The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-11-19
An 0snaburg Man Makes His
Way TO Canton,
And is Robbed Eventually of all
He has.
A Well.KuOwn Business Man Impli-
Gated in the Rohb ny.
Particulars Of an Affair Which Occurred
Last Nisht---The Proof not Sufficiently
Positive as Yet to Mako an Arrest
Both Sidea of the Case.

IL must be allowed in the case which
follows this primary mention, that the old
Scotch verdict applies. The old Scotch
verdict was that the defendent was neither
innocent nor guilty. His case was simply
mot proven.n Whether or not the case
which now comes up partakes of that
nature, must be left to the readers OF the
statements of the interested parties which
follows. It must be agreed, however, that
there is large field for controversy and
Il must also be presumed that crime has
been committed. There is no question
about the crime. So far as that is con-
cerned il may safely be said that Wesley
Delap was robbed. The only thing which
is to be considered is who robbed him.
Reports with reference to this latter phase
OF the case are at variance, Tue man
who was robbed is prominent man in
the section Of the county in which he Ives.
The man who is blamed for committing
the deed is o prominent man also, and is
living in and doing business in Canton.
When represc tatives of the local press
called at police headquarters this morn
ing they encountered an air of mystery
which seemed to shroud the place. Inves-
tigation was made and a story elected
which ranks with any which have yet been
published in these columns. There Is sufil-
cient
EVIDENCE OF FOUL PLAY
to give the story credence although their
is not sufficient evidence TO warrant
Prosecutor Bow to make an arrest at this
particular time.
The habit of falling in with strangers,
showing them around the city and also
showing them to hotels, is not the incest
habit which may be imagined. That is
what Frank Talbert thinks at any rate
and he is about right.
When reporters of the local papers
went into police headquarters this morn.
ing they noticed there o man well adj
4 II, 10
figure from the fact that his nose was
peeled and along the side of his head was
an abrasion which bespoke an encounter
of some kind. When he was questioned
he declined TO give his statement of the
affair, but after some work he was made
to talk.
The story OF the victim of the outrage
which was perpetrated is appended:
THE VICTIMS STORY.
Wesley Delap lives with his wife and
children near Sponseller's school house,
between OsnaburR and North Industry,
His statement with reference to the mat
ter in question is as follows:
~ live at Osnnburg or near there, and
went to Louisville yesterday afternoon. l
had some bills to pay and had also a note
to meet. The note | had extended but
drew money to pay my taxes when
should get to Canton. l went to heim's
bank in Louisville and had a note for 800
discounted. OU NulS lObe L TeCelNtO gJOsOO.
had some loose money with me at the
time and | used il for spending money.
When got on the train at Louisville, Il
had gone there early in the day. went
into the smoking car. | had not been
drinking during the day and was perfectly
sober when went into the car. man
sat In the only seat in the car where there
was any room, and as l entered he beck
oned to me to come over and SIT beside
him.
went over and sat down beside him. He
offered me cigar and we smoked and
chatted during the journey to Canton. He
asked me while | was sitting beside him
how was fixed. told him l had some
money with me. When we got oil the
train we walked up town and went to the
Yohe hotel. We went down in the base
ment and treated. He then asked me
i'll wanted to play cards and said |
would play. We sat down and played
seven up, l won one game and he won
one, and then we sawed off to see who
should pay for all, l lost, and bought the
drinks. 1 then proposed that we go to
the White House, and we started, he |
showing the way. When we got TO the |
end of the street car line we started to |
walk over to the White House, When we |
got part way he tripped me as we were |
walking along, arm in arm, and fell. |
He then picked me up and we proceeded, |
When he helped me up we proceeded |
and went across the railroad track, and |
notin the direction of the White House. !
When | got across the railroad my senses |
left me and do not know what occurred |
after that. When / awoke this morning / |
found that was S96.5O minus.
THE OTHER SIDE.
A NEws.DEMoCRAT reporter interviewed |
Frank Talbert, who is travelling man |
and works for his father, d. B. Talbert,
the cigar maker in South Cherry street. |
Everything taliies exactly with the story
told by Mr.. Delap with very few excep-
tions. Mr.. TalbeTt states that be stopped
at his store on the way VI, town for the
purpose of leaving his valise. The man
who was robbed states that the valise was
taken down afterward.
The great point in which the narrators
differ, however, 10 the robbery. MIR.
Talbert states very plainly that he went
to the end of the street car line. He does |
not state that he went to the White House
with Delap, but states very positively that
he had not. He says he left Delap near
the end of the street car track and then
turned around and came back. He says
that he walked back the entire distance,
although cars were running at the time
and he would have had sufficient time to
wait for a car. This may or may not |
enter into the consideration of the case.
The statement ilicited from Mr.. Talbert
was straightforward one, and carries
with it weight. He is business man OF
the presumption is that he is innocent OF
the charge made against him.
On the other hand il 10 alleged that
Delap is i'm the habit of visiting such
places as the White House is reputed TO
be.
THE PRESENT STATUS
of the case is about this Delap was rob-
bed. Frank Talbert by his own confession
was with him short time before he was
robbed. He states that he was not with
him after the end of the street car line
had been reached, but was with him be-
fore Delap states that his senses we're not
with him after he crossed the railroad
track, hence cannot say that Talbert is
guilty. Talbert's word is good, and that
makes the case more complicated.
DOMESTIC TROUBLES.
The victim Of the robbery, Wesley
Delap, has had a great deal of trouble at
home, He has been absent from home
at various times and his wife has been of
the opinion that all was not right, The
report is that Mr.. Delap had been TO the
White House before, hence it is strange
Mr.. Talbert would be called upon to show
him the way. Mr.. Delap's wife has been
jealous of him for some time past and
although he is farmer who
is well off in this world's goods II Is stated
that divorce suit will be pending very
shortly, and that his wife will ask for
divorce upon grounds which she claims 70
be able to sustain.
In the meantime Mr.. Talbert remains
at his place OF business and Is not under