Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-04-19
The Hinton r1urder Trial.


murder of Maggie Shurtz was COM
pleted yesterday at noon. The jury
men finally selected are A. G. Caswell,
of Walnut township, S. d. Spratlin,
of Freedom, W. F. Cowgirl, of Long
Island, H. a. Gudger and Clayton
Hamilton, of Kirwin, Sam Fauber
and ]. E. Allen, of Beaver, J. A.
Harrison, of Sumner, John Edwards,
Jacob a. Hoover Jr., P. Larson and
T. NJ. Jacobs, of Arcade.
The first witness called after County
Attorney Bissell had stated the case
was Frank Shurtz, father of the
murdered girl.
He testified to seeing his daughter,
Maggie Shurtz, at his home on the
evening of Feb. IA, in her usual health
and then again in about an hour or
an hour and half he saw her suffer
ing from gunshOt wounds. That she
continued to suffer for 81 days and
finally died April 5, 1901.
Mrs. Frank Shurtz next came to the
stand. She testified that she was the
mother of Maggie ShurtZ. She relat-
ed the story of the shooting on the
evening of Feb IA as follows:
Maggie and her little sister went
out in the evening and they saw some
one standing at the corner of the
house and were not positive who it
was; they came back in frightened. |
They later went out to the well for
water, she, her little brother and |
sister, taking the lantern with them. !
She got her pail of water and was in
advance returning to the house. l
opened the door to look out and to !
show the baby the lantern and the
children out there. l heard Maggie
scream just as l opened the door, %,
mamma, mammal | heard report
and 1 stepped off this porch, taking
the baby with me. When she gave
the second scream l thought of the
baby standing by me, and l partly
turned and she says Mamma, mamma,
save me- 1 ran towards her, and just
then she passed me and went back
toward the well; as she passed me
y the second shot was fired, went right
; by me, and she fell. / turned and l
l could see the one that fired the shot
up on the hill above me, little higher
than I was, he was on his knee when
first seen him. l caught her and
got her in the house as quick as posi-
BILE Just as l turned to take her in
d the house the third shot was fired, the
fire went right by me just in a blaze,
Z it couldn't have been over six feet. l
) hardly know what happened from then
}" on. 1t was Joseph Hinton who did
. the shooting"
{ When asked to look at the defen-
y dant and identify him Mrs. -Shurtz
>, said, covering her face with her hands,
-" 81 can't look at him, don't ask me to. .
Her testimony was given between
l sobS when telling of the shooting of
her daughter.
In further testimony she identified
the defendant as Joseph B. Hinton
e who did the shooting.
- In cross examination of these two
:" witnesses nothing of note was brought
Ii out, as most of the questions put by
the attorney for defence were object
i ed to and ruled out. Mr.. Stinst I
i however gave notice of his intention
to recall the witness at the proper
time.
NJ The next witness was Roy Shurtl
III who testified that he was the brother
of Maggie Shurtz. He related the
:, story of the shooting as he saw it, fol
- he had gone with Maggie after waite
- and was near the pump at the TIM
the first shot was fired.
~ Roy Shurtz testified that he started
~ to the well with his sister; got waite
y started back when first shot was fired
shots. On croSs-eXamination devel
oped distances, ETC., maintained abOu
:. the same statement of facts.
10 Dr.. F. E. Richmond-called consul
tation at shooting of Maggie Shurtz
found one wound in left side, one il
back. Was not able to locate bullet
Called to see Maggie ShurtZ often
Il; She was in bed; wound in front dis
- charged puS, blood and matter. Pa
o or tient grew weaker, unable to retain
OF food. Last saw patient about TIVE
+, weeks before death. Wound was dis
ID charging very offensive pus. Saw de
u PENDANT at home of Shurtz Feb. II
= made search, found revolver. (offereC
it in evidence.) Had a talk with de
PENDANT. He said Maggie put waite
down and put her arms around hin
and kissed him and he shot her. Cros
examination developed fact that de
PENDANT was weak; was treated will
powerful stimulantS, etc. Wound wa
in region where heart ought to hav
been.
Curtis Sylveas was called and testi
fed that he had loaned Joseph Hinton
a revolver Feb. IA, would know re
volver. Identified the revolve
produced by DR.. Richmond. Cross
examination, have loaned Hinton
revolver before, probably ten day
before.