Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1903-03-12
The DIR. Stepp Case.

DIR. Lawrence H Stepp of Glade Mills
was put ON trial Tuesday morning on
charge of rape entered against him by
Squire Thomas McMillin of the same
place. The crime was alleged to have
been committed in the Doctors office in
January. 1901. on the prosecutor s
daughter Helen, who was then under l6
wears of age The information was
made in July, 1902. and trial had twice
been postponed on account of illness of
Dr. Stepp About half the population
of old Middiesex was in the Court Room
when the case was called. Attorneys
Clarence Walker and McQuistion q
Vanderlin were associated with the Dis
trict Attorney on the prosecution. DIR.
Stepp was defended by Thomas NJ
Marshall Jr., of Pittsburg, S. T. and
A. L. Bowser and Painter & Murrin.
After two hours of challenging the
venire was exhausted and but ten Jurors
had been secured. They were 5. j.
Dambach, Forward twp; W. B. Stalker,
Venango; John Mulberry, Marion; John
S. Byers, Petrolia; NJ. q. Fullerton,
Clearfield; E. III. Bailey, Jr., Petersville;
}. Dal Smith, Centre; McClelland
Cooper, Worth; E. F. Snyder, Brady;
and Squire Jos Cochran of Harrisville.
Milton Miller and Frank Frantz were
then called from the audience by Sheriff
Gibson on direction of Judge Galbreath.
Clarence Walker opened for the Com
monwealth, over forty witnesses were
sworn by the Commonwealth. The first
called was Mrs. Mary Ogden McMillin.
mother of Helen, she stated that Helen
was born March 81, 1885. That in Dec,
1900 Helen complained of being i'll with
L. opd che cont her IN DIR
Stepp. who was their family physician
and friend, for treatment That after
a few visits to the Doctors Office, Helen
refused to go back, saying he had not
treated her right, but not stating how.
The mothers suspicious were not arous-
ed and not till she had heard of reports
in circulation about her daughter last
July did she closely question Helen, who
then told what had happened
Thomas McMillin, the father, was
then called, and was only questioned as
to Helen's age. On cross-examlnatlon
he denied that he had never offered IN
DIR. Stepp's Office to settle for $500 or
had offered Mrs. Finefrock. and Edward
Alexander, neighbors, $50 if they would
enter similar charges against Stepp.
He said Rev. Smith was the first 70 tell
him of bad reports about Helen. That
after the grand jury had found a true
bill against Stepp, the latter stopped
when passing his livery barn one night,
and asked how settlement could be
made. Il said if had shot gun Id
settle it right now. DR.. Stepp said If
you don't settle I'll ruin your daughters
character forever l replied that man
who only got six and fourth cents for
his own character couldn't ruin other
peoples.
Helen McMillin, a small modest-look-
ing girl of seventeen, was called and
stated that in January, 1901, DIR. Stepp
had twice taken advantage of her In his
operating office when he was treating
her for ovarian trouble, and that she
had never behaved improperly with
other men. Her evidence was well given
and no amount of cross-questioning
could confuse her.
The prosecution then offered wit
nesses against Dr. Stepp's good reputa-
ton but these were set aside for the
time and the Commonwealth rested.
S. f. Bowser opened for the defence.
DR. Stepp took the stand and stated
that Helen had consulted him privately
in Sept, 1900, and that at the time of
the alleged crime he was treating her
for another cause than that previously
stated and was also treating young
man named James Heslep for the same.
That there was no truth in the shotgun
story. That ON the night of Feb. 7, Nc
Millin came to his Office when Elmer j.
Thompson, medical student and
neighbor, and w. b. Kelly, the Doctors
brother in-law, were there, and offered
to settle the case for $500 Thompson
al 4ngtsEal ha aud GaId
the Doctor had replied he wouldn't give
500 cents, and the only place the case
could be settled was in court Thomp-
son also told of an occurrence when he
was teacher of the Cooperstown school
in 1899-1900 which was very damaging
to the prosecution.
Mrs. Finefrock testified that McMil-
lin had offered her $50 if she would
deny that Helen had said to her that DR..
Stepp had never acted improperly to-
ward her and would enter a similar
charge.
The trial was continued Wednesday
morning. John M. Hilliard denied the
story told by Mrs Finefrock that he
had asked her TO tell Doctor Stepp that
Helen McMillin was in trouble, that he
fDr Stepp) was blamed for it, and that
for sum of money Hilliard would take
her away and get her married to some
man.
The rest of the day was occupied with
hearing witnesses called to uphold and
break down regulations.
At 2:30 p. M. the evidence was all in
and Marshall addressed the jury for the
deft. and McQuistion for the Common
wealth.
The evidence taken, all in all. was
most contradictory.
1t developed during the day that
stories were circulated concerning Helen
McMillin and Hilliard last Summer.
For the defence Mrs. Weigel and
Clara Logan stated that they were in
DR.. Stepp's Office twice in January, 1901,
when Helen was there. Both times
Miss McMillin was treated first and
was not in the operating room more
than FIVE or ten minutes.
At five o'clock Judge Galbreath had
finished his charge and the jury retired.
This morning the jury was still dis :
agreed and asked the Court whether
there were two counts, rape and adul
| terry. and whether they could acquit on
tho q rot opd oonufct 0rn tha opcon1