The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-06-08

Hoehststler and voluntarily Surrendered
himself 70 the oficers Of the Law. The Dis
trict Attorney opened the case for the Com
mOnveaiih and while be was detailing 10
the jury what the prosecution expected 70
prove the prisoner became somewhat ner-
vous and restiTs and fambled a Newspaper
which be held IN his hand. The two
months confinement hss told severely on
the prisoner. The sun-burned. heavy set,
healthy, ruddy-faeed mountain boy who was
placed in the county jail during the first
days Of March, Is now = pale, nervous and
delicate looking lad.
The District Attorney occupied about
twenty minutes. The first witness called on
the stand was Wesley Hochsietier, the six
teen-year-old son of the numbered man. He
was bright, intelligent lad and answered
all questions put to him readily and intelIi-
gently. He told hsw his father bad lef
home for Trent postofice on that fatal
March evening and that when be next saw
him be was lying in Crab run, dead. No
cross-sxanination.
A. h Brugh affirmed Hochsietler came
to my store tie evening he was murdered !;
be left on George Chopson's wagon he had
DO arms OF his person that saw.
Cross-examined BY Mr.. KOoser did not
search him to see whether he had any arms.
Wesley Hocllstetler recalled: Ny father
did not have any arms when he left home
that day; be didn't have any reyOlverz but
had two rifles he did not take either Of the
rifss with him
George Chopson sworn Was al lockwood
on 50ih Of March last LEFT Trent little af-
ter / oelock Jonathan Hochs,etier and
josiah NicklOv were on the wagon with
me- Hochsteslar did not haveany arms that
saw; they got eff the wagon up the road
and started il the direction of Hochststler's
house; had 70 pass Bob MiIier's house
but did not see him 81 home; don't think
you can see Bill Millefs house from the
road-
No cross-examination
Josiah Wicklow sworn Left Trent li.ile
after O'Clock on March Goth on George
ChopsOn's wagon; Jonathan HOchstetler
was also On the wagon he was unarmed As
far IS know; We went up the couaty line
road We rode about mile with Chopson
and then Hochsieiier and walked the bal
snee ofihe way when We got to my house
lie went on in the direction Of his home !;
this was the last I saw Of him.
Gro s-examined by &r. Kooser: Did not
search Hochstetler for any arms but if be
had any I didn't see them.
james Beal sworn Live in Pernsssus,
Westmoreland county on the 50th Of March
laSl I was visiting in this county. This
witness then detailed the story Of the mur-
der IS he did in the trial OF Wm c. Miller.
Cross-examiEed by Mr.. Rooser Vas
coming ffom Fayette county into Somerset; !;
I, was about miles from my nncle's to this
point; LEFT ny uncle's directly after din
ner
Harvey Hochsteiler affirmed I am L
years OF age, was living al home 3olh OF
March last went down to Trent that day
for load Of straw; met my father at Bill"
Piles on my way down on my way home
saw Bob Miller; he was At his stable;
asked him, did you see my father to-day p
He said, yes zsked him II he spoke to
him bic answer was didn't give him
that chance" when the alarm was given I
20; on ny horse and vent down to Nick
lozs and sot them on the track = Ii Ian
tern thea went FOR Mr. BeAl Jerry
Whipkey. Mr. Putnam and Others came up
from Trent aHd joined our party in the
search after joined the party We went
over 10 Jocob Gary's We found father "
ing in Crab run. dead, the next day his
head was badly crushed, body bruised, pants
pulled down over his boots
Allen FOrespring affirmed Live on the
County line road in Midilecneek township
about one and one half miles west Of iona
than Hoehs;erler's place; the murder OF Mr..
Hochstesler occurred about one-half mile
from my place; We organized q searching
party found tracks along Crab run; they
were the tracks OF three men; sometimes
they were on the bank and al other times in
the water; Ne organized a party and went
TO Gary's but didn't find him at home /:
from there We went 10 squire Miller's.
where James Beal made 4 statement; We
went to VIM. Miller's the next morning
did not find William at home bat Robert
was there and accompanied as to Abraham
Pletcher's; after We len Z" Abe Pitchers
went over to my plsce for dinner; I came
up from Trent with R5bt Miller the day Of
S1ylor's sale; We were on our way home;
think il was March "A, 1892; jonathan
Hochs,eiler was atthe blacksmith shop ours
ing and swearing. I said TO ~ Bob Miller,
-old YOney Is talking pretty loud to-day
sgain~ aud Bob" said: Yes, by G., he'll
get It some day.
Cross examined by Mr Kooser: It had
been showing pretty much al the afternoon
OF the tragedy and it was pretty dark; there
was snow in the road which was pretty bad
y tracked up; there were tracks OF three
men; Crab run Is a very li:tle stream which
sometimes dries up daring the summer
scarcely more than spring gutter: some
distance down along the Crab run there Is
considerable IaaIe, more there than where
the killing took place; Robert took us to the
right place.
jeremiah Whipkey affirm ed Live within
one-hal! Isile Of Trent was there the even
/ ing Of March 39t b last when the alarm Of
the murder was given. This witness testi-
les substantially the same s. in the trial of
Wm Miller.) From the run vest there is
quite a steep bank: the scuffis took place on
top Of this bank was one OF the jurors
we found a stone lying there which ct in
the hole in the top Of the head there were
only few blood spots on the ground; from
the road down 70 the run We could see dis
tinctly wh7re the body had been drug the
body was lying on its right side partly in the
water the face was right al the edge Of the
water there we're Eve wounds on the corpse;
his clothing was pulled down and his pants
stripped down over his boots
Cross-examined by Mr.. Kooser: When
reached the scene Of the tragedy the next
morning 'Sqaire Miller and one Of Hochstei-
ler's boys were.there; there were number
oftrzcks there about that time below th,
road but only two tracks above the road I.
the stone We f5and bad short angles and 81
in he wounds on the head Of Jonathan
HOchstetler: the sane stone would not have
ii in wounds produced BY gun barrel o.
in some other way.
Siiss Putnam affirmed Live within fifs
rods Of Trent on the evening Of the TRACE