Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-10
Faust MURDER Trial
Case Is Now Being Heard In
the District Court at
Carroll
GEORGE cRoNE is DISCHARGED
Latter Was One Of the Defendants and
Did the Shooting at the Bidding of
His Uncle chas. Faust-The Evil
dence About All in-story of the
Murder.
70 Times-Repub,icar,.

Faust and George Crone for the MUIR
der of James Faust, brother of the one
and uncle Of the other, began in the
district court this week. After hear
ing part of the evidence, Judge
Church ordered young Crone discharg-
ed from custody. The law presumes
that a child between the ages of and
Ia years is too young to have criminal
intent unless is is shown by testimony
that he has such criminal intent or is
capable of having 1t. AS there had
been no evidence submitted by the
state to show that Geo. Crone had
criminal intent in shooting James
Faust. the judge decided he should be
released and the trial OF Chas. Faust
is now in progress. The case Is nearing
completion and 1t is possible it
may go to the jury today. The evidence
repeats what is familiar to most Of the
readers of this paper. On the night
of November 80 Sunday Chas. Faust.
George Crona and Fausts little girl
were at the Sol Faust home In Wash
ington township. They had retired early
and were asleep when, about $3.50, a
loud pounding was heard on the door.
Going to the door Chas., Faust asked
who was there. The question was
repeated several times before a reply
indicated to him that 1t was his brother
James, who desired admittance.
After this was refused James Faust
finally went away and Charles and the
little folks went to a neighbours and
stayed all night. A short time after
they returned in the morning James
to get in. Unable to get in at the
door or lower windows he secured a
ladder, placed it against the side of
the house and started to climb 1t to a
second story window. Chas. Faust
and George Crone rushed up stairs,
the latter with a gun. While the
former held the window he told the
boy to shoot, which he did with the
muzzie pointing through the crack
made by the raised window. The gun
was pointed downward and the shot
took effect in James Faust's neck and
shoulder 80 that he fell to the ground
dead.
These are the essential facts in the
case which are not denied by the de-
tense, their testimony being devoted
to proving that the shooting was justi-
fable in view of the character of James
Faust and the threats which he had
male against Charles Faust and his
family. To prove the bad character of
the dead man WITNESSES were sum-
moned from Stanwood, his old home.
They were Myron H. Somers. j. N.
Bowling. Lewis Meter ard L. G. Wooli-
son. They are reported to be reputable
citizens and business men OF Stanwood.
and they presented James Faust's repu-
tation in anything but favorable light.
Other witnesses for the defense were
Emil Weise, Jake Luke. r. NJ. Powers,
julius Ruge, j. w. Schmitz, Mrs. Clara
Faust, Mary and Ida Feust. Mrs. Ida
James and the defendant Faust.
The case. presents but one phase OF
the overmastering powe-- of human
greed. It was less than a short year
ago that Sol Faust disappeared and
how full of misery and tragedy has that
year been to the relatives OF the van
ished man, who settled like harptes
upon the estate, resolved to cling to the
last farthing even at the cost Of human
lives. OF course the problem for the
jury to solve is a difficult one. Here,
Is the unquestioned fact of the killing.
There, is perhaps the no less unques-.
toned fact that Charles was in q
measure afraid of James. But was his
fear sufficient to cause rim to take his
brothers life had it not been for a
selfish desire to obtain all of Soils prop
erty? To further complicate the trag-l
edy and add one more touch of pathos
is the fact that young boy is dragged
into it, who only reached the tender
age of IL years on the Icy that he was
placed on trial for murder.
Later-The jury in the Charles
Faust case was sent out and brought
in a verdict of manslaughter.