The San Francisco call., 1897-05-16
REMARKABLE MURDER TRIAL.
Close of One of the Most Interesting Cases
in 0kiahoma's Hisiory- Convection
of Dr.. Stuismon.

WICHITA, KANs., May 15.-The Stuts-
City. o. T., in which the jury returned
verdict of guilty, sentencing the defend
ant to a life term in the penitentiarv, is
one that attracted more attention than
any of the many murder cases that have
burdened the criminal dockets of Okla
homa.
In the trial OF the case 180 witnesses
were subpenaed, and the best legal talent
of the Territory fought hard for week
for the slightest advantageous point
toward conviction or acquittal. Horace
Speed of Guthrie, formerly United States
District Attorney for Oklahoma, led the
defense assisted by II. B. Mitchell of Okla
homa City and w. F. Horn, formerly
United States special agent for the In
terlor Department. Judge Brown of Ok
lahoma City, probably the shrewdest
criminal lawyer OF the Territory, was the
chief counsel for the prosecution. He was
aided by Lon Cham bers of Oklahoma City
and County and Attorney Blackiey of
Pottowatomie County.
The history of this famous case is this:
On the nigh: of July IL, 1896, Aaron Han
ing, a prosperous saloon-keepsr of Keokuk
Falls, was murdered in his saloon. He
had been shot through, the head. When
found the next morning he was still living,
but died that afternoon without regaining
consciousness. The doctors, in probing,
found that the probe travelled from the
point of the bullets entrance in two differ
ent directions. This was explained by the
finding in the saloon of long nail. par.
italy stained with blood, which had evil
IDENTIFY been used to complete the dastardy
deed that the assassin's bullet had lett in
com plete. The murderer, as was after.
wards proved, had inserted the nail into
the wound and stirred up the victims
brains to make sure OF his job.
The most untiring of Keokuk Falls
citizens in endeavoring to locate the MUIR
derer was DR.. Nicholas Stutsman. Through
his efforts several arrests o. men suspected
of the crime were made, but each arrest
proved wrong and the sus spect was turned
loose.
Finally farmer-Sam Bartell-who lad
and criminals through long service as
Deputy United States Marshal, became
interested IN the case and soon developed
clews ronting toward the guilt OF Stuts-
man himself. The evidence was purely
circumstantial and weak at first, but each
cew when followed to an end placed the
crime Of Haning's murder more surely at
Stutsman's door.
AT length all questions were settled by
the statement of Stutsman's wife that
Stutsman had confessed the killing 10 her
and had also named as his accomplice S.
Howard, who was then incarcerated in
The Fort Smith (Ark.) United States Jail.
In the meantime Mrs. Stutsman had left
her husband.
A meeting was arranged between How
ard and Mrs. S.utsman, and upon her
telling him that her husband had told
her all he also confessed. Here was
moral certainty that Stutsman had killed
Haning, but baked by the rule of law
that wife cannot testify against her
husband the confession was worth moth
ing. No one was witness TO the killing
and the conviction, if secured. had to be
on circumstantial evidence of doubtful
character.
The horses tracks found leading from
the saloon corresponded to the tracks OF
Howard's horse. The tracks led south for
a mile, then returned and disappeared at
the home OF Moneypenny. one of the men
who had been arrested at the instance OF
Stutsman. Stutsman went to bed late that
night, but was up at daybreak next morn
ing and the fact was shown that he was
variably late sleeper. Stutsman's re-
volver the day after the killing was found
to have five corroded shells and one empty
shell. Later it was found that the empty
she'll was replaced with a new one.
Stutsman endeavored to bribe Mrs.
Hosey and her son, at whose house
Moneypennv STAYED the night of the kill
ing until o'clock in the morning, to
swear that Moneypenny departed be-
tween 1 and o'clock. Stutsman was the
first to discover the murdered Haning by
entering the rear door of the saloon early
the next morning. He was seen by a
little girl to enter the saloon, and she