The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-01-09
WITNESSES ARE EXAMINED
In the Case of the Fellow Who Had
Designs on Young Hogan.
RECEIVED WITH NONCHALANCE.
Suspected Crook Did Not whince when
the Sentence Was Given But whistled
as He Left the Court Room
Much Interest Was
Taken.

muCn was
Taken.
The mysterious stranger in black who
has baffied the police officials the past
few days regarding his identity, was
given an opportunity Thursday night
before the mayor, in the presence Of a
number of witnesses, to prove that he
really had some business in this city
and was not a suspicious character as
charged. He failed to establish the
fact that he was here on legitimate
business, that of making bead rings,
as he alleged, and he was given a de-
cidedly heavy sentence by the mayor,
probably the largest dose ever admin
istered to a prisoner in mayors court.
officer Patterson, who assisted in Nc
knights arrest, was called to the wit
ness stand. and he stated how he eff
feCted the arrest of the prisoner. He
found him in the brick building in West
Tuscarawas street occupied by
Schmuckers saloon. The man was in
bed sleeping and made no resistance
when the officers took him into custody
Mcknight told them he had been in the
city ten DAYS.
Superintendent Ohliger, of the water
works department, testified that he had
seen Mcknight and Russell Hogan to-
gether along the water works race last
Friday afternoon, setting in front of
a fire. This was between 4 and 5
O'Clock.
Ed. Uftring, residing at 1900 Lincoln
avenue, testified that he had seen Nc
knight in this city previous to the
first time that Russell Hogan left home,
and had not seen him since with Hogan
Claude Oberlin, residing at 1877 Reno
court, testified that he had seen the
prisoner in the fall of '9S and spring of
'99. Mcknight, he said, was walking
along the bank of the water works race.
He asked witness where Russell Hogan
was; witness replied that he didn't
know. Mcknight, on last Tuesday, re-
peated the same question on meeting
witness.
I Alexander Halter, residing at 935 Ma |
rion street testified to seeing Mcknight |
in the fall of '97 in this city along the |
West creek. Witness also saw him last |
Tuesday.
HOGAN TESTIFIES.
Russell Hogan, the most important |
witness on the part of the prosecution,
and the young man who is alleged to
have been persuaded to leave home by |
Mcknight, was next called. He stated |
that he had known Mcknight since |
March, 1899, and did not see him in this |
city previous to that time. He met him |
in front Of the Valley depot, and Nc
Knight asked him to go along with him,
but did not tell him where they were |
going. The next night they left, taking |
the Massillon car to that city, and then |
on to Sterling Junction over the G. l.. & |
w. and west on the Erie railway, on |
freight trains. Stopped at Marion a |
few days, and went on to Chicago, |
where both parties were arrested. He |
said Mcknight was sent to the work |
house in that city for 23 days. Two |
weeks after Meningitis release, witness |
went to Marion and met him there. |
They went to Pana, ILL.,, where coal
strike was in progress, and Hogan came |
home from there. Witness was with |
the prisoner Friday afternoon along the
water works race about o'clock. Also
called on Mcknight Tuesday in his
rooms in the Schmucker building and
Mcknight had ordered something to
drink. Witness didn't know what the
prisoners business was in this city.
Witness stated that Mcknight persua-
ded him to leave home just before the
Saxton-George case came up for trial.
II would like to ask him if he didn't
leave home for something else," asked
Mcknight, land If l did entice him
away"
He asked me to go away and have
good time with him." replied Hogan.
The prisoner asked to have the charge
against him read, which was complied
with by the mayor, and then Mcknight
asked If the warrant in the last half
appertained to him being a suspicious
character.
"Yes," replied the mayor, "and your
prior life"
II don't understand this" said Nc
Knight. II don't know anything about
that charge or anything else pertaining
to Mr.. Hogan's son going away with
me-"
The mayor explained that the ordi-
nance compels such charge to be filed
where there was reasonable grounds
as In this case, even though 1t was
proven. that the prisoner 10 vagrant.
II have nothing to say, no. dr," re-
piled Mcknight, when questioned by
the mayor II wanted to examine the
witness IT don't know Russell Hogan.