The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-23
A CELEBRATED CASE
coMMENcED Al ST. cLAMsMLLF:
III. Hob.n..et .sp.ae. Damage Salt Op.ned-SOns
Whsslips People Aad Notorious WhssllDs
House Figure In the TestlmOOy-Ths
Trial Drawing Large Audiences.

At11 o'clock yesterday morning one Of the
most important scandal cases ever tried In
this vicinity wts called in the Belmont Coun-
ty Court at St. Clairsyille. This case OF
Hobensack VI. Spence has been the subject Of
conversation and The leading topic among
gossiEs at Martins Ferry for several weeks
past. The plaintiff in the case, Dr.. J. D.
Hobersack, was born in Martins Ferry, and
has lived there most Of his life, practicing his
profession and keeping drug store for q
number OF year,. L. Spence, Esq, is an old
citizen Of Martins Ferry, having come there
when boy, with nothing but his energy to
commence life with, but by hard work and
the observance Of high business. principles he
soon became one Of the leading manufacturers
OF the town and Is to-day one Of the
wealthIest and mos! prominent business men
OF the Ohio valley.
crENINa THE CASE,
Both parties in the casa are well repre-.
sentsd by legal TALENT the plaintiffs al
torneys being George Duncan, OF Martins
Ferry, James NJ. Rees, OF St. C.a!rsyille, and
W. T. Hays, OF steubenyille. The defend
ants attorneys are Hon. LorenZ) Danl0rd,
Peter Tallmann and r. L. Chambers, all OF
st. Clairsyille.
In few opening remarks by the plain
tiff's attorney, Mr.. Rees, he stated that the
plaintiff expected to prove BY the testimony
that the plaintiff IVES q nephew OF the defenu-
ant, that the defendant had been intimate
with the plaintiffs wife for the past two
.k.t No bad takap bar ont drfvfnU
that be taken her to house OF Ill fame In
Wheeling, aud that he had approached wit
nesses OF Plaintiffs with intent TO Affect
their testimony.
Mr.. Rses was followed by Mr.. Dauford,
who stated that the defendant would admit
| that his wife was sister Of the plaintiffs
mother, but all other charges made by the
plaintiff he denied In toto.
A large number OF Witnesses are present,
about fifty from Martins Ferry putting In
their appearance.
T6gTEsrtMosY BEGUN.
Mr.. Crippen was the first witness called.
He stated that he saw Mrs. Hobensack get in
MI. Spencs's buggy and 90 to the ferry boa,
and cross into Wheeling that he saw
them together frequently at different timer;
| that while papering at Hobensack's he had
seen Mr.. Spence and Mrs. Hobensack there,
they coming from the front room. He also
said that since this case commenced Mr..
Spence asked him II he knew anything
against him in the matter, and that he
answered that he knew nothing crimiaatng.
On cross EXAMINATION by DAnford he said
| that he came into the house the back way
the dsy he saw Spence, and he thought that
spence and Mrs. Hobensack come from the
front room, which had been papsred, 10 the
kitchen, and altar examining the pspering
there they left the kitchen; that he saw
Spence aud Mrs. Hobenssck in the buggy in
dsyligh'; that he never saw them In ihe
buggy Of any time except in daylight. Or;
Ho6ensack was not living in the house at the
there. there were no bllnds to the WIN
d dS He supposed the house belonged tc
Hobensack His drug store was under the
dwelling house and the only front way ,t1
reach the dwelling part Of the horss was BY
a digit OF stairs from the street Just BY the