Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-02-24
ZELLMER NOT GUILTY.
Accused Murderer Released - Charge
Could Not Be Proved.

Could Not Be Proved.
At O'Clock last Saturday evening
the jury in the trial of William Zellmer
| for the alleged murder of Mrs, Buchow,
before the circuit court at Juneau,
returned a verdict of not guilty, after
| deliberating over the testimony for
more than four hours. This action set
at liberty the man who was accused of
having committed the most atrocious
crime in the history of Dodge county.
He returned to his home in Lebanon
with a body of friends who had been
at the trial, taking the evening passen-
ger to this city and driving to the farm,
about eight miles northeast of here.
Zellmer's friends said that for the pre-
sent he would reside there.
After exhausting several special
venires jury in the case was secured
last Wednesday and the trial COM
menced. The jurors were: Fred
Schley, Oak Grove; W. w. GourlIe,
Ashippun; Michael Biersack, Beaver
Dam, John Aldman, Leroy; VIM. Cul
len, Jr., Elba; George Flick, Calamus;
Ed. Powers, Portland; VIM. Kube,
Shields; John Henning. Chester; Mil
ton Morris, Fox Lake; Chas. Heckert
and George Norton. WilIiamstown.
The first witness sworn by the state
was August Machmueller, the deceased
wOman's brother, who lived with her
on the farm. His testimony gave the
facts in the case and the existing cir
cumstances previous to the crime, the
substance of which was printed in this
journal at the time. The testimony
bore out the theory of the state that
Zellmer's motive in killing Mrs.
BuchoW was to get her out of the way
so ne could rent the farm Machmuel
ler testified that Zellmer repeatedly
asked him to let him have the farm,
but Mrs. Bnchow refused to consent
Drs. Whyte and Field, who made the
post mortem examination, testified
that the wound which caused death
was made by blunt instrument and
that the blood and hair on the pincers
found near the body were that OF 8
human being. The doctors said that
the wound could have been inflicted
by fall il she fell a sufficient distance,
but the surroundings upset this theory
Officers Binte, Becker and Dornfeld
told of the search for Zellmer and his
arrest. When first arrested he told
them that he knew nothing about Mrs.
BuchoW being dead and short time
afterwards be said that an unknown
man came to the house and killed Mrs.
Buchow and then hit him on the head
with a club.
Other witnesses for the state were
William Leonard and John Wells, fell
low prisoners with Zellmer in the
Juneau Jail. Leonard swore that Zell-
killed Mrs. Buchow. Wells testified
that Zellmer told him be had murdered
his sweetheart. The latter, Miss Mag
gle Miller, was also placed on the stand
by the prosecution, but her testimony
must have been disappointing, as she
| said Zellmer did not want TO rent Mrs.
Buchow's farm, but intended renting
Rudolph Zellmer's place.
The prisoner was sworn in his own
defense and said that he heard noise
at the house after Mach mueller left for
the cheese factory, and upon going to
the house was struck upon the head by
one of two men who were leaving. He
then took to the woods and remained
until captured. Several witnesses tes-
| tilted that he had renamed In the
woods on previous occasions for trivial
causes.
All the evidence was d Friday after
noon and the arguments of the coun
sci followed. District Attorney Ham
ilton and George w. Sloan were the
prosecuting attorneys, while j. E.
Malone. j. 6. Bachhuber and M. L.
Lueck defended.
From the testimony of different per-
sons it appeared that Zellme1 was in.
dustrious and had always born good
reputation in the neighborhood, but
that he was peculiar. The evidence
against him was purely circumstantial
the strongest point being that he dis
appeared upon the death of the woman
and fed from the law.
Monday warrant for Zellmer's ar
rest on charge of having broken jai
while awaiting trial was sworn out a
juneau on complaint of ex-Sherif
Binte.
SEED WHEAT FOR SALE
We will shortly receive a car of vel