The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-05-27

On tne morning Oh september IItn
last at about three o'clock, the citizens
of Bloomsbury were aroused by a loud
explosion that shook the windows of
nearly every house in town. A report
like gun had been heard about an
hour earlier, but no one paid any at
te,,ion to that. The second report,
however, aroused the residents of
Fifth street and an examination show
ed that the residence of Levi E.
Waller ESQ.,, on the corner of Fifth
and Center streets had been damaged
by an explosion of some kind. The
floor of the front porch was torn up,
the ceiling of the porch was shattered,
the glass and sash in the front windows
were broken, and more or less damage
was done on the interior of the libra
ry and parlor. A piece of fuse was
found on the porch, and other evi-
dence showed that the explosive used
was dynamite. Great excitement pre-
vailed, and could the perpetrator have
been found, he would no doubt have
been roughly used. There seemed to
be no clue to the criminal, and the
public generally had no suspicion as
to the guilty party. 1t seems that
Mr.. Waller had suspicion, and he
employed detective on the case.
Nothing more was heard of the matter
until December 2Sth, when the COM
munity was shocked by the report
that Clifton c. Knorr had been ar
rested, and that he had made state
ment duplicating Lloyd S. Winter
steen as the instigator of the act.
Knorr was brought here on Monday,
December a8. Mr.. Wintersteen went
to Philadelphia on Sunday, and on
hearing of the charges against him, he
returned home the following Thurs
day, and delivered himself to the officer
having the warrant. A hearing was
held before John M. Clark Esq, at
which c. c. Knorr was the principal
witness.
Under the evidence, Knorr and
Wintersteen were both held in $1,000
bail for appearance at court. At the
February term indictments were found
against them, and motion was made
to quash the indictments, before Judge
Metzger of Williamsport specially pre-
siding, and the cases were continued
pending his decision on this motion.
At May term they were postponed
until the 25th inst. and the trial began
on Tuesday morning last, with Judge
Ermentrout of Reading, on the bench
in place of Judge Ikeler.
The Commonwealth is represented
by District Attorney John G. Har
man, assisted by Grant Herring ant
w. H. Rhawn of the local bar, Jane.
Scarlet of Danville, and District Attor
ney Geo. S. Graham of Philadelphia
Wintersteen's counsel are Col. ]. G
Freeze and Fred Ikeler; A. S. L
Shields of Philadelphia, and J.. Howard
Jacobs and H. P. Keyser of Reading
The court house doors were KEEP
locked on Tuesday morning until tel
o'clock, and when the bell ceaset
ringing they were thrown open, ant
the crowd that had been waiting rush
ed in, and soon every seat was filled
and many were standing in the aisles
AT the reporters tables there wer
representatives of the Philadelphi
Record, Ledger, Press, Inquirer, ant
Times, Catawissa Meaos-Hem, Blooms
burg DAILY, Republican and TIL
COLUMBIAN.
]. ID. Howery of Danville, was ar
pointed assistant to Stenographe
Walker, to take the testimony In tn
case.
L. S. Wintersteen and his counse
were the first to appear, and took seat
at the counsel table farthest from tn
bench. They were soon followed b
Mr.. Waller and the Commonwealth
attorneys. At 1905 Judge Ermentror
and Associates Fox and Kurtz entel
ed the court room and assembled tn
bench. Court was duly opened b
Crier Coffman, and the court ordere
the list of jurors to be called, all an
wered to their names except WilliaI
Hildebrandt, Samuel Miller and Olt
en- Stokes.
Geo. S. Graham, J. H. Jacobs, 4
5. l.. Shields and H. P. Keyser were
on motion, admitted to practice i
Columbia County.