Omaha daily bee., 1898-05-29
ACOUITS THE TWO KASTNERS
Father and Eldest Son Are Found Not
Guilty Of Murder.
JURY SOON REACHES AN AGREEMENT
joyful Reunion of the Family In the
Court Room when the YER
diet is Announced
by the Clerk.

Joseph and Louis Kastner. father and son.
accused Of the murder of Officer Dan Tiede-
man and the wounding Of Oficer Al Glover
at Nelson's saloon. Thirtieth and Spauldlng
streets, on the early morning OF June 3.
1897, are free men. the Jury having returned
a verdict OF not guilty.
Some time during the night Of June s.
1897. burglars broke into the saloon at Thir-
tieth and Spaulding streets. The patrol
wagon was sent to the scene. and on the
way out stopped to take in Officer Glover,
who was on the North twenty fourth street
beat. The officers reached the place about
3 o'clock on the morning Of June 9. Driver
Osborne was left in charge Of the wagon
and the two officers. Tiedeman and Glover.
commenced an investigation. At this jurc-
ture the men in the saloon-three in number
Jumped through a window and fed. As
they ran they fired at the officers, all Of
their shots apparently taking effect, as
Tiedeman received wounds from the effect
OF which he died during the next day.
Glover was shot in the face, the hip and the
leg, and while he has recovered and is at
work, he Is anything but a wen man, his
wounds still causing him much pain.
The morning following the shooting a num-
Der Of officers were put upon the case, and
during the day the three Kastners, Joseph,
the father. and August and Louis. his sons,
who resided a few blocks from the saloon,
we're arrested. They were lodged in Jail
and then the police commenced a hunt for
other parties, who. according to their theory,
might have had sons connection with the
commission OF the crime. For several days
this line of work was pursued, and then the
entire attention of the police force was con-
| centrated in an effort to secure evidence
against the Kastners.
One Convicted.
In due course OF time the Kastners were
given a preliminary hearing in the police
court and were held without bonds to APP
pear before the district court. At the Sep
TENDER term they were called and demanded
separate trials The younger Kastner, Au-
gust, was placed upon trial and after a
hard fought battle that consumed the greater
part Of a month he was found guilty of
murder. the jury recommending life i'm
/ prisonment. This sentence was imposed and
the young man is now in the penitentiary.
The case against Joseph and Louis Kast-
ner was called before Judge Slabaugh on
May 10 and submitted yesterday. All of
the evidence was of a circumstantial nature,
though the county attorney and his assistant
considered il stronger than that adduced
on the trial OF August Kastner. The only
defense of the defendants was an alibi, they
and all of the members OF the family swear
ing that they were in their home during
all of the night Of the commission OF the
crime.
The jury that had the case under consid-
Grafton reached a conclusion shortly after l
O'Clock yesterday morning and retired. At
I O'Clock this morning Judge Slabaugh was
notified that the jury had agreed, and on
reaching the court house a few moments
4 af.o- : alAnl ha D,,rI ~ sY-P-c sn thaf-
seats awaiting his coming. The prisoners
were ordered up from the county Jail and
the clerk was sent for. On his arrival he
was handed the verdict, which he read.
During the reading both OF the Kastners
seemed deeply interested, and as he pro-
nounced the words, not guilty their fea-
lures lighted up and an expression of salts
faction %overspread their features.
joyful Family Reunion.
The aged mother, who had been in attend
ance upon the trial, grasped her husband
about the neck and gave him a strong hug,
imprinting a kiss upon his lips. Then turn
ing to her son, she Rugged him and wept
in his arms. Miss Kastner, a young woman,
the daughter and sister. showed more emo
ton than any of the others. She cried and
at the same time Rugged her father
and brother and showered kisses On them
After the completion of the reunion in The
court room the little family group proceeded
to the Jail, where the men visited the cell
which they had occupied for almost a year
and gathered up their clothes and personal
belongings, after which they left for theil
home.
Just how the jury stood is not known, ant
probably will not be, as all of the member:
of the panel said that they entered into ar
agreement not to give out anything con
nected with their deliberations. They re.