The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-03-23
The Orsinger Murder Case.

court on Monday afternoon, Judge blanchard
presiding, States Attorney Geo. W. W.
Blake and ex States Attorney NJ. I. Maloney
appeared for the People, and Duncan
O'Connor a. Gilbert for Felix Orsinger.
The selection of a jury consumed the time
from Monday afternoon to Tuesday noon,
when. after nearly fifty men had been ques'
toned, o jury, Messrs. J. p. Fiske, c. A.
Averill, Chas. Rohrer, is. Carr, Joseph
knight, Lucien Warren, VIM. Baker, Joseph
Ringer. John W. Studebaker, Frank Debolt,
ID N. Alcorn and Augustus Smith, was at
length secured.
The opening statements did not consume
more than half hour. Mr.. Blake made q
statement Of the facts in the case, and said
that death had been caused by the blows
struck and asked a verdict of murder. Mr..
Duncan asked verdict Of scquital, claiming
that Wagner had been intoxicated during
the day and previous night, and that death
was caused by the influence of passion under
which he was laboring, inducing hemmhor.
age of the BRAIN.
The prosecution introduced plat Of the
premises. which Surveyor Wilson swore to
be correct.
MRS. WAGNER-Mrs. Wsgner's testimony
was the same as that given to her before the
court on the occasion Of the habeas corpus
proceedings. Orsinger came to the bake
shop on the evening Of June 4th and asked
for Wagner, saying that he wanted to see
him. She had just finished supper and was
putting the perishable food in the ice chest
when he entered. Just as he spoke, Wagner
came in. Orsinger struck at him and hit
her in the mouth, knocking one Of her teeth
down her throat. He then went out, leaving
struck and kicked Wagner, until the latter
fell to the floor. He then picked up his hat
add went out. Medical aid was called and
Wagner was pronounced dead. She said
that Wagner did not strike Orsinger at any
time, but that the latter did all the striking,
and that the last blow was on the left side.
Orsinger kicked Wagner twice and struck
him once with his fist.
MICHAEL CALLAHAN, or LII Sale, said he
was standing across the street from Wagner 8
store, on the evening of the tragedy and saw
man back out Of the place and Wagner
shut the door. The man was bare headed
and went back into the place again. He
again came out, went across the street and
through the alley toward the home of Mr..
Orsinger. then recognized him as Felix
Orsinger. This was between six and seven
clock. The first time he came out he was
showed out by Wagner. There was brief
scuie at the door, Saw no one but Wagner
and Orsinger at that time. Cross 1.-Wss
sitting with my back to Wagner's place.
did not see blow of any kind struck and
did not see weapon Of any kind in Or
singers hand. He had his hat when he
came out the last time.
WILLIAM KIRcHNER said he knew Felix
Orsinger by sight; boarded next to Wag-
ners; was eating supper when the affair oc.
Cured, between $50 and 6:45 o'clock.
Heard tumbling around and noises next
door. jumped up, ran out on the sidewalk
and looked in the window of the baker shop.
Saw Wagner getting hit, and he and Mrs.
Wagner were pushing and showing to put
out the man who was hitting Wagner. They
got him out and his hat was in the store. He
tried two or three times, and at last got in.
He struck him about half dozen blows
more, and Wagner turned away and fell,
while the man picked up his hat and went
out. | now know the man as Orsinger.
The last time he struck Wagner he hit him
on the left side. Wagner had his back to
tho counter, end when he fell he turned and
fell toward the west. His head did not
strike again anything but the floor. Or.
singer did not strike him with anything but
his fists Wagner did not strike him, that !
saw. heard no words spoken. did not
know whether Wagner was dead or alive,
but supposed he was only knocked down
Orsinser started out south and l went back
and finished my supper. -E1.-The
cross examination developed the fact that
the witness was about five feet five inches
tall, and that when witnessing the occurrence
he was compelled to look over about five feet
of distractions. He had called at Mrs
Wagner's place number of times since his
death. Re. Direct--Ilsd called, on invitation
at Duncan, O'Connor & Gilbert's Office in
| La Sale. Re. Cross. Er.-Mr. Duncan was moi
there. This was before the habeas corpus
proceedings. Refused to go again when re
quested.
JOSEPH O. HALLoRAN said he was in from
of saloon near by Oh the evening of June
4th. was across the street saw Felix Or
singer trying to get into Wagners store ant
started across the street. Orsinger got in
Heard Wagner say, I'll kill you. Orsingel
kicked WagRer and he fell to the ground.
was about twenty feet from the door. Wher