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


It the same time. Said for first time
t was Denny Dolan. And said he and
)olan had had trouble about line
ence.
Monday afternoon Austin told c. ID.
Creviston he did not know who shot
nim but saw Dolan commit the murder,
lold DR.. Ziegler that when he left the
house at 3 o'clock, it was not on fire;
told Creviston same.
Monday, Austin told j. f. Hearn
they had found an AK at the house.
told Hearn to go up and look
around; told him where he would find
the AK, he would find it marked ''silver
steel" He also told that an AK would
be found in the wood house, and four in
the barn. The other AK" had been
stolen from Dolan's, and was found
by DR.. Ziegler near the ruins
of the house with the handle burned
out after being thrown down there, as
shown by the ashes of the handle. That
axe was stained with blood and fibrous
remains of hair. Evidence WILL show
that the axe was used and left at Do
lan's wood shed by Dolan, at o'clock,
Saturday evening. We will show that
Austin knew the axe was Dolan's be-
fore the axe was found.
When Austin was brought to hospi-
tai, wound was probed and showed bull
let had taken direct course and had
not been detected.
Evi dence will show prisoner has new
er shown any feeling about the murder
of his mother and brother, and has
never showed any desire to have Dolan
arrested.
Evidence will show that Ernest Aus
tin threatened, as late as Tuesday be-
fore the murder, to kill his brother
William.
After the Prosecutor had made his
statement, Judge Price briefly stated
that his client was innocent until
proven guilty, and he conld not state
what they would prove till the State
developed its case. He said State
would not be able to prove it's case
and urged jury to keep their minds un
prejudiced.
Judge Dow said no evidence would
be introduced till tomorrow, urged thu
jury to keep their minds unprejudiced
and adjourned Court until Wednesda,
morning.
WEDNESDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
Jury called at five minutes of 9. Jur,
called. Price asked that witnesses b.
excluded from room. Judge requested
Sheriff to find place for them.
Thos. L. Painter, first Witness
Lived on farm adjoining Austin farm t.
west of it. Knew Austin family well
Father died in fall of '97. Mother larg
woman about 20; William something
over 30, Earnest q or %. Sunda,
morning, May q, about Is minutes afte
500, witness went with Emery Hearn
John Haines and Knight Judy to site o
Austin house; house was burned dow
before he got there; some chunks still
burning, no walls, floor or roof standing
went up roadway on west side of hous,
but wind was from east and heat wa
too great on west side of house, an(
went around to east of it, saw smoking
remains of two human beings on ives
side, in the ruins, 20 feet apart. Die
not get them out. Examined road, saw
barefoot tracks of person coming out o
small gate on roadway west of house
followed them to the pike, and east OF
pike to lane leading to Yves. Haines; il
the lane saw impressions of heel in tn,
road, leading to Haines' house. Pix,
was dusty and tracks ordinary distanc,
apart. Went into Wesley Haines' house
saw Ernest Austin there. DIR. Zeigle
when 1 got there; saw that Ernest
hair was scorched. Returned to Aus
TINS; found bodies had been removed
and were lying on the grass; had n
heads, only trunks and small portions O
arms and legs; could not recognize
them. Saw William Austin last be
tween and at North Lewisburg Sat
turday evening.
Cross examined by Price: Pike run
east and west; Austin's house north o
pike rods; from Austin's to Haines'
to 25 rods; saw Ernest Austin at Yves
Haines', and DR.. dressing his wounds
in kitchen; didn't talk to him, nor hea
him make fuss or say word; only il
house few minutes; his hair appeared
to be singed; looked like it had beel
burned; went to Austin's house proba
bly, Is minutes after 6; about when b
returned to Austin's and found bodie
had been removed from fire.
Minta Kennedy Lives half mil
from Austin place, towards North Lew
isburg, near the pike; lived at Austir
home some three or four weeks in Al pri
and May; left there at noon Saturday
May 30; returned there about 10 mex
day, and found house burned down; wa
familiar with house and it's rooms
doors, location of bed, etc., and pointe
them out to jury on plat that was show
her. Her testimony showed that WOO
house and kitchen were on the mort
end of the house; William Austin's be
room south of wood house and kitcher
and west of Ernest's bed room, the la
; ter being south of the kitchen; door
opened from Williams room to WOO
| house, and kitchen on north and t