Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-05-15
zeigIer Murder Case.
'harles Town, w. Va,
May Nth, 1894.

"a SpSClul ~ Cue w ueelIuB legLSLef.
under date of May 8, gives the fol-
lowing report of the argument and
closing of the zeigler murder Gaze,
which occupied about ten days of
the Morgan circuit court:
Ex-States Attorney 7. w. B. Duck
wall, for the defense, after referring TO
the legal status bearing on the case
and Judge Faulkner's impartial rul-
ings, spoke of the persecution of the
prisoner, extending over n period of
four years, during which time his
property had been destroyed, his life
threatened and an attempt made to
drive him from his home and the
neighborhood by an armed mob.
His speech was ably filed with touch
ing incidents of happy home life and
the many evidences of an industrious
effort by which lie had accumulated
competency.
j. Nelson Wisncr, for the State,
followed with an able plea for con-
viction, and many feeling and pa
thetic references to a home made
desolate by the murderer's fatal bull
let, closing in forcible and we'll
worded remarks of sympathy for the
widow and terrible denunclation of
the prisoner.
He was followed by ex-State Su-
preme Court Judge Daniel B. Lucas
for the defense. who eclipsed all the
attorneys by his gentlemanly refer
ence to both sides of the case, and
more scholarly, yet strong, able and
impartial speech, has never been de-
Iiyered in this courthouse.
States Attorney, Forrest W. Brown,
of Jefferson county, closed the case
for the State with a speech which has
had few equals in this court. He
spoke for two hours, drawing vivid
pictures of the murdered mans mar
ried life, covering twenty-five years,
for twenty years of which he and the
prisoner had been intimate friends,
and the terrible consequences re-
sulting from a moments rashness by
which the widowed wife with no
children had been deprived of 4 low
ing and devoted husband, home and
! support, He showed the impnssi-
bility of Saulters having been the
a@gressor or having struck Zeigler
with the gun, or how after being
MORALLY wounded lie had fallen in
the snow and while in the last agonies
of death he raised his head from the
frozen ground and gave one last
longing look in the direction of home
and wife, finally casting his eyes
pleadingIy toward heaven and God.
OF how the murderer had ran from
the scene to his home, reloaded his
pistol, eaten his dinner and fed to
this place and given himself up for
protection, closing with an appeal to
the iury's manhood for the prescr-
walton of our homes and our laws.
Many ladies as well US men shed
tears at the closing remarks. Judge
Faulkner soDt the jury Immediately
TO the jury room, refusing them any
guns, pistols or other evidence pro-
dnced in the case unless special req
sons were assigned for them. He
confined his instructions to nine
points and Immediately called up n
civil case and decided it in seven
minutes.
This is the fifteenth murder case
Judge Faulkner has tried and lie has
never had a jury to disagree. The
amount of worthless evidence he
threw out and the rapidity with
which lie disposed OF the courts bus
mess With his wise and impatial rul-
ings ELECTED much favorable com
ment.
The jury rendered a verdict of
voluntary mansIaughter, and the
prisoner vas sentenced TO two years
in the pcnitentiary.