Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-01
THE C0IIW,ELB CASE. (
The Trial Of Joseph Rosenfield's
Assailant in the Circuit Court
Judge smith lpstructs the Jury 10
Find the Defendant Nat Guilty
The Evidence Submitted by
the Prosecution

The trial of Milton Colwell. the colored
teamster of Moline. indicted for cutting
Joseph Rosenfield. of Rock Island, at the
picnic in Davenports pasture east of Mo-
line on Labor day. was begun yesterday
in the circuit court
Much trouble was had in securing
jury, and the questions put to would be
jurors by Mr.. Meese, who conducted the
defense, would indicate that, in his opin-
ion, church influences we're at work to
secure conviction of the defendant be-
cause the prosecuting witness is Catho-
lie. A jury was fiaally empanneled at
o'clock consisting of: W. N Killisu,
Gottlieb Weiss, Henry Frels. G. W. An
son, A Bigelow. Samuel Moffie, G. ".
Spirkle-, Andrew Finley, Albert Keller,
Fred Peterson, William Beatty and w. B.
Cook, and at the adjournment last even
| ing the peoples evidence was almost all
IN.
In brief, the eye witnesses except the
prosecution, substantially agreed that
/ Rosenfield was under the influence Of
liquor. that he poured glass or portion
| OF glass Of beer down his neck and that
he struck or attempted to strike Colwell
before the latter cut him. Rosenfield
denied that he was drunk, but admitted
TAX ng d. I'm beers and four or five
WHISTLES during the day; denied at
tempting to pick quarrel with Colwell
earlier in the afternoon or OF pouring
beer upon him; denied striking him at all,
except possibly after he was cut.
DR.. G. E, Merryman. who saw Rosen
field just after the occurrence, testified as
to the three wounds in his back, on his
hand and the more serious one on his
breast, penetrating to his lung. He saw
him the n xt ray after the occurrence at
his home in Rock Island when Resented
was sitting up, but did not treat him.
Thomas McLsrnan. John Reeder and
Charles Thomas, were the onlg witnesses
called f IT the people this morning, and
their evidence was substantially that of
Of the other eye witnesses, and with this
proof the prosecution rested their case.
Nels Peterson was the first witness for
the defense He was special policeman
Labor day, and in the afternoon, seeing
Rosenfeld bothering Colwell, told the
promised to do. Saw nothing of the
cutting.
The defendant then took the stand and
told the story of the ARRAY He said he
went 10 the grounds in the afternoon and
though never having seen Rosenfield be.
fore, the latter took him by the collar and
shook him calling him vile names; that
the special police irterfered and got wit
ness out of the crowd; that witness went
and visited with some friends and on his
way to his home as he was passing
through the grounds, Resented poured a
glass of beer down his neck and imme-
diately commenced striking him, that
after striking him twice, the crowd clos =
ing in around them and s-eipg no way
of escape, as Roser f ed came at him
again he cut him and as he came at him
q second and third time he cut him twice
more. He denied having his knife open
in his pocket. but said he opened it as
Rosenield was coming at him.
F. W. Calkins. Jr., Charles Post snd
Dell Heck, eye witnesses to the assault.
corroborsted the statements of the de-
PENDANT as to what occurred just at the
time of the frscss, although the last
named did not see Resent III pour any
beer on Colwell, and at this point the
case was adjourned until o'clock
Judge Smith this afternoon instructed
the jury to return verdict of not guilty.
In the meantime William McEniry,
counsel for the prosecutor. he'd by instruc-
tons from his client, Withdrawn from the
case.