The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-10-20
When arrested he gave bis name as
George Preston and did not say where he
was Prom

was from.
THE MURDERER INTERVIEWED.
"The last cell on the left, at the end OF |
the corridor" said Turnkey Rigler ss q
NEWS DEMOCRAT man stepped inside the |
jail for the purpose OF learning what the |
man who handles deadly weapons with
such dexterity, had TO say for himself. |
The last cell 10 the left contained q young |
ma man Whit with smooth .,,obs iecs, s,,,sn,c,on n
of q mustache on his upper lip, He Is
rather long faced, with heavy cheek bones |
and is not too handsome. He looks like
a fellow who would fight of the drop OF Q |
hat. He had no coat or vest, but appeared
ing loosely at bis hips. He wore black
shirt with a light colored necktie and APP
peared like a very we'll built young man.
he approached the bars Of the cell SO that
he could the more readily talk with the
reporter. His story, as drawn out by the
reporter through the medium OF interro-
CATION ia substantially as follows:
" gave my name TO the police, when
was arrested, as George Preston my real
name is Robert Obernesser and my former
home was at Newport, KY. am 22 years
have brother, J. Obernesser, living in
Toronto, Canada. l have net been In
Newport for some time but have been
working on the Wheeling q Lake Erie
| railway, and making my headquarters
principally at Newark, Ohio. One week
ago last Friday quit my job, drew my
pay, amounting to about $50, and came to
this city. Since coming here have not
been doing anything but have been spend
ing a good deal of money and blowing
myself quite freely. have been making
my stopping place at George hinHsnr
hrink,s at No. 70 South Cherry street, but
have not been boarding there. had
room on Saxton street and took my meals
| at the Sixth Avenue restaurant.
About week aRoI
MET STELLA WILSON.
| Since that time have been with her
occasionally but / did not meet
Jessie Keefer until Monday night
at the restaurant. / went in there
as usual to get my supper The two girls
came in and were introduced to Jessie.
| waited outside until they came out, and
then we went down to RiDzenbrink's and
| had q drink. left Stella there after hav-
| ing some drinks. We came back to Rim.
| zenbrink's AID had few more drinks
| there. We went back to Greub's place
later. suppose 1t must have hsen about
| 12 o'clock. We went into the side room
and rem ,ined there for O short time.
Stella Wilson was with us 10 the side
room. was pretty well loaded by this
time, and do not remember much that
, took place. We came out OF the side
room and went into the bar room to get
| out OF the house to go home.
| The two girls and / stood against the bar
\ drinking. / was not paying much atten-
ton to what was going on. guess the
two fellows were trying to insult Jessie.
| Anyway she pulled me by the sleeve and
attracted my attention.
"You'll protect me, won't you kid"
said Jess.
"Of course I'll protect YOU" I said.
About that time the big fellow C"Three
Fingered Jack,'O said that he could beat
Il T. Ill .s.,s.
"I'll play you game. first seven points
for half o dollar" said l.
Then the little fellow, (Scott Smith,)
said that he wanted to do me up, and he
| made some cracks about doing II. He
was standing in front Of me, and the big
fellow little to one side of me, but In
front of me.
"If you try that on you'll And me the
toughest kind you ever run across" said
to the little fellow.
Then the little fellow came at me and
stopped him with bullet. had my
revolver, 80 calibre, in my outside coat
pocket. stopped Smith and then tried
to get towards the door. The three fln-
gered fellow started towards me. He was
a little to one side and thought be was
going to get behind and close in on me.
Just as he was going to make swipe at
me flred at him. was very close to him
when shot. do not remember shooting
but twice, but backed towards the door
and don't remember whether l shot any
more times or not"
"You were acting in self defense, were
you 2" was asked by the reporter.
"Oh yes, knew 1t was tough place
andI
ACTED IN SELF DEFENSE.
~ knew that was stranger and that
the fellows we're pretty tough fellows, so
had to do something or take a licking.
Everybody was drunk. The little fellow
and had been singing a short time before
it occurred. 1 told him he had good
voice. never saw him or the three flnr
gered fellow until few minutes before
the shooting took place"
DIDN'T WANT TO STRETCH HEMP.
Obernesser, who is a man about feet
six inches in height, will weigh about
145 pounds, but is not as large as "Three
Fingered Jack" The young man who will
eventually prove to be murderer, unless
a miracle takes place, became very solicit.
GUS concerning the condition of the men
whom he had shot and hoped that they
would get we'll. He was told that Smith
was getting along pretty we'll but that
Jack Ellis was liable to die.
: ~ hope he does not die" said Obernes-
ser. "This thing is bad enough as it is.
don't want to stretch hemp"
: FRED. GREUB.
, A reporter interviewed this man at the
a saloon early this morning. Concerning
) the shooting, he said:
! ~ was in my saloon last night when tho
racket took place. During the evening
about 8 o'clock, the man called "Thre,
n Fingered Jack" came into my place anC
J. wanted to play cards with Conrad EuRste
a and Otto Kneubhl. The young mel
. wouldn't listen to him, and when the
q went away, Jack called after them that b.
l wanted to show them trick or two with
q deck of cards he had in his hands. The
4 wouldn't listen and wen. away. The ma
4 soon after left and didn't come in agai
4 until about II o'clock. He wasn't drum
4 thatI could notice, Several men were i
. the saloon talking. They were Chas. Kolt
Fred. Seller, Henry Berringer, job
a Weierman and Jessie Keffer and Anothe
girl. Weierman was seated at table |
the south end of the room. Scott Smiti
the man shot, was standing by his sid
j. George Obemesser was standing near th
le middle and John Ellis right in froT
% of him. Ellis suggested game of card
N when Obernesser said ~ will show you tt
u best e. d-game of aeven.up you eve
I'd seem" and just as he said this he pulle
D out revolver and fired four time. 4
le Aired first at Scott Smith. Then he grabbe
Id ELS with his left hand and with the pist,
g. in his right, he fired at his breast. Boz
D men fell to the floor. Ellis jumped up, l
was bleeding, went into a side room an
10 lay down on "a table. Then he went Of
to into the back yard; he came in again al
d. left the building. don't know where
&c went to. Smith jumped up aud went O
le | the back door. The shoot nR occurrI
about IL 80. can't tell what caused II
er man TO do the shooting. He was a s.rapg
r to me. He was never in my place befor