Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-12-21
August u.ossman Found Guilty of the
Murder of Alb ri Molitoi.

The trial OF Angus Orossman. for the
murder OF Alb r; MOitor. came to nm
end last Friday morning. WHEN the Jury
rturn d q verdict of guilty OF murder Of
the first decree. The trial had been 90.
Ing nn nearly ,wo w'"kr.
I h" history of thls case Ia: In the
early history of Pressure lslo county AL
bert Molitor was the principal business
man OF the county, AMI In fact was really
the ruler OF Ihlt d strict. The county
WIS at that tim. but sparsely settled.
most of the inhabitants having immigrant.
ell from Germany. Thr business methods
Of Mr.. Moiior caused an ill-feeling b-.
tween him and many Of the residents.
and II becane so bitter that number Of
them resolved that his death was neccs-
sary for their welfare.
In 1875 twelve Of the misguided men
nss 'mbled Oh the night OF August 23d. at
II place called Reinke's hill, and. after
arranging plans, proceeded to Rogers
| City. where Molit0r's place OF business
was lp;ttei. Thy dls;ovcrel him In
his oillce, aud some of The assassins fired
at him from outside. Molitor was NOR
tally wounded, and died soon after at
Detroit. His clerk, - Sullivan, hear.
ing the discharge Of guns, rushed into
tho OH ~ where Molitor had fallen, and
he also was killed.
From that time until about year ago,
nothing was made public about who the
murderers were. and then William Rcpke
made confession, stating that the muir
der was committed by party of men,
consisting OF himself, Grossman, and
some ten other residents of the county
Ills evidence tended to show that Gross
man was the leader. The parties impli-
Gated 10y R"pke's confession were arrest
ed, but trial could not be had In Pressure
Isle county, because al uninterested jury
could not be obtained, and the cases were
transferred to the Circuit for Alpena
county.
Considerable difficulty was experienced
here In obtaining jury, but after about
one hundred !urymen had been drawn,
twelve were agreed upon. The prosecu-
ton was conducted 10y Attorney General
Ellis, James McNaniars and Philip A.
Inglrsl'y. The side of the defense wa
taken care Of by John Atkinson. Frank
limerick, G. ii. Sleator. V. &. Durham
and Griffin Convey. August GrossmaI
was selected TO he the first of h. accused
men 10 be tried. 50 FAR criminal III trge,
nave been preferred against Augrsi Gross
man., August Fughnan. Henry Jacobs
Carl Eogler, Stephen R'igsr and William
R"pk" Two of the men implicated hav,
dich since the murder, and the others
turned states 'v.d,nc".
TIN prose, u lon mad out n strong cas-
a. several nrnllnis 81 III Iaity I, s III,
hat they and this on trial hal formec
lhr crowd IL kiled Molitor Some o
tn w,ines,,s tcst fled that Repke WAS Oh,
ol h i,alrlS.
Tic d. 'ons" trl,d 10 prove an abb
aud produce, Z. Mr. G ossnun who test
lied that h"r husband Was al home at tn.
time Moltor was shot They also pro
,uu"d the death bed confess on OF August
l'ar,has, which WAS 10. IN" effect ,hr
lt"pk". ruelyetski, and himself had muir
d Ri Mel r.
Tn" ruu; occupied wo days IN ma
iug IN III a I'm ats. and the case Wa,
ett with he i.Iy thursday evening. III
II ~ lmliuc 10 -aiti To have heCn eight &c
four. tut ~ morning Ihos" oppos ii t,
returning verdict of guilty chang d thrll
Views. uud FRIDAY morning n verdict al
gu lty was returned
The defense have asked fer new trial
and Tho question will h d.s ;ussed brfor,
Judge Kelley. On The 20 II.
lr the Judge should not gram new
trial, the ease viii br appeal. to the
Supreme Court. ST. that it 8 likely TO b,
II long time yet before II ~ finally settled
For nearly two weeks the jury wer,
cOnlin d To The Court House, slept an
had lh'r meals served ihrre.
The cXirl's' Of the trial have to l..
paid hy l'r squc Isle county. and befor'
h cas 6 are all se,tl,'d. will cost thai
county many thousand dollars.