The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-03-07
A CHAIN OF EVIDENCE
Circumstirtisl in Character, Bat Strongly
Convincing Of 3 xIn's Bloody Act
"A Butchery of Twenty-Five Years Ago Re-
called by Efforts to Secure the Par
don OF a Life Convict at
Michigan City.

Several gentlemen from New Haven.
Allen County, accompanied by a Hunting
ton Attorney, were in the city yesterday
for the purpose, if possible, of furthering
the interests Of Buel @. Webster, a life con-
vict in the Northern Prison, and whose ap[
plication for pardon is now pending, The
petition for the pardon was first presented
to Governor Hendricks in 1876 aud has
since been on file. The crime for which
Webster is spending his life in prison was
one of the most horrible known to the
records of Indiana, and he was convicted
wholly on circumstantial evidence.
About twenty-five years ago there lived
in Allen Township, Allen County, about
eight miles east of Ft. Wayne, French
family named Pepe, consisting OF q hus-
band, wife and three children. A few days
before the crime for which Webster was
convicted the Pepe's sold the, farm and
farming implements and VIC = preparing
to return to France. 1t was supposed
that they had received so mething
more than $500 in gold. Pepes
neighbors discovered one morning
that Pepe's house had been burned, and
nothing remained but q mass of ruins,
Their surprise turned to horror when an
examination OF the premises developed
thst buried in the ruins were the bodies
of the entire family. 1t was at once the
theory Of nearly everybody that during
the night the house had caught fire and
the family died of suffocation. However,
a few suspected. foul play. A coroner's jury
of MI 1rr1rra cd p7a a.oka
then about thirty-e years old, and who
lived with his mother two miles south OF
Pepe's, wss made foreman of the jury.
Considerable testimony was taken, and
after several days deliberstion the jury re-
turned q verdict that the Pepe family had
come to their death by sufocation.
Friends Of the dead family were not
satisfied. with this verdictias some.suspicious
facts bad come to light during the inquest,
and they at once placed the matter in the
hands Of w. T. Pratt, then Sheriff Of the
county. Hewent to work on the case in
Garnet and a thorough post-mortem dis
| closed that the skulls OF Mr.. and Mrs. Pepe
had been crushed by the use OF some heavy
weapon, and that the throats of the three
children had been cut. This was regarded
as conclusive evidence that crime had
been committed, and the Sheriff then be-
the murderer. This, however, proved
rather easy, for three honest
farmers came forward and testified
that they met Buel Webster the man who
had served as foreman OF the Coroner's
jury and acted as one Of the pall-bearers at
the funeral of the Pepe family, at about G
O'Clock Oh the evening of the murder at
the forks Of the road, and only about 800
yards from the Pepe house, with an sx on
his shoulder. It was also proved that on
that day Webster had been working for
his brother, who iv ed about half mile
east of Pepe's, and when he was met by
the three farmers he was on his way home.
Webster's mother testified that he did not
get home on the night of the murder until
about 10 O'Clock, and that Just before COM
ing in the house he washed his hands Ia 8
rur ming spring near by. Webster was
placed under arrest, and when taken into
custody considerable gold coin was found
| in his possession, much more, in fact than
he utually carried.
he was soon placed on trial in the
Allen Circuit Court, and was con.
victed on circumstantial evidence of
murder in the first degree and
sentenced TO the penitentiary for life.
Hon. Alfred P. Edgerton, now one of the
United States Civil-service Commissioners,
was foreman OF the Jury, and Jesse L.
Williams, then the wealthiest man in
northern Indiana, and one of the best
known men in the State, was also men,
Der of it. Eleven Of the Jurors favored
the hanging of Webster, but Mr.. Williams
refused to consent to it, for the reason that
the evidence was entirely circumstantial,
and life sentence was finally agreed upon
as q compromise. The great majority OF
the people of that locality were firmly
convin ced of Websters guilt, and were
clamoripg for his blood. He was safely
removed to Michigan City. however, and
the Pepe butchery passed into history as
the most brutal murder known to criminal
history of Indiana.
Webster has always protested his inno'
cence, and has shed many tears trying 70
convince others that he did not kill the
Pepe family. He has been q model pris-
oner, and whenever he finds that an Allen
county man is visiting the prison he asks
the warden to allow him to see the Wis
itor, and If granted the privilege always
makes a frantic appeal for assistance to
secure a pardon. Webster is sixty years
old and looks older. He is quite infirm,
and many Of his friends think his mind is
very much weakened.
Last winter when the Legislative Com
mittee visited the Northern Prison, Colonel
w. II. Briant of Huntington, who was q
member OF tnat committee, met Webster
and was so much moved by his appeals for
mercy and protestations of innocence that
he promised the prisoner to do all In his
power to secure his release, and he has
been IS good as his word. Colonel Brisnt
believes Webster innocent, and. as an evi-
dence OF good faith, has agreed to give
him light employment in his mill al
Huntington and to take care OF him az
long as he lives. Webster's mother died
some years ago, and his brother moved
away shortly afterwsrd, 80 that now, 20 faI
as known, he has not relative in the
State. Commissioner Edgerton firmly
believes Webster guilty, and he is opposed
to granting a pardon. 1t is told Of Mr..
Edgerton that he has written to every
Governor that has been elected since the
filing of Webster's petition, giving q com
plete history Of the crime and reciting the
evidence upon which Webster was con.
victed,
1t is the general impression among those
familiar xuff that