Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-22
The Defense in the CritChIOW Case
Accounts for the Movements
OF THE DEFENDANT DURING THE
Time He is Alleged to Have Been
Killing Pinkerton Detectives on
the Barges Before Homestead
He Went Over to BraddOck and
Was Seen in Homestead at the
Time Conner Was Killed.

the defense would open the nrsJ Lnlng.
Did YOU see the defendant on July 6th!
eyes, sir, saw him standing at the pump
house at S a. IN, ana after the surrender.
He was then coming into the barges at "a
II. and had a gun IN his hands, and also IN
the evening"
On cross-examination he said be was IN
the employ of the Pinkertons When he
saw CritChlOW the witness was standing IN
the bow of the boat There were four or
five men with Critchlow. Major MOntOoth
conducted the cross-examination and put
questions very rapidly 10 the witness, and
succeeded in getting him 20 admit that
about all he knew about the case had oeen
told him.
A number of photographs were then
offered ia evidence, and also the bullets
dug out Of the barges by Captain Cooper,
and the Commonwealth rested, and w. ).
Bremen said the attorneys for the defense
desired 10 20 into consultation. This was
agreed TO. and all of the defendants coun-
sci retired, and after being in consultation
they returned, and George w. Argo, Esq,
of Sioux City, opened for the defense, and
said.
"To meis assigned the important duty OF
opening the defense in this most eXtrdor-
binary case. L ought 10 explain the pres
ence of Mr. Erwin and myself mere. We
were sent here by the labOring men or the
Northwest 70 aid so far as we can this de-
feudant" Mr. Argo then told the story OF
the sending Of the PinkertOns TO Home
stead, ana continued:
I'VE say this was an invasion by for
eign armed fOHee; au assault on the com
monwealth; an assault on the county; an
assault on the soil, and an assault on you
and all the people of this county and State.
This armed body of men who invaded this
State were not employed as labOrerS; they
were men who could not have been made
deputy sheriffs; they were emiSsarles-tor
what purpose. When they reached Home
stead they made an attack on the people OF
this county and this State. So far as has
been shown they were not there 10 protect
property; no evidence 10 show what they
were doing there. They were met by the
good citizens of Homestead and when they
attempted TO land they were met with re-
sistance We say all persons on the
banks of the river when this armed oody
attempted to land had right there; that
each had a right 10 deferd himself aad all
others present, that al had q riSAt 70 use
deadly weapons when attacked by such
weapons as these people on shore were;
they were attacked aud had a right to de-
fend themselves aud each ether; that
Critchlow had nothing to do with the death
of CCunor. The evidence 50 far as Crltch-
low is cOncerued viii be that about 9 80
a. N. July 6, he passed up the Munhall
road, crossed the ferry, went TO Braddeck
and remained there till noon and returned
home; that he was not in the mill, not pres
ent during the trouble, out that it was an
other CrtchlOW, not the defendant
whom witnesses say they saw be-
mind the breastworks; aid not fire a
gun from behind such OreastwOrks; did
not 90 on the barge as has been testified to.
That ne passed along by the Office gate on
the morning Of July g, and that he had
gun. is true, but he did not use It, He had
no ammunition. We expect 10 prove by
witness that the shot which killed Connor
came from the Braddocil side.'
Mr. Erwin then addressed the Jury. lie
SAID in part:
"The theory Of the prosecusiOn is that
there was riot. That IS a douOlY CANNED
fiction. II there was a riot, and Cri-chlOw
on one side is guilty ana those on the other
side are equally guilty. This is ticti-
tious attempt to shut the truth from
the iury. The wish TO hide the
cowardly, tyranuiCal and unsCrupul0uS
conduct of Carnegie aud tric6, and they
expect this court to act as Pontious Pill
ate. Never since the days OF Herod has
there been such a hard hearted, cOld-blOOd-
ed man as this man Fric6. 1t is the most
disEraceful thing TO note that while this
woman, this skilled worker IS here on trial
Tor murder, this man Frick, VINO caused
all trouble, is hObnoobing with the heads
of this Government. This man trick, this
brutal tyraut, dared to commit treason by
bringing into the borders of this State an
armed BODY of men for his own private
purposes
Court then adjourned for dinner.
The defense devoted the entire afternoon
session 10 proving that CritchlOw was not
AZ the mill on the day Of the rot. Samuel
Rothrauff said ne saw the defendant on the
BraddOck side OF the river al IO O'CLOCK IN
the morning.
He was on a street car and was going to
Braddock Later they we're together IN
Homestead, and separated about = o'clock.
They were not near the mill yard Criticize
low carried gun nearly all the time, out
finally left il in a hardware store. Inc Wit
ness was subjected TO q searching cross
examination, but he could not be made TO
deviate from the main story.
His answers were prompt and given
without hesitation. Six other witnesses,
including one woman, all svore positively
that tbev met the defendant in the town Of
Homestead in the afternoon. -Four said
thew saw him between 3 and $40 O'CLOCK,
between Twelfth and Fourteenth streets,
Going 70 his home. Court then adjourned
until p. m.
,igbt session. and without eXception@ney
swore that they had seen CriJchlow IN the
town of Homestead between y aud 3
o'clock y. no. The prosecution proved that
Conner had been shot after y o'clock and
before 8 o O'clOck. ,u.,
Sir. TAYLOR. the last witness, said that ne
was on the railroad bridge when tue oarges
arrived, and from the Hash IL looked 70 n;in
O. - the first shot had been fired from the
borges The defense will PROBABLY close To-
I,,orroyv morning. and the case may so 10
tbe iurv in the evening. Itis the opinion
of attorneys who heard the evidence that
Cr;fchlow has proven a good altoi, and that
convection is not probable.