Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-10

Not Tending to Directly Connect
the Prisoner With the Crime.
Special to the Register.
ST. GAINESVILLE, O., November g.
About two o'clock on the morning of Aug
ust 2lst. five stacks of grain, the property
of r. A. Ring, on the Gray, Smith d co.
farm 16 miles back of Martins Ferry,
were seen enveloped in flames. 1t is charg-
ed that the stacks were first saturated
\ with oil. adding increased fury to the
flames. rendering them impossible to be
saved The five stacks, together With
threshing machine belonging to Ira Crit
! fin which had been set by the stacks the
evening before were entirely consumed.
kThe next day r. A. Ring filed an affidavit
before Mayor Barr, of Martins Ferry,
charging Frank Cochran near neighbor,
living above in a little cabin, with set
ting fire to and burning the stacks of
grain. A preliminary hearing was given
before Mayor Barr, and Cochran was
bound over to the grand jury, true bill
was found against him, and to-day Frank
Cochran is on trial to answer to the grave
charge of arson.
The seriousness of the charge, the pecu-
liar circumstances surrounding the case
the high standing of the parties interested,
the prominent family connections of the
defendant, the eminent legal talent ar
rayed, tltogether make this a most inter-
esting trial, and a large crowd of specta-
tors was present at the opening of the
court. About sixty witnesses are sub
poenaed, and some startling developments
are expected. The State is ably represent
ey by Prosecuting Attorney c. l.. Weems,
assisted by Earnest G.. Smith, while H. T.
Shepherd, F. r. Sedgwick and Congress
man Lorenzo Danford appear for the de-
Tense Contrary to expectations, little
trouble was experienced in selecting
jury.
Abram Lash. a civil engineer, was first
called TO the stand and exhibited a sur
vey Of the land where the stacks were
burned.
r. y. Ring, the prosecuting witness, tes-
titled that l.. had fou. stacks and one rick
of grain, estimated at 300 bushels of wheat
and 253 bushels of cats and 40 bushels of
rye; that ON Saturday morning. August
q. they were burned 10 the ground. He
was aroused at a. II. by a cry that the
stable was en- fire When he got to the
FIRE, fans eaz urr u Gel the STACKS. He
Jdid NO see CO Gran tia; night nor next
'heard CochIan's COS barring while the
sire was bugniae. lie did not see the dog,
but knew h bar He saw tracks in
cornGsid nlG- BY EeX, morning, followed
the ll4LAs ,-.uLs.. tkt eornfied to a ra-
vine. crossed III, r9vine and saw the
same tra.ks on the pa III on the other side.
The tracks showed four nails out on the
edge o. tne r.ghJ shoe: the heels showed
TO be worn off. Shoes were shown to wit
ness, who identified them as the shoes
that were fitted in The tracks. and fitted
perfectly.
Urd5r cross animation by Danford the
witness was again shown the shoes and
found the ails to be on the inside instead
OF the right side, as testified in direct ex-
animation The tracks in the cornfield
were in dry. heavy ground-no recent
rains. Has known Cochran for % years;
had lately had some alteration with him;
for the past few months he and Cochran
were not on speaking terms. Witness
testified that some years ago he caused
{. some parties 10 be sent to the penitentiary
aud same parties are now living in his
neighborhood
Ford Ring testified that he is a son of
r. A, Ring; that he was home the
night of the fire; was aroused at a. m,
and while arousing the neighbors heard
Cochran's dog barking. He knew Coch-
rams dog well and knew the bark. He
examined tracks in the cornfield; saw the
ahoes fitted in the tracks: identified the
shoes as the ones fitted No cross exam
ination.
J. NJ Richards lives about 4 mile from
the burned stacks; heard bell ringing and
started for the fire; before he got to
stacks he saw a man running from the
burning stacks and ran into a cornfield
near by; could not identify the man:
heard dog barking and believed it to be
Cochrans; after fire went to Cochrans
house; saw Cochran's dog near the house;
raped on the door and found door locked
with paddock on the outside; got no re-
Spouse from within; looked at tracks next
orning where he saw the man go in; did
not see shoes fitted.
Cross examination-Saw man running
towards Cochrans house; did not try to
stop nor hollaw at him; was about 100
yards from the man: knows Cochrans
dog; it is rabbit dog; saw no one with
the dog the night of the fire; examined
tracks where the man went into the corn
field four nails on one shoe; don't know
which shoe; have known Cochran for a
&c with paddock fro outside.
Clarence Boman-LiveS about 800 feet
from Cochran's house; was home on night
of fire; saw Cochran about four clock
the evening before the fire; saw him again
about 1 o'clock the morning of the fire;
heard some one call locked out and saw it
was defendant; he asked what time it was,
] told him ii was five minutes after one.
Cochran asked me what the dogs were
barking at; he went away and AT about 4
a. m. some one knocked at the door;
opened the door; it was Cochran; he ask
ed me where my father was; told him he
was at the fire. and he asked me What
hre?' | told him it was Rings stacks.
He asked me several times where the fire
was; he said. II suppose I will be blamed
for it, Cochran was carrying coal lamp
and was in his bare feet.
Cross eXamination-Saw Cochran first
at / O'Clock on the morning of the fire; he
had on a new Shirt ad pants and new
shoes; saw him again at a. m, in his
bare feet; he seemed to be intoxicated;
have often seen him in his bare feet.
j. w. Burns, city marshal testified that
he arrested Cochran, and while defendant
was in custody he searched Cochran's
house; shoes were shown witness, who
ham he