Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-11-27

The Crouch Case Again Before the
Public.
Proceedfn . ofthe Trial.


The jury in the Crouch trial spent
the forenoon of the 18th in visiting the
Crouch and Holcomb homesteads.
They were accompanied by the sheriff,
deputies, ex-Gov, Blair, attorney for
the prosecution, and +. A. Wilson and
M. Z. Montgomery, attorneys for the
defense. Jud Crouch received the
company very cordially and invited
them to thaw out before good hot
stove. The Jurymcn were taken through
the various rooms and had pointed out
to them the positions of the bodies OF
the morning after the murder, the
dispositions of the servants rooms,
etc. There have been very few
changes made in the place since
year ago. The same old shut.
ters are still hanging from their rusty
hinges, broken and ragged, and the
yard shows the same neglect as it did
when Jacob Crouch was alive. Inside
of the house there have been few i'm
provements. New carpets cover the
floor of the bedrooms, new beds have
replaced the ones on which tho muir
dered persons slept and everything
looks scrupulously neat. After samp-
ling some sweet cider set out by Judd
the party went to Holcomb's A mi
mute description was made of the rooms
in the upper story where the boy slept
en- the night of the murder, and Of such
other features of the place as are likely
to come up in evidence. The trial was
resumed in the afternoon. Nothing new
was developed, the testimony being but
a reiteration of that taken on the exam
ination.
The story of the footprints found
near the Crouch house the morning
after the murder was told to the jury
by Elmer Hatch on the 18th inst, i'm
mediately after the opening of court
The appearance of the room and furni-
ture, and of the bodies as viewed by
him. was also related.
Mrs. Danforth Waite was on the stand
some time, but the most important part
of her testimony was the statement
about the bloody finger marks found
on clothing in Polley's room.
Roy Clements formerly worked for
Henry White, and was intimately ac-
quainted with the Crouch family, and
it was thought he might know some
| thing which would throw some light on
the mystery, but in this the court was
disappointed.
James White, the father of the
murdered man was the first wit
ness in the afternoon, and when he left
the stand Doctor Nc Laughlin was
called for He told of the
appearance of the body, the nature o.
the wounds and gave his opinion as TO
which one proved fatal, as did also w.
A Gibson, who took the stand when
DR.. Mclaughlin was excused.
Jacob Hutchins was the first witness
sworn on the 10Th. After viewing the
bodies he went out in search of tracks
and discovered tracks on the window
of Holcomb's which he should say were
made by Jud Crouch. To this evidence
counsel for defense objected unless the
evidence concerning tracks was con-
| nected with the defendant. The court
ruled out the evidence.
Jesse Hurd testified that Holcomb
told him he never bought or owned a
3S-calibre revolver. A discussion arose
as to the admissability of this testimony,
and Hurd was asked to step down.
Coroner Casey was next summoned.
He offered TO submit the written testi
mony of Holcomb, but defense object
ed. A pair of boots were brought into
court which witness said Holcomb had
admitted at the inquest belonged to
him. Witness said Holcomb denied
that he owned 38-calibre revolver,
but the testimoney concern
ing Holcomb's visit north was
read, in which it shown that
Holcomb did own a revolver. Further
examination of Casey was deferred I'M
Til counsel could examine the records
of the inquest.
Miss Nettie Snyder, who worked for
Holcomb at the time OF the murder, was
next called. She testified to the domestic
arrangements of theHolcomb household,
which st that time included beside the
Holcomb family. Jud Crouch, James
Foy, and Loundsbury and Andrews.
Witness slept in room adjoining one
occupied by the boys. On the day of
the murder Jud went to the city
about two o'clock and came back
between five and six. The boys retired
hortly after 8 o clock. When she arose
about 6 o'clock a. m, the boys were out
to the barn at work, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Holcomb were up. During tie night
it rained, and the wind blew quite hard.
Miss Snyder continued her testimony in
the afternoon. She heard of the murder
through the colored boy Bolles. who
was with the boys when she went TO call
them to breakfast. When Holcomb
was told of the murder he said:
'Is that sop After talking with
his wife quietly for few
moments Holcomb went OF without eat
ing any breakfast. Witness heard moth
log said about going to the Crouch
house.
Julia Reese, the domestic in the
Crouch family ut the time Of tho MUIR
der was submitted to very close ex-
animation and excused until morning.
When court opened on the 10th, the
sheriff announced that Juror Perry was
i'll and unable to leave his room, here
upon the Crouch case was adjourned
until Friday morning. Rerry's physi-
clan reports that his case is serious,
He is suffering from malaria with in
dications of typhoid fever. and it Is
feared that he will not be able to con-
tinue on the jury. In view of this pros
pect the counsel discussed the alterna-
tive. One plan was to dismiss the
whole jury and commence anew, and
the other was to draw juryman
20 fill Pery's place. This could be
done only by consent of the defense.
Juror Brown entered a vigorous pro-
test against the quality Of the food
| oav tho s,x~xv int aft NJ