The sun., 1895-01-22
OYER AND TERMINER NO. 2.
JUSTICE WILLIAMS OPENS THE
ExTRAoRDINARY TERN.

aeerEe Musiier on Trial for Poisoning His
wiz - The Prisoners Son wit-e-s
Against Hin - The Justice Thinhs IL
Fiesssnter for Surymen Not 80 Bo
Under the sherirs Care At Recess.
Justice Pardon c. Williams Of watertov n who
has earned high place In the regard of bench.
bar, and people In northern and central New
York, presided yesterday at the extraordinary
Oyer and Terminer Court ordered by Gov.
Flower shortly before he went out of office.
This court will eventually hear the police cases,
but murder case was put yesterday which
will require couple Of days to try.
Justice Williams's independence OF fashion
In the matter of apparel WAS manifest. His
only concession TO New York tastes was in the
style Of wearing his hair. The locks which
wero wont 10 sweep from low one side across
his wide brow were parted at the middle of the
judicial forehead. But his eyeglasses hung on
his ear a. OF old. He came charac ctcristically
to the defence of talesmen in their examinations
when the attorneys made heavy drafts on their
understanding. One OF the lawyers asked pros
pective juror to define reasonable doubt" but
the Justice, stating that decision had just
been reversed on Judges In depreciation Of that
phrase. asked the lawyer what was the use Of
bothering juryman about It. Later, when the
phrase came up again, the Justice, with
twinkle In his eye, was allowing the lawyer to
express his own views OF its meaning but the
entertainment was stopped by objections from
the opposing counsel who had not seen the Joke.
Just before declaring recess for luncheon
Justice Williams announced n little departure
from the practice of the New York courts. Six
jurors had been obtained, and In admonishing
them he said In substance:
81 won't require you to remain under the
Sherif's guard. We don't do so in the country,
and, Of course, here every one knows how to
take care Of himself It's pleasanter not to be
Obliged to do 80. We trust to the jurors honor.
OF course, YOU will refrain from conyersng with
any one or among yourselves about this case, or
from acquiring any information about 1t or
forming any settled opinion OF it,"
The case at trial was that OF George Mueller,
indicted tor poisoning his wife on March -,
German place. one OF which was u saloon. After
2 night Of auaIrelling the woman was taken yio-
declared that her husband gave 1t TO her in
whiskey. George Graybill is defending Mueller.
DISTRICT 6sgbeTne SAID the s wod
put upon the stand the eldest son OF the de-
fendant who came to the house the day of his
mothers death. and accused his father of muir
dering her. The son had not lived at home for
some time, because he had become angry with
his father to live with her after they had once
The separation was due TO the fathers abuse
poison her with Rough on Rats" The wife
had been able to put him out OF the house be-
cause the property stood In her name. The
family lived at 64S German place, and Mrs.
Mueller owned that house and those at GA and
GAG also. The money to purchase the property
had been earned by the man and wife together.
She picked up coal from the railroad tracks.
and he carted II about and sold II. Being afraid
that he might run over some one or In some
other way become involved in an accident and
injure some one who would seek to collect dam
ages from him. Mueller had wished to put the
property In his wife's name. After this was
done the trouble between the husband and
wife got worse. He strove to have her deed II
over to him, and she insisted upon retaining 1t.
The motive which the prosecution charges actu-
ated Mueller to kill his wife was this desire to
gain the ownership of tho property.
The first witness was the defendants eldest
son. Vittus Mueller, who told Of his fathers ar
rest. Young Mueller locked the house after the
funeral of his mother.
'On the following Sunday" said he. II opened
the house to clean 1t up and found a"
Don't say what you found" hurriedly put in
Lawyer Graybill.
You found something anyway" said Mr..
Osborne.
-" Yes. sir, found something in closet in the
kitchen" ..s- .. -. -
What did you fndp"
~ found box with powder like -four In 1t
and took 1t to the Coroner. The box was In .
vest"
"was II your fathers vest?"
II couldn't say whether IL was or not
At this point an adjournment was taken until
to-day at 10: 80 O'Clock.