Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-09
Peculiar Circumstances Are Found
in the Noblest0Wn Affair.
P. WOCHER, A GERMAN BUTCHER,
Is Credited With Keeping the Murderer
In the Icehouse.
THE CORONER CONTINUES THE CASE

WlbuCoSSS
the testimony developing some new features,
and 1t was thought advisable to continue
the hearing until Friday afternoon at 1
o'clock.
The story of the bombardment of Reed,
as told yesterday by the witnesses, was
about the same as was given in The Dis
PATCH of Sunday. The evidence showed
that the capture OF Reed could have been
made in more humane manner The
crowd seemed to be without . general, how
ever, and every man had different plan,
which all looked to the extermi-
nation of Reed. The aim of
the case was to show the position
that Peter Wocher, the owner of the
icehouse, held toward Reed. An attempt
was made to prove that Reed came to
Noblestown last Wednesday and Wocher
was keening him secluded in the icehouse.
The testimony adduced in this line was pc
culiar. Witnesses who were to prove this
were not present. The Wocher family
were on hand.
She Denied Everything.
Mrs. Mary Wocher was the first to give
her testimony. She said;
have known Martin Reed for many years.
but have not seen him for three or four
years. I did not see him last wednesday.
There are q great many strange people come
to our butcher shop; but l would have
house on ssurday never Rnew of aSy @
meals being taken to the icehouse. Last
week there was man at the house who
asked for something to eat, but did not see
away in the fcehouse.
j. n. Thomas-I live in Mcdonald and
went to Noblestown Saturday. just as
arrived on the scene of the trouble the
building was fired. 1 got very close to the
structure and could see Reed through the
flames. He was sitting, or rather half stand
ioehouse. He aid not s look Ok a. T large "a as Mar. lar
nizable. searched the building and found
charred foot where Reeds body had lain.
heard two shots in the building.
G. R. Buchhart followed. He told about
the. same story as Thomaa He claims that
he called 20 Reed to surrender, but received
no reply. He said he saw Deputy Sheriff
Coyle before he started down to Mobiles
town, and Mr. Buchhart thought he was not
entirely sober.
Some Expert Testimony.
Detective W. B. McBride's testimony
brought out nothing new. He told how
Chief Orr was shot and of the attempt to
secure Reed alive.
DR.. R. j. A. Irwin was called. He testi-
fed that Reeds death was due to a gunshot
wound in the heart, inflicted probably be-
fore the icehouse had been fired. The body,
he said, was charred and the lower limbs
were missing, also the skull and abdomen had
been burned away. The heart and lungs
were in good condition. DR.. Irwin said the
bullet entered between the fourth and fifth
rib and then took downward course. A
man to have shot him must have been in an
elevated position. He could find no evil
dence of bullet wounds anywhere else on
the body. o..
Dr.. D. G. Foster, of Grafton, examined
the body of Huge Coyle at Noblestown
after he was killed. He WIS shot in the
right side of the heart, and the doctor said
death was instantaneous 49,.
Captain j. w. Gesbit, of Oakdale, testi-
fed to having sent six of the guns from his
armory to Chief Orr upon an order received
from him. He also said that Reed had
40 or so rounds Of ammunition with him in
the icehouse.
How Coyls Died.
E. E Colling, of 103 Fourth avenue, was
at Noblestown the day Of the shooting. He
said Coyle walked right into the ,cehouse
and in about ten seconds q shot was heard.
Covle then jumped outside. Another shot
was fired and Coyle fell dead. The crowd
grew desperate and yelled to blow off the
rear end of the building. He heard a
shot inside and then number of shots
were heard. These were the cartridges
did not hear any one crying for help from
the inside. He thought it might have been
possible to have secured Reed alive.
M. II. Heurehan, of Mt Attn, Mexican
county, was in NoDlestown Saturday. His
evidence brought out nothing new.
Fred Kline-I work for wocher at No
blestown. I went to work there week ago.
My work is to attend to the horses and any
thing else that is to be done. Last wednes-
day went to the icehouse. l went Just to
see what was there and what it looked like.
saw pop bottles. chairs and benches. There
blankets in it. I did not take anything
with me to the icehouse. On Friday I was
at the slaughter house with q man Of
Wocher's. strange man came to the Ice
house. The son knew him.
The Coroner here thought the man was
lying, or had been told what to say. He
had the jury standing and asked Kline
whether any Of these men were the ones
The fellow got mixed.
Contin uing, the witness testified:
wocher's Hired Man Talks.
This morning I saw the same man. No
one told me 1t was the same man. No one
was talking to me about the case. never
carried any food to the slaughter house or
saw anyone else going there with victuals.
never saw strange man at the house. 1
cannot say that there was any body sleeping
in the hammock. There was no pillow in it.
The blankets were not rolled mp, but were
spread out as though they had been used.
The stranger talked to the man in German
and could not understand him.
Andrew Wocher-1 am son of Peter
Wocher, the butcher at Noblestown. I
have not been in the icehouse for two
months. Then there was q dance held there.
There was bench and some pop bottles
left there. There was no clothing or cot in
the building when 1 was there last.
] go to the slaughter house every Monday,
the man there last Friday. l am acquainted
with Reed. My father used to do good deal
OF business with him. I have not been in
the icehouse since the dance, and did not
see the hammock. ROm1ne came to the
slaughter house to see me butcher.
Tho Butcher Is Ratified.
Peter Wocher-I am butcher and live at
Noblestown. have known Reed for ten
wears. went down to the icehouse about
o'clock My visit there was to see a new
horse I had bought Soon the fight COM
menced. Orr told me Reed was in the house |
and he wanted me to go in and get him. |
said would not go in for q. 900 as Rced |
house on Friday. did not see Reed there.
l did not see Reed on Wednesday. The |
weeds were all grown up about the ice |
house. / cannot say whether there was n |
through the weeds. l never noticed Coyle |
was drunk when he came to Noblestown |
Saturday
keep her mouth shut about this affair you |
would kill her7 |
This ratified the witness, and he falter-
inplv answered no.