Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-05-31
DISTRICT COURT.
Fragrant Hill Fragrance the Topic
for Discussion.

The Sutphens' mills case Which ha!
been on trial for two days was given tC
the jury Saturday. The chief wit
ness for the State has been Jos. Shat.
fer. who turned States evidence and
told many damaging tales regarding
the gang. He testified that they had
not only robbed farmers in their neigh
borhoed but merchants in Hope, Her
ington, Enterprise and Abilene, Hodge
Bros. and y. C. Romig in this city.
The defense introduced considerable
testimony to prove Shaffer lacking in
| veracity. The State brought, OF
course, testimony in rebuttal.
Judge Nicholson today gave his in.
structions to the jury clearly nfOlming
them of The duty that lay before them.
Hon, ]. r. Burton assistant attorney
for the State, addressed the jury in
| forcible language reviewing the evil
dence and showing in strong terms the
unassailable burden of evidence against
the prisoners. After short recess. G,
S. Crawford made the opening plea fol
the defense. He dwelt upon the i'm
parchment of Shaffer's testimony and
made strong case for his clients.
Mohler and Hurd followed and the
case was given to the jury at $50. AT
ter 40 minutes, the jur, returned a
verdict of guilty of grand larceny
and burglary against Hiram and Isaac
johnson, Henry Krienhop and Martin
Thomas. The penalty is imprisonment
at hard labor for not exceeding five
years.
The first case was the State VS.. John
Bell. This is a second case against Mr..
Bell for being implicated with the gang
of thieves which has infested the north
eastern part of the county for several
wears. G.. w. Hurd and 0. l.. Moore
Appeared for the State, and G. S. Craw-
ford for the defense. The evidence
was very similar to that which was
produced in the former case against
Mr.. Bell and elected the fact that Mr..
Bell belongs to gang of villains who
were banded together for the purpose
of pilfering what ever they could
| lay their hands on; that their principal
work was in stealing farming nipple
ments from farmers. fruit trees, fence
wire, lumber, and anything about
stores in junction, Abilene or Chapman
that they could get their hands on. 1t
| is miniature BlalOck outfit, and II
they had not been caught thus early in
their career they would doubtless have
developed into robbers and murderers.
There have already been six convic'
lions and more suits still pending. o.
IL. Moore, of the law firm of Burton 4
Moore. deserves especial credit for
| ferreting out this gang of thieves and
working up the evidence which has
placed the criminals behind the bars.
In the case Of the State VS.. Yocum.
in which Yocum was charged with dis
posing of mortgaged property for the
purpose of defrauding the mortgage
Yocum plead guilty and was fined SGT
and costs.
The Court then passed sentence upon
a nmber of prisoners who had beer
convicted or plead guilty.
Mr.. James Smith, found guilty o.
assault and battery at Harrington, was
fined $25 and costs.
The young, 13-year-old boy, Abran
Skedgel, who came here from New
York about a year ago under the auspi
ces of the Children's Aid Fund, ant
who was found guilty of stealing
wagon, team and colt, was sent to tn
reform school until he is p years old.
| Jesse Moore, charged with takint
coal from the Missouri Pacific Railroa
Co. at Heringtor, was discharged, tn
county attorney stating that he did no
believe the defendant was guilty.
} Jim Allison, who plead guilty to sell
! ing bug juice contrary to law, wi
languish in the county jail for the mex
sixty days and until he pays a fine Q
800 and the costs of his prosecution
Thus the way of the transgresso
was not very smooth yesterday.
Court adjourned until Thursda
morning at o'clock, at which tim
will be called the case of the State W
Morgan. in which case the defendar
is charged with numbering one Coz
IN the south part of the county.
State VS. Thos. Morgan for murder
Goul. Atty. Hurd assisted by w.
Stambaugh; w. H. Carpenter and v
r II. Ketchun, Marion, for defense.
a Nearly all day taken in impaneling
> jury. At 3:30 the first witness, A.
Shumway. was called and is still c
+ the stand. His testimony is chiefly +
garding the location of the scene of I'll
murder.