The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-12-12

usual forcble and highly eloquent manner
and said to the jury that his understanding
of the case was that they should either hang
Yeast or let him 90 free. lie spoke of the
great responsibilities Of the jury, after
which be gave a personal history OF the de-
PENDANT. Weast, he said, was born on a
farm near Metamora, in Woodford county
and was 38 years Of age. His parents were
Germans. and came to this country few
wears before he was born. lie worked on
the farm until he was l6 years Of age, and
for three years after he worked out as a
farm laborer. lie then rented farm in
Iroouois county. The prosecution said he
was A man of means, such was not the case
He was obliged to spend all that he could
scrape together to pay his doctor bills. lie
lived at Benson short time. In rs he
came 10 Streator and started restaurant
with his brother, which he ran until last
April. In the spring of 1880 he went to
California for his health accompanied by his
wife. 1t was through some business tran
sacton that he became acquainted with
Parks. His brother John, who had EN-
barked in business at Benson, in the hope
that the place would some day be a thriving
city, got into debt, and his sister Barbara
applied to Peter Weast for n loan of SoOo'
Did not get it. Applied to Parks, and when
the note became due he paid it and held a
mortgage on his brothers property at Ben
son. On the 4th day of June last Weast
started for Europe. His wife wanted TO go
to Selby Ohio, and on June Parks came TO
Weasts home and remained all night. Both
Parks and Mrs. Weast occupied the same
room that night. She usually slept in room
down stairs with the children, the hired girl
up stairs. That night, however, she or
dered the girl to sleep with the children
down stairs. The next day at the depot
Parks met Mrs. Weast but did not recognize
| her. They took the same train for Chicago
with the nurse girl and children, and regis
tered at the Sherman House. Mrs. Weast
sent the children and girl to the parlor and
the door of Mrs. Weast's room was locked,
and both Parks and herself remained there
for some time. The time Of Sells Bros cir
Gus at StreatOr, some two weeks afterwards,
Parks was in SreatOr and stayed three
nights with Mrs Weast in the upstairs bed
room the door of which was locked Dur
ing the time of the Reunion Parks attended
the theatre with Mrs. Weast Mr.. Duncan
said that if he did not establish beyond any
question the fact that Parks was whitened
sepuIchre Of crime, criminal leper,
poluter of homes and of woman's honor, he
asked the jury that if might cost Peter
Weast his neck. September 26 Parks wrote
a letter to F. C. Marsh signed Emma
which would he produced later on. Once
Weast said to Parks: every time you come
to my house my wife acts so queer after
al
come" When Parks wrote to Mrs. Weast
he sent two letters. One was directed to
Mrs. Weast and simply said, 81 mailed let
ter today to Miss Nellie; see that she gets
it" The letter referred to-the second one
was always addressed. "Miss Nellie
Moyne' One of the letters addressed to
Mrs. Weast was opened by her husband who
went to the post office and said to the clerk:
"Have you letter for Miss Nellie-l forgot
the name?" The clerk at once said, "ls it
Nellie Moyne?" Eyes" said Weast and by
that means he became possessed Of the clue
to this illicit correspondence between her and
Parks. The next day after getting this let
ter he telegraphed Parks to come to Strea-
tor, but Parks answered that it was impos-
sble. Mrs. Weast in the meantime tele-
graphed Parks to come on and that she
would meet him at Reading. few miles
from Streator. As the rest of Mr.. Duncan's
opening statement will be learned from the
testimony of Mr.. Newell, who accompanied
Parks to Reading where they were met by
Mrs. Weast, it is not necessary to give 1t
here. Mr.. Duncan had not finished his
statement at the noon hour. and ut the open
ing of court at 1880 p. NJ. he again took the
floor and spoke for an hour. He took occa'
sion to state that on Sunday morning. the
day the coroner's inquest was held, DR..
Minor, who had charge of the case, went
around the city to consult with other ply
sicians as to line of swearing which they
should pursue when called to testify before
that Jury. He handled the Streator doctors
without gloves and declared that their
methods of surgery as evidenced by their
treatment Of Parks was against all known
laws of the science. Mr.. Duncans opening
speech WAS replete with mastery invective
and scathing and eloquence, and was atten-
lively listened to by a crowded court room
of spectators. Mr.. Mills, who was present,
said that it was the finest opening statement
he had ever heard.
L. NJ. NEWELL.
About 3 o clock L. NJ. Newell, of Minonk,
was called as the first witness and promptly
took the stand.
He stated that he was lawyer and was
now prosecuting attorney of Woodtord coun-
ty, and a resident of Minonk for the past ~
years. Knew Parks and Weast Got
aauainted with Weast some 10 years ago.
Knew Packs 10 yesrs-perhaps longer. lie
lived about mile and u half from Benson
Was grain aud stock dealers. Have done
legal business for him. Saw him Oct. y.
Parks telegraphed me to 60 to Reading with
him. Left Minonk with him about noon OF
that day. When we got to Reading looked
around the station to see if there was any
one there to meet u.s. Saw carriage drive
around slowly, and remarked TO Parks that
the person we desired TO see was IN 1t.
Coming up to the carriage Parks introduced
me to Mrs. Weast. Got in after while, and
Parks took the lines and drove TO Streator
When we got there Mrs Weast directed him
to the Plumb House. After dinner Reeves,
Murdoch and Weast came to the hotel. In
the parlor Reeves proposed that we all go to
his off O.. Parks said he preferred to tran
sact the business in the hotel, aud had en-
yaped room 43. 1t was a large ROOM sepa-