Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-01-23
JOHN MEYERS ON TRIAL.
ONE OF THE ROBBERS OF KIB-
LER AT THE BAR OF
JUSTICE.
All the Evidence Before the Jury.

1
All the Evidence Before the Jury.
The trial of the bunco men who robbed
Mr.. Philip Kibler, an old and respected
citizen of this county, on the 8th OF
November, 1890, begun on Monday, after
haying been postponed from time to
time, until the people of the county were
almost disguised with the laws delay and
thoroughly out of humor at what they
considered the unnecessary expense thus
piled up on the taxpayers of the State In
trying to bring to justice three as danger
GUS confidence swindlers as ever threat
ened the hard earned money of honest
toilers.
As most of our readers will remember,
Mr.. Kibler came to town on Saturday
afternoon, of November 9Th, last, and
gave such information to Mr.. M. Geary,
as caused him to think that Mr.. Kibler
had been robbed. and he at once took Elm
to Commonwealth Attorney. Capt. j.
C. Baker. His statement to this official
caused kilograms to be sent out to differ
ent points, one of them reaching deputy
sheriffs Jno. w. Wenger and Robt. c.
Hoshour, who happened to be in Stras-
burg ct the time. These officers went to
the Chaly beate Hotel where they found
the parties. Unfortunately Mr.. Kibler
had only mentioned two of the men in his
first statement, and the officers arrested
these as they were in the act of unhitch-
ing the horses from their carriage. One
Of the men attempted to escape by run
ming through the stable yard when they
Jaw the officers, but he was headed off by
Mr.. Wepger. The third man made good
his escape before it was known that he
was wanted. The first two, calling them
selves Jno. Meyers and James Anthony,
were brought to this place and arraigned
before Justice Jno. II. Grabill, who COM
mittsd them to Jail for the action of the
grand jury. In short time the third
man, calling himself VIM. Weed, was ar
rested in Philadelphia, and was brought
back and also committed to Jail, and the
grand Jury found true bill against the
three. During the time they were con-
fined in the Jail here, owing to its In
secure condition, an armed guard watch
ed over them day and night. This was
kept up until they were removed to the
steel cells in the Harrisonburg Jail, where
they were confined until the new steel
cages in the Jail here were ready for oc'
cupancy, some time last week, when they
once more changed quarters and now are
snuely and, it is supposed, safely lodged
IN TAILOR Wenger's modern hotel.
when the prisoners were brought into
court the room was denssly packed with
an eager and anxious crowd, and for the
first time in this county the ladies formed
a part of the interested spectators, the
gallery being filled with an array of fan
forms and faces. The selection of jury
from the thirty six men who had beer
summoned resulted in the following
twelve men being sworn in:
Jos. Bowman, S. w. Breedlove. Jacol
]. Bushoug, L. E. Emswiller, Geo. ID
Coffman, E. 2. Dingledine, NJ. c. Gearing
D. D. DowneY, Lewis Crissman, Amo
Funkhouser, D. N. Crabill, S. NJ. Boyer
The prisoners elected 10 be tried sep
arately, and John Meyers was put upoK
his trial. He was represented by Maj
Holmes Conrad and w. r. Alexander, o
the Winchester bar, and Gen. Jas. II
Williams, of this bar. For the Common
monwealth appeared its Attorney, Capt
Jas. C. Baker, assisted by Mr.. NJ. l.. Wal
ton, of this bar. EVERYTHING Indicated
hard fight, and the jam of spectators, Il
their eagerness to hear and see 1t all
crowded up toward the bench and bar IN
til jadge and jury, prisonerssnd attorneys
were almost suffocated. As the prisoner
Jno. Meyers, stood up before the court
listen to the reading OF the indictment a
eyes were turned upon him. He bore til
ordeal bravelv, but his eager glances a
. the faces before him attested the anxiet
that filed his whole being at the moment
THE TESTIMONY.
Mr.. A. P. McInturff was sworn an
II took the witness stand. 81 reside !
Strasburg; am proprietor of the Chalyb'
alto Hotel. recognize the prisoner, Jn'
Meyers. First saw him on tho 9th
November. There was another gentle
man with him, now in the court room,
, (pointipg TO James Anthony 1.-The
came to my hotel on the 9th OF Novembe
| az the hotel register will show" (Regi
/, ter here produced.) Just before goiu
to bed the prisoner John Meyers) regi
2 tered as John Miller, the other prisoner
, James Anthony, registered as Josep
johnson, and the third one, VIM, Neet
registered as Fl. W. Thompson" In al
swer to a question Mr.. McInturff salt
that "the two men h, had Just describe
, were with the prisoner, Jno. Meyers
Jno. Miller, as he registered. They wei
= at my hotel from the evening of the Ut
until evening of November 9Th. 10
johnson remained at the hotel all day o
r the 9TH other two hired horse and bugg
!; and were gone until evening. Next morl
ing Meyers and Anthony hired doub
4: team. black and bay horses aud DaytC
( wagon, to drive into the country on bus
: ness. Mr.. johnson also ordered An earl
7 breakfast, and walked to the country
. sell some paint TO customer"
), Upon cross examination Mr. MclntuI
said: ~ saw the prisone, register. but
= not remember whether he registered +
b both or not" He knew that he registe