The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-09-11
ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE.
THE CASE OF THE STATE OF KANSAS
VS.. ]. B. GREEN,
CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF
HARRY ROBLYER.
A Jury Obtained and the Examination
OF witnesses Commenced.

b. 0reSD, cnAIgcu VILE tue muEucI u
Harry Roblyer, was called in the district
court Friday, the state beiog rep
resented by County Attorney Feighan,
j. Jay Buck and Col A. 81. FlorY, and
W. w. Scott and L. 3. Kellogg appear
ing for the defense.
The circumstances attending the kill
ing are familiar TO most Of our readers,
and may be briefly stated as follows:
On the night OF April 4th the accused
man, who is about thirty years of age,
and Harry ROblyer, lad aged fourteen
years, started TO the country to get the
honey from bee tree IN
q grove seven miles southeast
of the city. On their return the next
morning IS represented by Green, when
about two miles from Emporia they
both sat down 10 rest alongside of the
railroad track. Green states that he
soon fell asleep. and thai
he Wss shortly awakened by
the tram going south. the wheels Of
which he says stuck young ROblyer,
who, he represents as having laid down
with his head between the ends of the
ties.
The character of the wounds ON the
dead boy and certain inconsistencies in
the story told by Green. led to his arrest
ana upon being examined he was bound
over TO district court by Justice Fletcher.
The work OF empaneling jury, con-
trary to expectation, was completed in a
few hours the following gentlemen hav-
ing been selected:
A. w. Plumb, Jacob Jacobs, Jr., Benz.
F. Myers, George Schuremau, A. F.
Grove, j. b. Cowgirl, s. E. Hunt, w.
w. Caldwell. B. b. r ,binson, j. Rey,
nolds, II z. Michael. Jas. o. Toole, Jr.
The prisoner excited considerable
curiosity when brought into court, and
seemed to be much more composed than
upon the occasion OF his examination
before Justice Fletcher.
The first witness examined was
MRS. RoBLYER,
mother Of the dead boy, who testified in
substance as follows:
| ]. d. Green and wife lived in my
house ut the time of the killing of Har.
~; only a neighbOTlY acquaintance ex.
listed between the familiesI Green and
Harry started on the evening of April
4Ih at 9 o'clock to get the
by Green the day before; they took
buckets, a saw, knife, halchet and rope
never saw my son again until he was
brought home dead when l next saw
Green he came into my kitchen with {
pail of honey; he said: "Oh, Mrs. Rob
lyer, l wish il had been me instead o
Harry that was killed." he
told me how the thing had
happened, and said he was afraid tC
touch Harry for fear he would be accus
ed of killing him; Green said wheI
Harry laid down to rest the cars haC
whIslled at Emporia; there was no i'll
feeling that :! knew of between Greer
and Harry there was honey and knife
in the bucket that Green brought home
Green did not bring home the rope anC
the Ratchet.
HUBERT KLINE,
The next witness, testified as having
been informed of the killing by Green
on the morning that it took place ant
described the scene of the occurrence
| which was about g quarter of a mili
from where the witness was found b.
Green; Green wanted the witness to q
to town and convey the news of the kill
ing; he had bucket In his hand covereC
| with a cloth the train had passed jus
| about twenty minutes before Green mott
fed the witness. The witness upon 60
| ing to the place later in the day founl
blood upon the tie and bunch of hal
and piece of skull six feet from the
track, and some other blood ten o
twelve feet up the track.
Mrs. Robyler being recalled identifies
, | q knife which was shown her as the knit
which Green took with him to the be
tree and also a Ratchet belonging 4
, Green and one to the witness.
WALTER SHAW,
the first witness called this Afternoon
testified that he was working at 10
Wright's on the morning of the KILN
and upon hearing of it from Chan
z Prout, went to the place; saw the bod
lying at right angles with the tract
with the head and shoulders on tie
there was nothing to prevent the bod
, pool of blood about fiv
feel from the tie and bunch of hair i
the pool; saw one spot of blood ten c
3 twelve feet from the track; the DO
breathed q few times afte
l witness arrived at the place.
JUSTICE FLETCHER
testified as follows: / am justice
!, the peace and held the inquest over tn
body OF Harry Robyler; saw the wound
j. on the body which were all on the head
saw the bucket which was near u
body and there was bloc
on 1t; Green was at the N. P. dep'
4 when l first saw him on the morning
the killing. and said that the train ia
run over ROblYer's leg and that his hea
was all smashed:
The witness here read the first an
second statements made by Green at Il
examination.
The witness continued: My best jud
b ment Is that Green was cool and delibe
ate when he gave his first TESTIMONY
II the defendant sent for me to make
third statement; said he wanted to CO
1 rect his evidence as he had lied In
U other statements; that he-Green-s
on the tie and Roblyer on the bank i
: stead of the reverse as he had describes
refused to write third statement,
> my duties in the case were owe
J. rope were left at the tire
i
lawyer; assuming that the body was
ing on tie, if q train going from fiftet
10 to twenty miles an hour should strike
10 the body would inevitably be throw
Is from the track.
,e Justice Fletcher and Conductor Fri
? bee both testified that no part of the ca
Ie could have struck ROblyer's head as
q lay on the tie when the body was foun
ENGINEER BARHYDT
- testified that he was on the train golI
south the morning that ROblyer was XII
y ed that he saw two men, one larger tbs
the other. at the point in question; tn
when he Whistled they both stepped asit
e and waited till the train passed that
q he was looking out; and that no boz
" was lying on the track that there we
II no traces of blood On his engine.
q SECOND DAY.
:, The Green murder case attracted
= large crowd to the court house Satu
g day, aud the examiRation of witness
e proceeded amid manifest interest on Il
q part OF the spectators.
DR.. JACOBS,
4 who was called for the state, testified
follows:
/ have had considerable experien
a in examining wounds and cuts In q
practice; am physician for the San
Fe; see men frequently who are kill
il or injured; was . witness at. col
y ner's inquest of the boy kille
ut the injuries were on the head and we
re eight In number: The first was one a
p three fourIhs inches in length the q
II ond was one and three fOurths iBches
N length, and parallel with the first; {
- third was q clean cut, fracturing {
at skull; the fourth was q clean cut, goi
through the skull the fifth wound v
an angular cut upward from the CHI
extending into the skull; the sixth v
in the back of the head, fracturfDg (
skull; the seventh one was on the CHI
and Nuaa more hruiSad than any ~ M