Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-12-21
THE DEPENDANT CALLED.

Brtesach Called and Gives his Version VI
the events of the Fatal Day, at His
HOme-His CrOss-examinRtiOn.
The defendant was then called to the
stand, at 4:O7 o'clock. In reply to ques'
tions by Col. Arnett he said he va:
forty-elght years old, and was born and
raised here. He had worked as a coal
miner and in the mills. His trade was
= miner. He worked at the Riverside
when the trouble occurred. The day
before his Wiie's death he was at work
and came up in a car as far as Eleventh
street, az o'clock in the morning. de
was late, owing 10 the rain. lie stopped
at Hadlleh's and got a quart Of whisky.
He got on the next car at Tenth street
and got of at Fifth. He got home about
o'clock. His wife was up, aud one or
two of the children. The latter slept
MP stairs, while mis- wife and himself
occupied the front room down stairs.
Edward, one Of the children, slept with
defendant and wife. He aud his wife
started the fire, and defendant took he
coat and shoes of, and put the whiskis
away. He told mis- wife TO go to marSey
and get some potatoes. He took drinkt
but he did not see her take one. He
supposed" she did. He put the whisky
away. be only had one drink In
the morning, and no more during
the day, so far as he knew.
He did not know what became OF
the whisky. He went to bed and did
not see his wife go TO market or come
home. He got up after while and
went out in the kitchen. Everything
was uCset there and his wife was lying
in the coal box, with his feet up the
stairs a step or two. IL was about nine
o'clock. He picked her up, and she
went outside. He went TO the door,
and then went back and went to sleep.
As to her condition, she had too much
liquor. He did not intend to kill her
and did not kill her. Before they lived
in the house where she died, they had
lived In Warmers house. II could not
get along there. l stayed one month,
and she was drunk whole solid
month" Witness said when he got up
again the baby was beside him. He
put 90 his shoes and went out, and
when be got to the kitchen door he
saw his wife lying on the floor on her
back. The kitchen was all wet. As be
came into the kitchen officer Sny der
came IN and said: Il want you" Wit
ness said be told the officer 81 didn't do
It." Inreply 20 question as to his wife's
condition when he came home from
work, Brlesach said: II thought she
wasn't any too sober then" He de-
scribed putting the whisky he brought
home In stone jar In a cupboard. He
said be had often found his wife in a
drunken condition, but this was OBJ
jected to and the Court ruled IL out
Witness said he did not know whether
mis- wife was living or dead when be
game out Of the bed room and found her
lying on the floor. AS TO the testimony
that be had cursed and abused his wife,
BrissAch said: "SOme OF the people up
there don't like me very well"
Never mind about thaL" said Col.
Arnett, sharply.
Witness then went on to say he had
told his wife 70 clean up the house and
quit drinking. She did not wash his
clothes, or get breakfast, or do any
thing like that. He said be saw no one
81 the house that day except members
Of his family. He didn't remember just
where the children were when he got
up, or how many Of them were up. He
knew nothing about bis son Thomas
going for papers to sell on that day.
The boy did not ask him for money.
He put money on the mantel for his
wife 70 60 TO market with. The wit
ness was shown the big club, and denied
shat he ever struck his wife with it. He
said there were lots OF pieces like that
In the yard.
Odd you ever strike your wife
with this? A.-No, / never handled
one that big.
The direct examination lasted twenty
three mlnutes@
On crOsS-eXsmination witness said he
cult work between two and three
o'clock, and left the mill little before
six 70 catch the six o'clock car. He de-
tailed his trip home, and found his
wife up and "around the stove.
thought she was starting the FIRE, but /
saw no fire. l told her TO wash my
pants and shirt, but 1 don't know
whether she did or not Ididn't stay
ND to see, and don't know TO this day.
She said she was going TO wash them,
but / don't know whether she did or
not. don't recollect that saw them in
the tub. ! don't believe she was able 10
wash them, and don't know that she
did, He was then asked why be had
previously told the jury be had asked
her TO wash the clothes and she did not
do IL. but all the witness could say was
he did not know whether she did or not.
he told her 20 wash the clothes and TO
20 A market aud left the money on
the mantel, but said nothing to her
about breakfast, and he had none that
morning. He was up about an hour be-
fore be went to bed. Witness was in the
front room during that time. When
pressed for what be was doing, be said,
''Oh, suppose took a smoke, or some
thing OF that sort" he said his wife
went up stairs 70 dress to 60 to market.
He was asked II he did not
know she kept her clothes down stairs,
70 which be replied that she left some
OF them up stairs. He went TO bed be-
fore she went 20 market, II she went st
at all. She was in the kitchen when he
went 70 bed. he also said she was up
stairs when he went to bed, and got
tangled up little, as result He I'm
ally said his wife was walking around ia
the kitchen when he laid down ia bed.
Witness got drink at aadlich's when
he bought the qdatt OF whisky. He ppf
the bottle away in the cupboard, and Ia
was never on the mantel. When be got
up IL was about nine or hali-past nine.p
bis wife was than lying on the floor
iwlth her head OF the edge Of the coal
box and her feet U ,ths steps 81 gol