The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-12-15

road; pointek out Ernest: known him
since he was born; saw William Austin
Saturday afternoon, May 20, 1899. about
O'Clock, in North Lewisburg; visited
ruins OF Austin house Sunday morning,
with L. l.. Painter, Emery Hearn
and Knight Judy; saw remains of hu-
man beings in northwest corner of bed
room and southwest corner of sitting
room; corroborated Painter as to bare
| foot tracks leading from house down
roadway to pike, east on pike to Wes
Haines', and south in lane to Haines'
house: saw Ernest Austin at Yves.
Halnes'; help lead him from kitchento
little bed room. | took hold of one arm
and Mr.. Hearn the other, and Ernest
walked the entire distance, some 80 or
40 feet. | went home with Mr.. Hearn.
DIR. Ziegler and l went to the ruins:
got boards and DR.. got garden rake,
and took bodies out of fre-only trunks
left, badly charred; saw no weapons
about; at Wesley Haines' noticed that
prisoners hair and beard were scorch-
|
not see his wound.
Cross examined by rice:-When
first saw bodies in ruins | was 40 feet
away; went from Austin place to nv
brothers, Yves. Haines; when l got
there DR.. Ziegler was there dressing
Ernest Aus4in's wound; couldn't iden-
tify bodies, but could tell sex; tracks to
Wesley Haines. were not zigzag, but
straight; body in northwest corner
was body of male; body in southwest
corner was body of a female.
Josiah X. Judy;-About half-past in
morning was wakened by Wesley
Haines; hitched up and went to Mingo,
or 43 miles, for DR.. Zeigler; stopped
on the way back and got T. L. Painter,
Emerson Hearn and John N. Haines,
and went to Austin place; saw the ruins
| the bodies burning and the bare foot
| tracks leading to Yves. Haines', des-
, cribed by other witnesses; went back
) to Wesley Reams, and found DR.. Zeig-
> Ter there binding wound of Ernest Aus.
tin, whose hair and beard were scorch.
ed; the beard was short, but the ends
crisped; DR.. Ziegler handed him Ernest
| Austin's pantaloons to examine; found
. 800 gold piece and $40 bill, IL silver
coins and four pennies in pockets; pant
' aloons were handed him by Prosecutor
would judge they were the same hand
ed him by DR.. ziegler; talked with
Ernest in the afternoon. Ernest talked
v about his army service down south, bu
. didn't say a word about the murder OF
4 burning of the house.
Cross examined by Price:-went tt
= the Austin place with Painter and the
O others after sun up; the pantaloon!
/. have stain on them I recognizes; would
e have known them if handed me by
v same.
r Adjourned at 11:30 to l p. m.
Jury called at Los p. m.
f J. G. Wonders was called and sworr
q to identity of two plats of the Austin
/ house and premises, pike and neighbor
;: farms prepared by him.
e Charles Haines:-Son of Wesley
S Haines; was sleeping night May 20tt
/ in north or front room of house; lane
? leading from pike to house, passed or
t west of house; walk from lane to veran
/ dab; father slept in room back of his or
Y first floor; L was wakened about :
f O'Clock in morning, was wakened by a
d: voice crying, ''Oh! my God, my God
d have mercy on me!" twice, in the lane
l leading to house from pike; heard gate
e from lane to walk shut; heard voice
e saying again: "Oh! my God, have
q mercy on me!'' Heard noise on veran
!, da, and some one push against screer
r door; heard voice saying: "Oh! my
s God, come to me quick; l am bleeding
s to DEATH" Heard sound as of some one
= falling; got up and looked out and saw
|. man; he said: "Oh! my God, Charley
O I am bleeding to death; come to me.
# Knew then it was some one knew, anG
q went to door and asked who it was, and
: he said: ernest Austin" Father anG
was the matter. He said: ''Look VI
there!' pointing toward their house.
9 looked and. saw that the west side o
n the house was on fire, but the east sidt
was not. 1 asked him what was tht
matter, and he said: 81 have beer
shot," "Who did it?" II don't know.
"Where are you shot?' He showed
me wound in his breast; we took hin
round to the kitchen; he said he coult
not walk; we took hold, one on eacf
side, but had to assist him very little
asked what we should do for him, ht
said put plaster on wound; it was bleed
ing profusely; he was sitting on chair
we applied clay to wound eight or ter
times before doctor came; he said b,
l would have to lie down after clay wa
l applied, and we got him cot; his hail
, and beared were singed all over; whel
u went out to him, he was sitting OF
. veranda, leaning against pillar of yer
,, anda with his feet on walk, had on onl,
shirt and pantalOOns; no hat, no shoes
Il socks, coat or under clothing: wa
shown pantaloons and shirt, and iden
b titled them as same Earnest Austin thel
d had on; shirt covered with blood, ant
, burned where bullet hole had beel
y made in it, after DR.. Ziegler came an(
U dressed Ernest's wounds, he was taker
IS from kitchen to the little bed room
While | was in kitchen Ernest Austi1
q wrote note and handed me; would rec