Sunday morning globe., 1901-08-18
rot

leaving still one unaCcounted for. By
the rulings Of the partisan judge who
tried the case subsequently, as will be
detailed further along he ruled out
any evidence tending to show that 9th
er persons than Osborne, my brother
and myself fired shots This was to
confirm in the public mind the fact
that a shot from my revolver must
have killed Mr., Hughes. as I had the
only 80 calibre pistol in the melee, and
IL was a 38-calibre bullet which was
found in the head Of Mr.. Hughes by
the surgeons making an autopsy. Thus
the proof was clearly established in
the public mind by the State that ac-
cidentally killed Mr.. Hughes.
While on this part Of the case, 1t is
just as well to state that the defense
established the fact that Osborne own
ed and habitually carried a 38-calibre re-
volver, English bulldog pattern, and
that on the very morning of the trag
edy he purchased a new and improved
American make Of a 32-calibre pistol
giving the English bulldog revolover
and gave the 38 English bulldog
to either Levering, Meeker or a man
named Wolfe, who we're in the con-
spiracy either as the friends and ad-
visers of Osborne and Levenng or ac-
tual participators In the battle. In the
matter Of Meeker. his connection with
the shooting was not even suspected at
the time but Wolfe was prominent
enough I'm the affair to be even placed
on the witness stand by the defense in
the hope of dragging out Of him some
admission, but the dark-browed and
eyil-lOoking creature had been too well
coached by the State, and as the law
forbids the defense to impeach its own
witness, we could not develop whether
It was himself, Leyering or Meeker
who fred the unaccountable four or
five shots. II is not believed that
Meeker would risk his precious hide in
the affray and It is more likely that,
having perfected the details of the in.
tended assassination, he retired TO the
governors Office and awaited the out.
come In safety II is too characters
tic Of the fellow TO doubt the correct
ness Of this theory
Coming back for a brief moment to
the combat Itself, and only remarking
that the bullet found I'm the head Of
Mr.. Hughes corresponded exactly in
size weight ETC., to an English bull
dog 38-calibre one, and did not, on the
other hand, compare I'm either Of these
respects with the Smith & Wesson
which / used, and the further fact that
the State, when challenged to try me
for the murder Of Hughes, for which
/ was indicted, refused to do so. and
was compelled by my attorneys to mol
lie the same, the then presiding Judge
accordance with the Ohio statutes that
the State must try the indictment to
a jury or nollie the same The State
accepted the latter alternative when
my attorneys appeared in court and
demanded trial. Thus Is disposed Of
the very charge which made the public
opinion Of Columbus 80 hostile that I
could not and did not receive a fair
and impartial trial, as, under the con-
dltion Of public sentiment manufactu-
red by my rivals IN the press. such a
fair and impartial trial was utterly
impossible. The combat, then. was
ended when Osborne was Killed Lev
ering and Wolfe made good their es-
cape from the scene and successfully
denied being present, nor could any
body OF the excited thousands be found