The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-06-02

10 deviations in the testimony OF Jscol
wiDgard. and George Hays, two wit
nesses for she Commonwealth
The Defense rested at o'clock Tues
day afternoon.
REnCTTAL.
The evidence in rebuttal contained q
number OF surprises for the defendants
aud tends to break the evidence of NJ rs.
Ella Overdorf, who is the chief witness
for the defendants, the evidence OF James
Roddy. aud clears up the evid, nee iutro-
duced ty the defense showing that tNo
men. who were seen by George CaIpen-
ter about II o'clock on the night Of June
2d, near Scalp Level and the following
morning nj the home of Jacob Fox, in
Ogle township, had nothing TO do with
the robbery.
Robert Griffith, Johnstown motor
man. testified that he had seen James
Roddy, whom he has known for is
years, in Dale borough about one week
prior to the robbery.
John III. Meyers, Somerset hotel
keeper, testified that Mrs. Ella Overdorf
registered at his hotel last Saturday, and
produced the register. which was sub
mitted in evidence for the purpose of
comparison with the receipt offered by
Mrs. Overdorf and signed by J. NJ. WILL
Jams.
Samuel j. Rugh, of Mechanicsville,
Indiana county, declared that he has
been resident of that borough for q
years and during that period no man by
the name of J. NJ. Williams ever resided
there.
Jacob Knavel testified that he had met
two men on the road near Berkey's at
four o'clock on the morning after the
robbery; told them of the tragedy, and
recognized one of the men as Mr.. Bagley.
Samuel Knavel and VIM. HOrner corrob-
GRATED his statement.
Henry II. Bagley, of Bedford county,
testified that he had been working at
Dorsey Kings livery stable, ia Johns
town, up until June 2i. He left Johns
town at 10 o'clock that night accompan-
led by man named Reese TO walk to
Bedford county. They met party
driving along the road near Scalp Level.
Later they lost their way and aroused a
farmer TO inquire the road, and still later
they met three men who told them of the
robbery. The morning following they
took breakf fast at Jacob Fox's.
David Rose, was the farmer they
aroused TO inquire the road, and he testi-
fed To that fact
Edward Horner testified that Robert
Hill told him that he did know whether
John Roddy bad worked for him on the
81 ifJune or not.
Irwin Uorrell, of Johnstown; c. j.
Harrison, President of the Somerset
County National Bank; II. NJ. Berkeley,
Esq, Cashier of the First National Bank,
and a. c. HOlbert, Esq, testified as ex-
perts in regard TO the signature of Mrs.
Ella Overdorf, on the hotel register, in
comparison with the receipt offered in
evidence signed -. NJ. Williams" aud
gave it as their opinion that both sigma
lures had been written by the same per-
son.
A number Of witnesses were called to
agreed that the day John Roddy was
taken to Berkey's for Identification. he
was not kept out of the house more
than fifteen minutes before he was con-
Quoted into the presence of the old man.
Other witnesses gave damaging testI-
mony affecting the veracity of Andrew
Leonard, and still others attacked the
veracity of Porter F. Miller.
Daniel Edmundson declared that En-
ma Lightner had been at her place of
residence in Dale Borough at four o'clock
on the afternoon of June = I, and he saw
her there again at o'clock the same
evening.
1t was proven that Updegrafrs milli-
merry store in Johnstown is not and never
was located on Main street. a testified to
by Mrs. Green for the defendants.
A dozen or more witnesses from Jen-
ner township testified that the character
of the defendants for truth and veracity
was bad.
Counsel for the defendants offered the
verdict in the jackson case in evidence.
and at 6 o'clock the witnesses were dis
charged and the case closed.
Counsel have indicated that all of to-
day VIII be consumed in arguments be-
fore the jury. Judge L0nenecker will not
charge the jury until Thursday morning.
The general sentiment of people who
have watched the trial from beginning to
end is that the Commonwealth have es-
tablished stronger case than they made
out at the first trial, and that the defense
is weaker than it was heinre,