The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-12-07

Is POSITIVE no NlOlenCe was OHereu DN
Meyer
Coroner s. T. Longstreet testified as
to the wounds. One bullet grazed the
left side. Another passed through the
upper part Of the left arm and fiat
tened itself against the fifth rib. An
other passed between the third and
fourth ribs, cut a large blood vessel
near the heart passed through the right
lung and lodged in the right arm. The
other struck the back Of the Jaw.
passed through the neck and landed
against the spinal column. Three of
the bullets were found and were pro-
duced by the coroner.
On cross-cxamination the coroner
said in answer to Mr.. Scragg's ques-
tion that It was impossible to tell from
the wounds the order in which the
shots were fired.
THE FIRST WITNESS.
Davtcn Swingle was the first witness
to say that Meyer had assaulted Eel-
ler. lie is a resident of the ncighbor-
hood and saw the whole affair from
beginning to end. Tne> deceased fol-
lowed Keller and ran up the railroad
embankment to head him Off he said.
hundred feet talking loud and in an
CRY tones. Keller appeared to be maxi
ing an effort to keep away from Meyer
and several times when he crossed
from one side of the track to the other
Meyer followed him. The deceased, he
alleged made a pass at Keller and Kel-
Ter then fired. Meyer was undeterred
by this and made an effort to get at
Keller The latter then fired three
more shots.
officer Fred Beaver, who arrested
Keller testified that he met the de-
fendant coming up Potter street in
company with his father. On the ap-
proach OF the officer Keller unloosed Il
belt from about his waist which sup
ported the Eolster containing his re-
volver, and handing it to the officer
gave himself up saying he wanted pro-
lection. The witness inspected the
clothing of the deceased but found no
weapons.
officer George Dierkes. who was Civ
en- possession of the revolver, testified
to having received it from officer
Beaver and of having turned ii over
to the district attorney The district
attorney then offered the revolver in
evidence. It is five-chamber, 3S-
calibre weapon, with pearl handle.
When taken from Keller all five of its
chambers were loaded.
Gcnaro Gennello and his cousin. Mrs.
Gcnnello, saw the shooting from the
porch of their residence. They did not
see any blows struck.
STALBERG'S STORY.
Milton Stalberg, who lives nearby,
heard the shots and looked i'm the di-
rection of the shooting in time to SEE
Meyer fall. lie ran up to the scene
and heard Keller admit that he did the
deed. Tho district attorney tried 10
elicit from him that he had heard KEEL
ler say II don't care If the - -
--- is dead" but Mr.. Stalberg denied
/ having heard any such remark.
Mr.. Jones eVinced considerable dis
appointment and after futile efforts to
bring out that some such remark had
! been made by Keller i'm Stalberg's hear
| ing, asked the witness if it wasn't a
fact that somebody had been talking
! to him about the case recently. Mr.
Scragg objected to the prosecution at
tempting to discredit its own witness
| and a long discussion ensued. Mr.
| Jones Contending that this was the
only way to deal with adverse Witness
es, and Mr.. SCragg contending that the
question was improper for the reason
noted above.
Mr.. Jones allowed the witness tC
! come down and called Mrs. Stalberg
| his wife. She saw Mr.. SChu-
| Ter, she said. start to go down
| to where Meyers body lay and
| heard Keller say Don't you SO
down there to him or youll get tn,
same dose" she denied having hearG
Keller say anything else.
Mr.. Jones was not satisfied with her
| testimony and stroVe to bring out that
| she had heard Keller say later on tC
the crowd that he didn't care if tn,
------ -- --- was dead. as it is alIeg.
ed she told the county detective wheT
| he was working up the case. AfteI
some hesitancY and much blushmg she
answered testify mo, sir, | hcarC
nothing else"
JUDGE CAUTIONED HER.
While she was hcsitating Judge Ed,
wards cautioned her to tell all sh,
| knew saying witnesses are sworn t.
tell the whole truth" Mrs. Stolbers
persisted that she had heard nothin,
| else. Mr.. Jones made an offer to show
that she had told the county detectiv,
| of other remarks made by Keller. bu
| Judge Edwards said he could not al
| low 1t. He remarked to the attorney:
! that he himself did not like the manner
Of the witness. 1t is only fair 20 stat,
that Mrs. Stolberg's nervousness coulC
| have resulted from her realization o
the fact that the Veracity of her evi
dence was questioned.
\. SteinmctZ saw Meyer hasten ul
| the embani<ment To head off Keller
He swore Keller pushed Meyer ava.
from him and that he saw Keller's arm
go up as if to ward off a blow, jus
previous to the shooting.
Charles Clayman also saw all thi
and further aVerred that after the frs
SHOT Meyer kept OH going towards Kel
ler.
I.emuel Jones swore he saw the de
ceased give Keller a push Just befor
the first shot was fired and after tn
shot Meyer again went at Keller II
also said that Keller acted as if try
ing to clude Meyer and that severa
times he walked to the opposite sid
of the railroad only to be followed b
Meyer. This closed the testimony 70
| the day.