Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-03
HOCHSTETLER'S FURY.
The Murdered Moonshiner Would
Butt His Head on the Ground to
VENT HIS UNCONTROLLABLE RAGE.
AVerdict of Manslaughter Expected Against
General Siegel Miller.
NEWsY NOTES FROM NEARBY TOWNS

ESPECIAL rELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.l
SOMERSET, June 2-The moonshine mur-
der case came to a very abrupt halt to-day.
The defense rested their case after calling
several witnesses to corroborate the testi-
mony offered yesterday afternoon with re-
gard to Hochstetler's savage disposition.
To-day one witness testified that he had
seen Hochstetler, on the occasion of barn.
raising near Trent, tear open his shirt and
bump his head on the ground to relieve
himself of an uncomfortable fit of temper.
Others testified that he had terrified the
whole neighborhood in which he lived; that
they stood not only in bodily fear of him,
but courted his good will in order to pre-
vent his burning their barns or poisoning
their stock. One witness testified that two
weeks before the homicide Hochstetler said
to him:
"If ever meet General Siegel, one or the
other of us will have to bite the dust am
a white-headed hornet, and when sting 1
sting deep"
The defense did not try to prove good
character. and the Common wealth did not
attack it, although they were prepared to
prove that Miller's character for peace was
witnesses stated that they had often seen the
huge knite Hochstetler strapped about his
waist with which he proposed to remove
Milers heart.
The Commonwealth placed Rolla Hoch-
stetler, the murdered mans eldest son, on
the stand in rebuttal. He swore that his
father had been in bad health for the past
five or six years, and that he was not an
able-bodied man at the time OF his death.
He said the knife in question was only car
ried by his father on his hunting trips. The
murdered mans wife was then called and
also testified to her husbands i'll health. On
cross-examination she admitted that her
husband had driven her from home about q
week before his death.
The defence called several physicians
Hochstetler had not received professional
attention for the past ten years. 1t was not
offered in evidence, but 1t ts q well-known
fact that Hotchstetler was in the habit of
writing letters to himself, threatening to
take his own life The name OF William c.
Miller was usually signed to these letters.
They were mailed at one Of the postoffices
at the Fayette county side of the mountains,
and exhibited later among the moonshiners
in order to create q feeling against Miller.
The arguments in the case consumed eight
hours. Judge Longenecker will deliver his
charge to the jury in the morning, and q
verdict is not expected before tomorrow
night. Consul for the Commonwealth say
that the verdict must either be for murder
in the first degree or an acquittal, but it is
said they do not expect either. The defense
| made strong fight for verdict of man
slaughter, and that is the decision expected.
Bob Miller. the son, will be placed on trial
tomorrow. He says If he is to be hanged
he wants it done right away, as he would
rather be dead than continue in Jail. If the
father is only convicted Of manslaughter 1t
is probable that the son will enter plea OF
guilty of the same otfense.