Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-06-17
The BURTON BURGLARY.
Examination OF Suspect Before Justice Geo.
B. Wheeler.

Monday afternoon at l o'clock the
case of John NJ. Hill, alias J. NJ.
Smith. was called in Justice Wheeler's
court in Lancaster Hill was arrested
in Freeport, H., last week and is
charged with burglarizing the post
office and Mink's store at Burton, in
Waterloo township. Grant County, on
the night of May 80, 1897. District
Attorney Howe appeared for the state
and Attorney Harry Brown for the
prisoner.
Hill was brought into court by the
sheriff. He is 33 years old. and of
medium height, well built, will weigh
100 pounds, smooth shaven face,
sandy complexion shading to the
black, well dressed. lie has pecul-
lar shrug or hitch to his shoulders
when he walks His face is stole and
as hard to read as an Indian 5. He
had nothing to say OF his own
motion. but in a civil manner an
swered few questions put to him by
the district attorney He said that
his right name is Hill, but that he
had been travelling with Ringling's
circus and is known on the bills as
j NJ Smith He further stated that
he is a Frenchman and can speak in
five different languages.
On motion of his attorney he was
discharged on account Of the word
afeloniously" being left out Of the
warrant and affidavit. New papers
were made out and he was immedi-
ately rearrested
VIM. Mink, complaining witness,
was first sworn / live in Burton.
town Of Waterloo, Grant County,
Wisconsin. Am now and have been
for about two years postmaster at
Burton | run the postoffice in a
store building rented Of Adam Mink
by my wife, Mrs. E. l. Mink. She
runs the store On the 30th day OF
MAY, 1897. l closed the store and
postoffice at about o'clock in the
afternoon Ny wife went to the store
first the next morning, Nav 3lst.
While she stood on the porch looking
at a window that had been broken
out, came onto the porch. One
light of glass in the window 24x34
had been broken out. On further in
vestigation we found both locks of
the back door. a bolt and KEY lock,
unlocked and the door stood open
about one inch ! had locked the
door the afternoon before on closing
the store On the morning of the
3lst of May / found the window light
smashed and the broken glass lying
on a couple of egg cases and the end
gate rod of a wagon box that had
been used to break out the glass. We
missed the stamps tirst-the stamp
drawer by the broken window was
open aud $3.50 worth of stamps
gone. | suppose that ! am respou-
sible for them. l held them for the
government in a certain sense. Also
from the store was missing pair of
shoes of the value of 1926; pair of
hair clippers, worth Sips; screw
driver with hollow handle full of
tools; a box of cigars, worth 50; a
small quantity of horseshoe plug
tobacco, worth 81; about half dozen
pocket knives, worth about 81; cigar
box over two-thirds full OF pennies
and 2-cent pieces to the value per-
haps Of So so; three nickels aud one
or two 10-cent silver pieces: three or
four bars OF shaving soap and some
lead pencils, l never saw the pris-
oner. Hill. before-never sold him
ANYTHING The shoes and other store
stuff belonged 70 my wife. This
property was an il the store OH the
afternoon Of May 50 when closed up
Witness shown cake Of shaving
soap That piece Of soup was in
our store (shown knives.l That is
my knife. l know ii by The cost
mark on it / know those are my
pencils as they have marks on them
where wrap ! telephone wire
around them and they laid on my
desk. Did not miss the pencils until
! saw them in possession Of sheriff
and then looking for them on my
desk found they were gone
On cross examination witness said
Nv wife rented the building Of V.
Mink and she permits rue to occupy |