Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-01-17
FIRST TERM OF COUNTY COURT
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Important Gases Being Tried Each Day The Wnesn Murder Trial May
To-day The Attendance at Each Session Unusually Large

This case attracted much interest, ever
seat in the court room and ladies' CALLER
and all of the available standing roor
being occupied.
The first witness was Lamberson'
brother, Lloyd Lamberson. He testifie
that on the evening OF the trouble, b
heard some one calling for help fror
his brothers. house land that he respond
ed to the call and rescued his sister-in
law from her husband.
| Mrs. Lamberson was the most i'm
portant witness. Her testimony in sub
stance was as follows: When her hus
band returned from town on the nigh
of the assault, he was partially intoxi
Gated, but not drunk. He became abu
sive at once, and accused her of unfaith
fulness, something that he frequently
did, without reason. She said little t
him, and soon went up stairs to chang,
her dress. He followed her, continuing
his abuse, to which she did not reply
He then seized her, threw her upon the
bed, struck her several times on the
head, calling her names. BY that time
her brother.in-law had responded to her
calls, entered the room and seized her
husband, pulling him from her. As he
was pulled away he kicked her in the
side, and as she started to go down stairs
he kicked her again in the back, partial
y knocking her down stairs. After she
and Lloyd Lamberson left the house, her
husband followed her and threw large
stone at her. He then returned to the
house, setting fire to her clothing, from
which the house was destroyed. She
said that Lamberson had sometimes
abused her when he was not intoxicat-
ed.
Mrs. Lloyd Lamberson testified that on
the night of the trouble she heard
screams and cries of "Help! Murder!"
coming from her sister-in-law's house,
and that her husband at once hurried
over to assist Mrs. Lamberson. She
afterwards saw black and blue marks on
Mrs. Lamberson's body, where her hus-
band had struck and kicked her.
The only evidence introduced by the
defense was that of Lloyd Lamberson
and his wife, by whom Mr. Kisner sought
to prove that the defendant was insane
at the time of the crime. They both
testified that Lamberson frequently be-
came intoxicated, at which times he ap-
peared to have no knowledge of what he
was doing, although at one time he man
ifested enough will power to abstain
from the use of intoxicants for year.
Judge Little charged the jury that in
toxication is no excuse for the commits.
sion of crime, although insanity may
be q defense. and it rested with the jury
to determine whether Lamberson was in
sane at the time the crime was commit.
ed.
The jury had not come in when court
adjourned, and Judge Little instructed
that sealed verdict be handed in, if a
decision was reached before Wednesday
morning.
Because of the illness of one of the
witnesses for the defense, Dave Bar
rett's attorney, Charles Chalfant, Esq,
asked that the case 60 over the term.
Judge Little, however, directed that a
jury be drawn and the case begun. True
bills, of several counts each, were re-
turned by the Grand Jury against Bar
rett on four charges of robbery.
WEDNESDAYS SESSION.
Interest in the proceedings of county
court yesterday was greater than on the
two preceding days, the court room be-
ing crowded to listen to the testimony
in the trial of Dave Barrett on the
charge of highway robbery.
When court convened in the morning,
the jury in the case of Harvey Lamber-
son charged with assault with attempt tu
kill, handed in a verdict Of guilty, with
a recommendation for the mercy of the
court.
Judge Little then suspended sentence
against Lamberson, permitting him to
go on his own recogniZance, for his
appearance at the next term of court.
The trial of Dave Barrett was then re,
commenced. The entire jury list was
nearly exhausted in securing jury fol
this case, MIR. Chalfant, Barrett's at
torney, freely exercised his prerogative
of challenge, and the District Attorney
refused to accept several men that were
called to the box.
Mrs. Elizabeth A. Greenawalt was the
first witness called to the stand.
She told of the manner in which maI
entered the house of Jacob b. Cole, o
East Danvile, on the evening of Novem
Der IL, and held up her and Mr.. Cole a
the point of revolver, compelling hel
to go up stairs aud get her pocket book
and taking the knife from Mr.. Cole
pocket. The man had a handkerchie
tied over the lower part of his face, from
his nose down, but she got a good lool
at the upper part of his face.
She escaped from the house and not
fed neighbor, Lloyd Krum, who start
ed back with her to the house, whel
they met young man, whom Krur
com PEELED to go back with them. Whe
Krum held the lantern up to his face
she recognized this man as the one VIII
had robbed her and Mr.. Cole, and sh
told Mr.. Krum that it WAS the fellow.
She then testified that she recognize
Dave Barrett, when he was arraigned b
fore Squire Bare few days ago, as th
man who had robbed her.
On cross examination she said ths
she could not have been positive of thi
latter Identification at first, becau,
Barrett was dressed differently than tf
man who robbed her, and she had nev,
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