The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-03-27

Stark county there never mas Deen on
the witness stand a more impressive,
interesting or positive witness than
Isaac Stripe, of near Greentown, the
man who told a ews-Democrat man
that he had been bounded almost to
death by people who wanted him to
leave the county or change his testi-
mony in some manner. Stripe came on
to the witness stand at about three
o'clock and there was put in the liveliest
hour that has been experienced in a
Stark county court of justice for many
a day. The public was prepared for
Isaac. The News-Democrat carried the
story of what was expected of him and
also the statement that he had made,
that somebody had been trying to tam
per with him. There was also enough
of the story carried Wednesday to in
dicate that Isaac was character who
would be worth hearing and the crowd
in the court room. that filled all the
available space, had no reason to be
disappointed. The evidence given by
the old citizen was direct enough to be
sensational and positive enough to call
for the most searching ss-eXamina-
tion, by one of the very cleverest cross
examiners at the Stark county bar,
A MAN OF INGENUITY AND RE-
SOURCE.
Stripe positively identified William
Henderson as the man with whom he
talked at the meeting house on the
night of December g. 1897. This meet
ing house is, around the road, nearly
mile from the Hartong homestead.
Across the fields it is probably three
quarters of a mile and it is said that
the state has q witness who will get
get somebody or other across the fields,
or at least on a premises that is not on
the road to the Hartong home that
is generally taken by vehicles. So
the state will contend that by the evil
dence of Isaac Stripe alone, even if it
were not corroborated by others, Will
liam Henderson has been proven to have
been in the vicinity of the crime with
in the meaning of the law and authori-
, ties as to what vicinity really is. 1t will
hardly be contended that if Henderson
were where Stripe says he was at about
z o'clock in the evening he would not
have had time to get to the Hartong
home in four hours. 1t is a safe propo-
sition that when the defense produces
its alibi testimony, as it is said it will,
the alibi will not be located in that little
Isaac Stripe.
"There he sets there" said Isaac.
The face of William Henderson flush
ed. 1t was the direct testimony that
ne knew was coming and that his at
torneys knew was coming, but 1t came
with stunning force when it did come,
and it would make an innocent or a
guilty man change countenance, for it
was dangerous testimony. 1t has been
considered, since discovered by the de-
fense, to be the most dangerous that
can be offered, for without getting the
accused within the vicinity of the
crime, the case of the state would be
materially weakened. Getting him
IN THE VICINITY.
il the jury believes as a matter of Sact
that he was in the vicinity, the chain
of circumstances that it is intended to
weave, together with alleged confess
sions, will produce. that foundation that
the state must have to work a con-
viction in this case. So the testimony
of Isaac Stripe is vital to the issue, and
the issue is life or death. No more i'm
portant witness ever took the stand in
any lawsuit.
There was any amount of fun while
stripe was on the stand. His answers
to Prosecutor Pomerene were direct, but
even then the witness gave an inkling
of what was in store in the cross eX-
animation.
1t was thought at one time that Stripe
was going to give some information
that might lead to the Identification of
the other men who were in his little
meeting room on that night. The de-
fense asked for it and insisted upon 1t
so streneously as to leave no room for
doubt that 1t was wanted from the wit
ness. He said he could not give the
information. He said that he might
know, or words to that effect, but when
it came to the direct question as to
whether he did. as a matter of fact
know, he was obliged to say that he
could not tell their names.
A DETECTIVE EPISODE.
In this connection 1t may not be out
of place to insert what Stripe said to
a NewsDemocrat man, at his home one
day about six weeks ago. The old man
was narrating his troubles and worries
with detectives and made the state
ment that one detective came to see
him and took dinner with him. Then
he came again and stayed awhile He
brought a handsome large woman with
him, and sometimes he would allow
the woman to remain in the buggy
while he stood Isaac up against the
fence or the gate post and talked with
him and sometimes he would come into
the house and make himself perfectly
at home. On one of these occasions,
Stripe says, the detective brought lot
of pictures with him. The woman was
"a
Y the detective fingered at the table and
talked. He always wanted TO go over
the case and rehearse Just what Stripe
knew. He wanted TO talk about VIII
liam Henderson and about other men,
especially any others that Isaac migt