The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-05-27
KNORR ON
THE STAND.
Progress Of the Sensational Trial Now
on at Bloomsbury
DETAILS OF A DASTARDLY PLOT
According to the Testimony Given by Knorr
the Prisoner Wintersteen was Indif-
ferent to the Sacrifice Of
Property or Lives Of
others.

BLooMsBURG, PA, May 26.-The trial Of
Lloyd S. Wintersteen, charged with attempt
ing to blow up Levi Wallers mansion with
dynamite last September, was intensely ex-
citing this afternoon. Clifton G. Knorr. who
confessed to having exploded the dynamite
but who said he was merely a tool acting for
Wintersteen in the matter, was upon the
stand to-day and he told portions of his
story in q manner that was highly dramatic
He took the stand at 4:14 this afternoon
The thread was taken up at the time when
Wintersteen worked in Colonel Knorr's
Office and Clifton ran ermnds. That was
fifteen years ago When Colonel Knorr died
Wintersteen, then his partner and his bosom
friend, became executor of his estate. 1t
was claimed. however that Wintersteeu was
not true to his trust and in 1894 bin of
equity regarding some alleged manipulations
of the stock Of the Bloomsbury Iron Works,
half OF which belonged to the Knorrs, and
the other half to Wintersteen, was filed.
Waller was Mrs Knorrs attorney and had
the case come to trial Wintersteen, il was
said, would have been ruined both finan-
cially and socially. Knorr said he sold
Wintersteen his share of the stock at one
third its value Wintersteen then enlisted
the service of his dead partners son to secure
the balance. At first Mrs Mildred Smith,
Knou's sister. would not part with her shares.
Then Knorr said at Wintersteen's instance
he started partition proceedings over a
house owned by the estate and occu-
pied by the children's grandmother.
at Harrisburg. In order to prevent the sale
of the property and to save the old lady
from being turned out Mrs. Smith wantod to
change her stock for Kuorrs share in tine
building. The stock was Immediately trans
ferred to Wintersteen, who gave Know 81, 900
for it, although it was valued at 81, 600 This
transaction Knorr said, occurred in New
York, and there, the witness stated, Winter
steen asked him to write to his mother about
the balance of the stock. This he did, but
his mother refused to sell. Wintersteen and
he called on Mrs. Kuorr and when the latter
declined, Wintersteen told her it was not
she who was fighting him, but Waller
Later on, at Reading Wintersteen and
Knorr talked about finances, and
Knorr was told by his companion that if his
mother were to conveniently die he would
make $4,000 or $1,000 by it. Knorr said that
he refused to kill his mother While on this
trip Wintersteen, so Knorr declares, found
knife in a bureau, aud drawing it back, said
he would like to run it through Waller.
Following this Wintersteen, the witness
continued, suggested number of ways by
which Waller might be done away with.
His death was absolutely essential for the
furtherance Of the defendants plans Among
other things, Wintersteen wanted Knorr to
throw vitriol in his enemy's face or to find
somebody willing to do it.
During all this time Wintersteen tried to
get Mrs. Knorr out Of his way, the witness
I i L Ig,1
started for New York to get somebody to do
the job. The price was to be $500 Instead
of going to New York, Knorr went to Read
ing where Wintersteen found him and he
| pleaded illness. In November, 1895, the
witness said Wintersteen asked Knorr to
shoot Waller and revolver was accordingly
/ purchased in Danyille, but the opportunity
to use it did not present itself, Then Knorr
said he wanted to go home to remain awhile.
The defendant thought that good idea. for
then he would have ample opportunity to
kill Mrs. Knorr. At last Wintersteen be-
came desperate, Knorr claimed, and
said Waller must be blown up
The dynamite plot was accord
ingly Matched. Knorr was to get $1,000
or $4,000 if Waller and his family were killed.
Wintersteen told him where to get the dyna-
mite and he did so. The attempt to destroy
Waller and his mansion was made shortly
after o'clock on the morning of September
IL. The dynamite did not go off the first
time. Knorr stated that he then walked
back to Armstrong; quarry, got more dyua-
mite, lighted the fuse and walked away.
This time there was no mistake, although
the intended victims escaped with their
/ lives Knorr was two squares away when
the explosion occurred He crossed the
Susquehanna and bearded train for Halle
ton.
At this juncture of the case tho court
ordered an adjournment for the day.