Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-08-21
TRIAL OF
Elnar A. N0atlGrlOItZ.
TRIAL OF
Charged with the Murder Of his
Wife Minnie A. Weatherholtz
February 4th, 1896.
VERDICT OF THE JURY Is YEARS
IN THE PENITENTIARY.

VERDICT OF THE JURY Is YEAR
u IN THE PENITENTIARY.
A large crowd attended the opening O
the County Court on last Thursday NOR
> ing attracted by the expectation of th
tcial of Elmar A. WeatherholIz upon q
= charge of numbering his wife, Minnie 4
Westberholtz. on the 4th day of Fehrnar
1896 The Common wealth is represente
: byJm C. Baker, Esqr., and the defen''
by Messrs. NJ. L. Walton and Robert J
Walker.
Examination, under a bench warrant
before a justice was waved by the pris
O1er's counsel.
The following yenlre were were calle'
Charles Sibert, j. II. Snarr, Jno. w
Hickman, Cornelius Hockman, J. W
Rudolph, Jno. II. Keller, Z II. Hannah,
Peasant 81. Hostel. Jacob IL Hinkens
l. d Funkhouser, H. c. Burgess, Frank
". Zsa, C. NJ. Bornm aud ID. II. Stickley.
TIE list was exhausted and but ten
chosen. The court ordered II more. where
m n to be summoned and court Adjourned
until Friday at 10 90 o'clock.
On Friday morning II viueremen re-
ported of whom ten were called Cyrus
Keister, Charles NJ. Childs, Daniel H.
Spengler, Obed II. Cha udler, Isaac A.
Fink. Jno. s. Bowman. D. Letchsr Eb-
erly, B. F. Richards, L. Dice Bell and
Geo. F. berly.
The venire was completed aud after
striking off four by prisoner the follow
ing constituted the jury Charles Sibert.
Cornelius Hickman, Pleasant NJ. Hotel,
n. c. Burgess, Frank NJ. Yea, D. Il
Stiokley. Cyrus Holster, Charles NJ
Chllds, Isaac A. Funk, L. Dice Bell, 4.
II. Hamman and Geo. T. Eberly.
Capt. P. s. Roller testied-I am
Civil Engineer and Surveyor, examined
diagram which be had made and e1
plains 1t to the jury. was at the win
dow, can see down to the house without
obstacle
Miss Hama Neff ties tifed-I live at
Lem. Shadwells in Shenandoah County
near Forastvile, about one mile. On the
4tb of Feb. 1886. l lived at Mr. Peter
Myers He lives near Forestville. l knew
Mrs. Minnie Weatberhotz, had known
her about 3 weeks. She was living at
Nj Peter Myers. She was working there.
Her little boy was with her. saw her
the morning she was killed. We both
were going to milk. Her little hoy was
banned Bud, She said he was years cid.
We walked out towards the barn. When
we got to the gate she was singing. l
stopped and looked at her. She was sing
ing piece had never heard. | was In
front of her. ! made a turn TO 90 into
the barn yard and looked around | heard
the report of the gun. was about OF
3 steps ahead OF Mrs. WeatherhOliz. In
dlcatss on a digram the place where Mrs.
w, fell and where she had stood. She
fell right down the way we come up, her
head down the hill. When | head her
fall, saw the smoke from the window in
the barn. The smoke was at the window
nearest to me. The little boy was right
beside her. | did not do anything. l call
ed Mr. Pete Myers The little boy begged
me to help his mother up. saw her
body after she fell, it was Mrs, Mianis
Weatherheltz's body. She was dead.
From the time abe fell and death ! don't
think there was any time. don't know
who was The first one there. She wore
light skirt and gingham body, blue and
red striped She had gray or brown
bonnet, identifies the bonnet. That is
the bonnet she had on. | don't remember
seeing the bonnet until some one picked
it up. 1t is now as it was then, these
hole, in it. can t say no first came to
tse body, but think it was Mrs. Mary
Zirkle. From the time she fell there was
no one tempered with the body or struck
it, 10 any way. 1t was about o'clock
when we went ont to milk. 1t was
foggy morning.
X Examination--I don't think it was
very heavy fog. think it bad raned
the night before. am most sure it rained
little. The family consisted of Mr.. Jno.
Myers, nephew of Pete Myers, Dellie
Myers, Mr. and Sire Myers. Don't know
how long John Myers mad been there.
He left short time after the death of
Mrs. WeatherhOltz. lie came back that
night and was tight. He left several days
after Mrs. ". was killed. He returned
a short time ago. heard nothing If
him until short time ago. He knew
Mrs. W. right well. had met With Mr..
w. before. MIS-. W. MIXED the COWS
the little stable. Some times the door
was closed and sometimes open, most of
the time closed. / saw it closed and Jno.
AYERS in there with her. 1t was closed
when they came out. l had MIXED my
tour and went over to the other stable
and MIXED three and the door was clo'ed
and came back to strip the other four and
then l saw her come out OF the door. She
bad MIXED three. John Myers came out
light in front Of her. Tbs door was closed
while they were 10 there. l bad not seen
Weatherholtz at MrP. Myers Will,
l was there. Mr.. Pete Myers was in the
barn at the time OF the report of the guu
He came out about 3 or 10 minutes
after the report. He did not come out
until / called him. After Mrs W. was
on the ground, 1t was 5 or 10 minutes
till Mis-. ZiIkle came. It was the week
before that l saw Mrs. W. and John
My ers 60 down to milk. 1t seems to me
it was on Fri day morning.
Peter Myers testified live near Fer
estville. Mrs. WeatheIholtz was at my
house about eeks. ! saw her after she
bad been shot. was IN The feeding
room. | was feeding at the other end Of