The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-06-15
CONFESSION GOOD
FOR THE SOUL.
William H. Martin Tells the
Whole Story.
SAYS. HE WAS FORGIVEN
by the Father of the Girls and That He
offered to Do the Right Thing
Says He Used No
Violence.
(From Tuesdays Daily.)


William H. Martin by Elizabeth Dick
the defendant seems to be going on the
theory that "An open confession Is goot
for the SOUL" At all events there ha:
never been a man arraigned in the Starl
county courts who stood up and TOLD
of his own misconduct of such a revolt.
ing nature with the spirit of unconcerr
that has characterized Martin in the
case on trial. He was put on the stand
Monday afternoon by the defense an6
he made no effort to deny that he ha6
been guilty of violating the seventh
commandment with his hired girls. He
told in a loud, clear voice, how the mis-.
conduct had come about, going into al
the shocking details of the matter. The
only point he did deny was that he had
used force against the resistance of the
girl. Upon that, the whole defense rests
Tuesday morning Martin was again
placed on the stand and questioned. Mr.
Werntz asked him If he claimed the
girl had seduced him.
TT was as much that way as the
other" replied Martin.
Mr.. Werntz went to the day when
Martin and his wife had gone to the
Dick place when Lizzie was sick. Mar
tin said that he talked with Mr.. Dick
in the yard and wanted the case hushed
UP. He said he offered Dick $50 to settle
the matter. Mr.. Dick had refused and
feared that the girl might become q
thing about settling for 5000. Martin
testified that he had said:
"In case child is born I will see to It
that neither the child nor the mother
suffers if it takes $1,000.
He said after they went in the house
there was a good bit of excitement. 1t
was not all about Lizzie's case. In re-
sponse to question he said part Of it
was about the other girl. Martin said
that Dick seemed to be satisfied with
his offers to settle and had forgiven
him. la
I'm which case had he forgiven your"
asked Mr.. Werntz.
For both girls" replied Mr.. Martin.
In the preliminary questions put to
Martin he said he had always lived in
Stark county, was once county surveyor.
was president Of the Plain township
board Of education and was now even a
member, and that he was member in
good standing of the Lutheran church.
He said that after the knowledge of
his misdeeds got abroad he felt the dis
grace and had spoken to his wife about
deciding her the property and leaving
the country. He said that his idea was
to get out Of this section and Join the
army.
TO IMPEACH HIM.
After Martin had left the stand the
break down his testimony. Martins
neighbors were brought in to prove hat
he could not be believed when his inter-
ests were at stake. Sherman Trump,
Hiram Sell, James Smith, John Hiss
ner, j. j. Lothamer, Ed. Lothamer, were
all put on the stand. They all testified
that they knew Martin and knew his
reputation and that they would not be-
lieve him under oath.
Then the defense put up a lot Of wit
nesses to rebut this. Jacob Sweisber-
ger, Benjamin Smith, whose daughter
is the best girl of Martins son. DR.. L.
M. Pontius, Judge Aungst, Peter Mu-
NAV and several others were questioned
and they said they knew nothing
against the truthfulness Of Martin and
would believe him as soon as most peo-
pie.
LAWYERS TALKING.
At just 1880 o'clock Tuesday after
noon the defense in the Dick Martin
case finished with its witnesses who
were called to testify that Martins rep
utation for truth was good and both
sides rested their cause with the court
and jury as far as testimony was con-
cerned. The court allotted two hours
each to the lawyers on the diff
ferent sides and Mr.. Werntz began the
speechmaking. He first called the at
tention of the court to some things in
the law he wanted to have special force
given to and then went to the jury and
took up the testimony.
(From Wednesdays Daily.)
The damage suit of Elizabeth Dick
against William H. Martin came to a
sudden stop Wednesday morning.
Tuesday afternoon the speech of Mr..
Werntz to the jury was finished about
2:3O o'clock and Mr.. Sponseller took
up the cause of the defendant and
spoke for half an hour. Mr.. Sterling
then went at the jury for the defense.
He was not through when the time
came for adjournment, having half an
hours time still to talk.
Wednesday morning all hands came
in ready to finish up the case but one
of, the jurors did not show up. John
Fielding was the missing man. He is
Rbout 65 years Of age and the trial had
been pretty hard on him but he was In
pretty good shape when he left the
night before. After waiting for an
hour Deputy Sheriff Mckinney was