St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-12
CRIME RECORD.
A Business Dispute Leads an Ex-Unit-
ed States Marshal to Shoot His
SOn-in-Law.
The Day Spent in the Crouch Trial in the
Examination of the Negro Boy
Bolles.
Mysterious Disappearance of 100000
Belonging to Milwaukee
Firm.
KILLED HIS soN-1N-LAw.

KILLED HIS soN-IN-LAw.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, March 11.-This morn
ing at O'Clock William Spence shot and
killed his son-in-law, Ed. s. Wheat, at the
Merchants Exchange corner, opposite the
telegraph office. Spence. was a former
United States marshal for the middle district
OF Tennessee, and was succeeded by Wheat.
The trouble arose from disagreement in the
settlement of business matters. Wheat was
a member of the firm of Buford, Thomas 81
Co., this city. Spence is in custody.
At the coroner's inquest it was developed
that Wheat was shot twice and killed by
William Spence, his father-in-law, at twenty
five minutes past this morning, as he was
in the act of crossing Cottage street, in front
of the merchants exchange. Spence had fol-
lowed Wheat for more than a whole block.
He called to Wheat once, and the latter
turned his head but did not stop or reply.
Spence overlook him on the street and fired
the first and fatal bullet into Wheat's back,
the bullet penetrating his heart. Wheat fell
on mis- back on the crossing in front of the
exchange. Spence walked round him and
fired second shot into Wheat's breast, the
bullet shattering his watch and entering the
body between the seventh and eighth ribs.
Wheat groaned after the first shot, but never
spoke, and died almost instantly. The body
was Immediately removed to the undertake
er's and an inque.t held, with
a verdict in accordance with the
above facts, declaring the murder
malicious and unprovoked. After firing the
second shot Spence made some such re-
marks as that Wheat had choked him.
Spence was Immediately arrested, and his
pistols, with two barrels discharged and the
others loaded, was taken from him and he
was committed to jail under bench war
rant. The trouble is said to have originated
from a business dispute of some years. stand
ing. Wheat was forty-three years old, and
Spence sixty-fve. Wheat was a native of
Michigan, and captain of Michigan bat
terry, and afterwards colonel of regiment
of cavalry in the federal service in the
late war. He was appointed
United States marshal under Grants
administration. At the time of his death he
was member of the firm of Buford, Thomas
& Co., in this city. He leaves wife, who
is a daughter of VIM. Spence, his slayer, and
two sons, aged seventeen and fifteen. Spence
was Wheat's immediate predecessor as
United States Marshal, appointed in 1875,
by Judge Emmons, and then appointed for
term of four years by Grant. He has two
Texas and the other in this city. Wheat
served as deputy marshal under Spence. No
weapon of any kind was found on Wheat's
person at the inquest.
THT CROUCH TRIAL.
JACKSON, Mich, March 11.-On the
Crouch murder examination the entire fore
noon was spent in endeavoring to wiring
from Geo Bolles, the colored boy, who slept
in the house at the time of the tragedy, and
gave the alarm in the morning, a difference
with his former statements, but without sue
cess. Every move, action and word he de-
seribes repeatedly alike, and although the at
torneys on both sides endeavored to cross
him, and show that he knows mort
than he has told, is has
been without success. He refused to get
into the trunk, he said he laid in that night,
and stayed there five hours, because he said
he didn't think it would benefit anybody, but
had no doubt, if necessary, he could crouch
up in there, stay just as long as he did that
night. He thought the reason it did not
IN axe him stiff or sore was, because of the
excitement The court room is crouded ev-
cry day. There are dozen more witnesses
yet to be sworn by the prosecution.
The Crouch-Hocomb examination this
morning was taken up with the testimony of
negro boy, Bolles. He testified about the
same as at the inquest He was positive in
the truth of his statement. He was precise
as to the details, but vague in the material
matter. Both sides believe he holds some
thing back. Young onsberry, one of the
inmates of the house the night of the muir
der, stated he saw Judd and Fay get up to
put cat out; that they came at once back
to bed; that if they had got up again that
night he would have heard
them; that he did not think
they got up. Charles Andrews, about thir-
teen years old, another inmate Of the house,
corroborates Lonsberry's story. The prose-
cution say they have yet to produce their
most important testimony, and the county
will be surprised when it comes. On the
other hand the defense seem to look on the
whole matter as farcical, were it not for its
terrible effects on the accused. The court
adjourned until tomorrow at $50 a. IN. The
prosecution think they will have all their tes-
timony in by Thursday evening.
A SUPPOSED LARGE LEAK.
MILWAUKEE, Wis, March 11.-There are
ugly rumors atioat to the effect that nearly
s1OO,O 900 has dropped through some hole in
the money box of the bennett Harvesting
Machine company during the last year. 1t
is alleged that experts are at work on the
books. The officers of the company are
Stephen Bull, Of Racine, president; Hiram
W. Conger, Milwaukee, vice president; Fred
erick A. bennett, secretary and treasurer; G..
Fl. Schultz, superintendent. In an inter
view tonight A. K. Hamilton, of Fond du
Lac, and George A. Burnham, heavy stock
holders, denied that there was anything
crooked, and said they made no charges
againstthe treasurer. They alleged they were
having the books examined by experts, only
as all large corporations do every year.
Frederick bennett, city treasurer, said, in an
interview, that there was a disagreement
among the directors last fall, and A. Z. Ham
ilton had intimated at the meeting, that the
money was leaking out somewhere. He says
he asked for thorough investigation, but
nothing was done. He resigned in Decem-
Der. It is thought, if there have been losses,