward Petersburg, but it was proved that they
returne in the evening to the neighborhood
of Iistonburg. This and much other testi-
mony was adduced to prove their guilt.
The defense was very feeble, only one
witness being called, and he to prove that
fuse. such as was found in the store, piece
of which was also found in the Wechten-
heiser residence, was used in lime quarry
in which the defendants had, at one time,
been employed.
/ Their promptly found them guilty in
manner and form Is INDICTED.
4 The three wechtenheiseTs Isaiah, David,
I,,3 ~t,o,,ca,- aud Abram Y Musser were