Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-08
A WEB OF EVIDENCE
BEING WOVEN AROUND WEST. THE Al.
LEGGED MURDERER.

Letters and Discoveries That COrrobOrate
Previous Testimony-The Prisoner Fa-
miIiar With the Crouch Home and Knew
Where the Money Was Kept:
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,
WASHINGTON, Pa, October 1.-THE
West murder trial was resumed at 9 o'clock
DR.. French testified that all three of
the Crouch family were killed by
blows on the neck that had sew
cred the vertebra. Justice Mccormick,
of Bentleysville, testified that he had charge of
the inquest held after the murder; that the
search of the house revealed S346 go hidden IN
different places; that there were some evil
dences of the house having been searched.
The letter found in Vests trunk. a tender
missive to Miss Anna Brundage. was presented
in evidence. Alpheus Crawford testified that
the prisoner had been treated as friend by
the murdered family. The testimony of other
witnesses tended to prove that West knew of
the sums of money kept in the house.
Charles Hoover OF Allegheny City, said that
he saw West at the Allegheny market the 18th
of May West had presented an order from
his uncle, Basil Barker, for S4 So He paid him
the money and the order afterward proved to
be forgery This was corroborated by Barker
himself.
Squire Mccormick who had impaneled the
jury, gave some interesting testimony con-
cerning the discoveries at the house, and cor
roborated much testimony that had been given
previously Witness testified that the search
made in the house revealed about S346 in money
and almost So in notes and papers.
Squire McCormick's testimony was followed
by some important testimony from the fore
man of the Coroner's jury. A. L. Bayard He
noticed a churn partly filed with butter and
milk at the house of the Crouches on the morn
ing after the murder. This churn was sitting
just outside the kitchen door. Mayor Hous-
seen the contents of trunk that
West had taken with him to Beaver
Falls. Other witnesses testified that
West was acquainted with the Crouch family
and had frequently been at the house-several
times in recent years. West accompanied An
drew Crouch to the house and got money with
which to pay the hired hands. ne knew waere
the family kept their money. and had often
said he liked to work for them because tney
had plenty of money.
Testimony was introduced by persons from
Sew1ckley to show that West had worked there
during part of April and May; that he had
drawn money from his employer and left in the
afternoon of Mays. His course was then fol-
lowed to Monongahela City. He was accom-
panied by Annie Brundage and little boy. The
two latter persons were left at the Mllgus
House. and West was seen going to Bentleys-
vile on foot
Testimony was then introduced showing
that tracks had been made about the Crouch
residence which led from Vests home TO the
homestead, and from there by roundabout
route to Monongahela City. There West met
Annie Brundage again. The shoes that were
found in Vests trunk at Beaver Falls were
identified and it was concluslvely proven that
the tracks were made by the shoes or ones ex-
actly like them.
Much testimony was introduced concerning
the motive for the perpetration of the crime.
In the afternoon it was proved that West had
been seen going to Monongahela City on the
mo- of m Shunne0 neODle.
and that he lied about his errand to Bentleys-
vile. Thomas Coyle was the principal witness
up to the hour Of adjournment, who had lden-
titled West on his way to Monongahela City.