The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-09-17
Guilty OF Murder
In Second Degree
LEYAN KILLED McANDREWS FOR HIS MONEY.
Life is the Forfeit He Has Taken-Liberty is the
Ransom He Must Pay.
A CELEBRATED CASE.


quently died. The Commonwealth
will show, continued Mr.. Harman,
that Levan was without any money
at the time and tha! the next day
be appeared at the hardware store
Of Harry Buck at Ashland where he
purchased SII. 90 Smith & Wes-
son revolver, and rendered a S2ogold
certificate in payment for it.
Furthermore we will show that
an iron bar picked up near the scene
Of the murder was the weapon with
which McAndrews was struck.
We will produce evidence to show
that it fitted exactly the wound on
the dead mans head. These, said
Mr.. Harman are the facts with
which we will fasten the crime upon
Levan. In conclusion, said MIR.
Harman, and in fairness to the
defendant believing as we do that
robbery was his motive and that he
was goaded on to the commission of
the deed by the desire for gain, we
do not ask for verdict Of murder
in the first degree but rather for a
verdict of murder in the second
degree.
THE EVIDENCE.
The following will cover pretty
nearly all the evidence adduced. We
will give the answers or many of
them to the most important ques-
tons in such a manner as to enable
the reader to infer what the inter-
rogation was.
DR.. J. c. Biddle, called and
sworn by the Commonwealth Il
am the Superintendent of the
Miners Hospital at Fountain
Springs. James McAndrews was
brought to the hospital OIL the 3Ist
day of March 1908. He was I'M
conscious, and suffering from a de-
pressed comminuted fracture of the
skull. The wound was an inch in
length and about half inch in
depth; the edges of it were sharp
and we'll defined. 1 performed an
operation. He died on the 4th of
April. Death was the result OF
hemmorages of the brain, The
District Attorney handed an iron
bar or brake to the witness. He
identified it as the iron that had
been picked up near the scene of
the murder by young boy, and
turned over to him. When asked
whether or not he had compared
the iron with the wound on Nc
Andrews head, the Doctor answer
ed 81 did and it fitted the wound
exactly" Continuing he said,
there was blood and human hair
upon it. believe the blow was
struck with this instrument or one
like it. 1t would be impossible to
inflict such wound by falling on
stone, unless man fell with con-
siderable force. On cross-examina-
tion the Doctor stated that such an
injury might be inflicted if a man
fell with sufficient force. Il am
not acquainted said he with the
road or formation of ground where
McAudrews was found. l was
never there"
Mrs. James McAndrews. -"I re-
member the day my husband was
brought home. 1t was on the goth
day of March, between II and II
O'Clock. His coat sleeve was torn
and his pants pockets were turned
inside out. There was no money
in his pockets. He was taken to
the hospital the next day. l can't
say when he died, did not know,
but l have become 50 nervous. "
She spoke in clear voice, but
there was sadness in it and her ap.
pearance bore evidence of the
trouble she has had. Her children
were very i'll and it was to afford
her an opportunity to return to
them that she was called in the
order that she was.
James c. Brown. --"I reside at
Bloomsbury. Am civil engineer.
I made map or plan of public road
which shows Main Street lead
ing through Montana, location of
cross streets, hotels, blacksmith
shop and branch of L. V. Railroad.
1t also shows some underbrush
along the road. / was assisted in
the work by Mr.. Eyer who has been
III my employ for several years.