Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-11-23
SIX WITNESSES EXAMINED
In the Preliminary Hearing of Quincy
Cramblett Yesterday

Cramblett yesterday
ON THE CHARGE OF NUMBERING
JAMES H. GOSNELL, AT MT.
PLEASANT EVIDENCE WAS OF
A SENSATIONAL CHARACTER.
THE DEFENSE INTIMATES
THAT A NEIGHBOR DID THE
SHOOTING.
Special to the Register.
MT. PLEASANT, Ohio. November
22.-The preliminary hearing of Quincy
Cramblett, charged with the assassina-
ton of James H. Gosnell, attracted an
unusually large crowd here to-day,
many riding for miles to be present at
the sensational trial Union, or /. 0.
o. F. Hall, where the trial was held,
was packed to suffocation, and Squire
Humphreyville presided with consider
able dignity equal to the importance Of
the occasion
Much of the testimony was sensa-
tional The attempt of the prosecution
was to show that Cramblett committed
the deed because of his desperation and
love, it amounting to rash infatua-
ton for Cora Gosnell. The defense
brought out that the only person in the
world with whom Gosnell had been on
bad terms for years was JEFF Rainbow,
a neighbor, and they brought Rain
bows name in so frequently as to coun-
teract the circumstantial evidence
against Cramblett. Prosecuting AttOr-
ney A. C. Lewis was there for the
State, and e. E. ETskine represented
Cramblett Nobody regards the case
against Cramblett as being serious
one. At the outset of the trial to-day
the original affidavit against Cramblett
was withdrawn, as it charged shooting
with intent to kill, and first degree
murder affidavit was filed, without OBJ
lection by defendants attorney. Cram
blett stood up coolly and with seri-
Gus demeanor while the charge was be-
ing read and answered plainly not
guilty. Only three witnesses were ex-
amined before supper time. The first
was the widow of the murdered man,
Mrs. Mary Gosnell. She testified that
the night of the shooting the dog, usu-
ally not given to barking, did not bark
either before or after the shooting. She
testified that Cramblett always be-
haved when he came to their house
and that he was always in the room
with the family. She did not know
that he displayed any particular affec-
ton for either daughter, though the
father thought he favored Cora, the
youngest, and told her he did not want
Cramblett to marry her. Gosnell
never told this to Cramblett, however.
Rainbow, she said, was there shortly
after the shooting, and he went for
Cramblett at their request, and Cram
blett Staid there until the day of the
funeral, looking after things. She said
Ter husband and Rainbow were bad
friends after a watch was missed from
he Gosnell home several years ago, and
only several weeks before the murder
Rainbow's children were caught in the
Gosnell kitchen looking into the cup
board and were ordered out by Cos
nell. She had no objection to Cram
blett, except that she thought him
green. The night of the murder, when
Cramblett came after being sent for,
Cora went straight to him and fell into
his arms and grieved. She said the
Crambletts and the Gosnells neighbor-
ed. She said her husband was hard to
get along with at times, and sometimes
when Cramblett came he would be
spunky at first but would always mel
low down before he left and bid him
return again. She said she was hold
ing nothing back and she said Cram
blett went to Long Run after things to
UuIy utT uuSDduu III. All utT l6SIl-
mony and that of her daughters fol-
lowing showed that they did not think
Cramblett killed Gosnell, and they
showed no bitterness toward Cram
blett
Miss Cora Gosnell, a beautiful girl,
told her story with much simplicity.
She said she had known Cramblett for
three years; that he had been paying
her attention for over a year and had
proposed marriage several times. He
told her he loved her and she loved
him, but she had always refused him.
one reason being because Of the fuss
kicked up because one sister had mar
ried against her fathers will. The
Monday before the murder she acct
dentally met Cramblett at Crowded
Gap" near their home, and Cramblett