The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-12-24
UNSUITABLE HOMICIDE.
A Jury's Verdict i'm the Galloway
County Case.

Jefferson City, Mo-. Dec. lo.-An IN
Q ,est was held at the Epperson farm, in
Galloway county, yesterday, over the dead
body of Julius Hofer, the young Germ ar
who was shot and instantly killed yester
day bx Miss Louisa Eppersou. The testi
mony at the trial showed the facts TO have
been entirely different from the story told
by the brother OF the deceased last night
The girl's testimony shows that she was
the victim Of most brutal assault on the
part of Hofer. Her story is to the effect
that yesterday morning The dece used
language toward her which impeached her
character. Her father and mother were
absent at the time, and she had to rely
upon herself She called Hofer liar, and
told him that she would kill him If the
language was repeated. He went to the
field with the other hands,
but returned ahead of them a
few minutes, and. catering the house. re-
peated the offensive language used In the
morning. She ordered him out of the
house, but in place of leaving, he made q
criminal assault upon her. She fought
like a demon and tried to scream, but
Hofer choked her. She still fought, and
Hofer thinking that the other hands were
approaching released her. Tom Williams
a colored hand, came to the house and the
girl said: "Why did you not come when
l called?" WilliamC answered: IL did
not hear you. What was the matter ?'
"O," said the girl, al wanted you to take
that Dutchman awsy from the house. He
treated me awfully, and / will kill him ii
he was the last Dutcbman on earth"
After this conversation the girl went into
al OH M
being built, all of which is
not yet in use-and returned a minute
later with 38-csllber Smith & Wesson
pistol in her hand. In the meantime
Hofer. his brother, and a negro hand had
seated themselves at the table. Williams
seeing the pistol in the girls hand, TRIED to
stop her, but was too slow. sShe stepped
closed to Hofer, who was cutting q piece
of meat, and before he was aware Of her
presence shot him Just above the right ear.
His brother, Joseph Hofer, who was sit
ting at the table, sprang to his feet, so the
girl and Williams say, and tried to strike
her with . chair, but Williams interfered.
The girl then went into the old building,
threw the pistol on the bed and tainted.
Hofer was killed so dead that he did not
fall out of his chair, but remained
at the table, grim sentinel
of the unfinished meal. The body
remained in his position until taken away
by the coroner to-day. The testimony of
Williams, and, in fact, all who witnessed
the tragedy, is substantially the same In
regard to the shooting, and the statements
MAIDS by the two negroes corrobcrates the
girl's evidence in all they witnessed or
heard. The coroner'5 jury was composed
of farmers. After cGrefsl examination
tbs jury returned verdict of justiiable
homicide, and consequently The girl was
not held. The prosecuting attorney was
satisfied with tie verdict. The young lady
is suffering greatly from nervous pros,ra-
ton, and has net left her room since tAe
shooting. Joseph Hofer, brother OF the
dead man, returned to this city
to-day and sent a coffin for the corpse.
He is still greatly excited. aud claims 70
be afraid to 60 back 4crcss The river, Civ
ing as reason that he thinks the people
would kill him. he talked about he
shooting all day, and his story Is substsn-
TALLY what IVES repeated last night. He
said, however, that tie language which
caused the girl TO kill his brother was of
such nature as attacked her character, snd
this, he AYERS, was the sole cause of the
shooting. Friends and relatives of the
dead man LETT this morning with cofin,
and returned tonight with the body, which
will be taken tonight to Waf1syi!le
twelve miles from here, for burial. joseph
Hofcr WIS in novice connected with his
brother in the assault upon Miss Apper-
son.