The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-23
CONSPIRED TO
KILL HIS FATHER


Green Ridge hotel. There Everhart
told me he had reason to believe
that DR.. Everhart intended marrying
again, and making a will in his wife's
favor, leaving her all his money,
which would leave him out in the
cold. After that we left the hotel, and
Everhart then explained to me how
was to enter the house on Franklin
avenue, and in what manner 1 was to
escape from II, showing me how I
could leave by back exit, and get
out through the alley.
THE deed was to be committed be-
tween the hours of 10 and IL o'clock
Saturday night. The idea was for me
to go to the house and ring the bell
was to enter the Office and have DR..
Everhart come downstairs on the pre-
text that a man living on Mulberry
street had broken his leg, and he was
wanted to attend to him. When he
came downstairs, was to kill him."
What was the weapon to be used?"
asked Attorney O'Brien.
THAT knife" said Lewis" pointing
to the butcher knife"
Did Everhart give It to you?" was
the next query.
SHARPENED THE KNIFE.
"He did He said he had stolen it
from Horns saloon in North Scranton.
1t was terribly sharp, and Everhart
said he had sharpened 1t himself and
showed me q cut on his thumb which
he had inflicted in doing it. EVerhart
also gave me that revolver. hut l said
l preferred a knife to do the work
with. but j took the revolver as I was
afraid to leave 1t in Everhart's pos
session.
Attorney OBrien here took from the
package before mentioned a piece of
paper, md showing Il to the witness
| said "nid Evcrhart give this to you?"
"He did," answ cred the witness
stoutly.
Attorney Ballentine hc"e took the
paper, the note in question, and
showed it to Everhart. The latter
flushed slightly, and he was unable to
hold the paper steadily. Attorney
| O'Brien brought it into evidence and
read it. II was as follows:
Scranton, Pa. June 16.
One day from date / promise to pay F. H..
Lewis 5000 without any dcfalcation. | hereby
waive all redemption laws of the state Of Penn
| sylyana. (Sgncd) +. Z. Everhart.
In return for this, Lewis claimed to
have given a judgment note for the
amount if he did not comply with the
specified conditions. The witness then
resumed his narrative, and went on as
follows:
II was to do the deed Saturday
night, according to our agreement
went home, told my wife what had
h. nr1x do
morning. I then went to the home of
| p. p. Carter, whom I know to be a
warm personal friend of DR.. I. F,
Everhart, and deposited with him the
revolver, butcher knife and note.
had previously, like Saturday night
gone to DR.. Everhart's home to give
him the articles, but was unable to gel
into the house.
NAMED MONDAY NIGHT.
'The next time l saw Everhart was
| Monday morning, when told him that
did not do the deed, as / could not
get into the house. He told me to &C
again Monday night, and l said
would. Everhart said that Monday
night he would go to the Turkish
baths, to be able to establish an alb
and clear himself from all complicty
in the deed.
1.-THE next time we met was Tuesday
night at the Luzerne house in Provi
dence. I there met him, in order t.
gain evidence to prove his guilt, hav
ing with me as witnesses John McDon
aid and a man named Myers, two de
tectives. The next time / saw hin
was last night. Everhart was almos
frantic and exclaimed to me, xii
him. for Gods sake kill him."
Attorney Ballentine then began TIL
cross examination. Lewis admitted ol
being closely questioned that he ha,
previously done detective work, bu
, said he had never been in such an i'm
portant case as this one.
Have you received any money 70
what you have done?' was the mex
question.
"Everhart has paid me some smal
sums, but haven't received any othe
, remuneration. 1 have been promise
no pay for my share in the transac
tiOn," answered Lewis.
, do you expect any pay" insiste
, his examiner.
We'll" he admitted reluctantly "
r certainly think / ought to receiv
: something for my trouble"
, NOT LIVING AT HOME.
, Attorney O'Brien here interposed
question, asking the witness If Ever
hart had ever mentioned anything I
, him of the relations existing betwee
him and his father. Attorney Baller
tine objected to the question but al
/, ter considerable argument was over
ruled and Lewis answered. Everhal
told me that in the last six weeks h
had spent one night in his father
l home, being absent all that while o
! account of trouble with him, concern
( ing the Rinsland episode. Everhal
said he needed money badly an
showed me three quarters and a fe
pennies, which he said We're all thf
was between him and destruction.
note was brought to my house by Wi
Horn from him, yesterday morninI
), arranging for a meeting with him"
when Everhart had these intel
s views with you, was he drunk or Sc
r ber?" asked Attorney Ballentine,
!, AT the first meeting, Saturda
night, he was as sober as you or
s answered the witness, "at one of OF
s other encounters, he was pretty badl
jagged, but at the others was appal
emily SOBER"