The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1896-05-16
THE ROMAN MURDER.
4 Strong Chain Of C.FCumStaRtiaI EYl.
dSRCO Being Forged.
TIE PROSECUTION CLOSES ITS CASE.
Crump's Confession Admitted as Evil
dence-The Defense win EndeaVOr TO
Prove the Prisoners Horse Could Not
Make the Journey

The trial of Crump for the murder of
Thos. Roman is progressing at Weiser,
and from the Statesman we CLEAN the
following:
The first witness put upon the stand
by the prosecution in the Crump case
was Mrs. Roman, the wife of the muir.
dered man. She testified that her hus.
band left the house between half past
8 and 8 o'clock on the evening of May
lS, 1895, and was never seen alive by her
after that. He remarked on leaving
the house that he was going out to SEE
if the horses had not got into the wire
fence.
Frank g. Gilbert, Mrs. Romans step.
father testified in regard to finding the
body of Roman on the morning of the
l4th, with the skull crushed in by blows
from an AK, which was lying near by
covered with hair and blood. lie also
testified that, in answer to a remark.
made by him: "Who in the world has
done this" Crump answered: 81 ex.
pect they will suspicion me-" The ak
was introduced in evidence with blood
stains still visible upon it.
DR.. E, E. Maxey, of Caldwell, coroner
of Canyon county, testified in regard to
the condition of the body at the time
he was summoned to the scene of the
tragedy, and explained to the jury, by
means ola human skull, the position
and effect of the blows that were struck.
He also testified in regard to the result
OF microscopic analysis of the con.
tents of Romans stomach, made by him
on exhuming the body, 10 days after the
murder. DIR. Maxey's testimony was to
the effect that the supper eaten by the
murdered man between 6 and Z o'clock
on the night of the 18th, had been all
digested at the time the murder was
committed, tending to show that the
crime was perpetrated after 10 O'Clock
that night.
H. b. Hartly and Thomas Black, tes-
titled in regard to Crump being in Cald-
well on the night of the 18th, and Ieav
ing Hartley & CampbelIs livery stable
about $50 that night, riding down the
valley in the direction of the Roman
place.
James Alexander, who liyed at that
true on the road between Caldwell and
the Roman place, testified to hearing
Crumps horse going across the bridge
near his house about 10 o'clock. Alex-
ander maintained, under a rigid cross.
examination, that there was a peculi.
arity about the gait Of the horse owned
by Crump, which had enabled him 10
distinguish the sound of his hoofs 90.
ing across the bridge on previous oc.
easiOns.
Russell Smith testified that Crump
came to his house on the night Of the |
18th, after he and family had retired to |
spend the night. He did not know |
what time it was, but Crump told him
It was only II o'clock.
William Seidenburg, a neighbor Of
Smiths testified that Crump brouObt |
his horse to his place on the morning of |
the l4th, and asked permission to leave |
him there and that the horse was SO ex.
hausted by hard usage on the night be-
fore as TO be completely disabled for
the time being.
The prosecution is trying to establish
the speed and endurance Of CrnmD,s
horse to an extent which would have
enabled Crump toleave Caldwell at s.s0
in the evening, ride to Romans honsa
II miles from Caldwell commit ,ba
murder, and return to Smiths abont
midnight, s J. Barnum testified thai
Crumps horse could have made the dIs
lance from Caldwell to Romans place
In 40 minutes. The defense, on the
other hand, viii try to show that the
on aln,1f = /