The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-11-27
GAVE EVIDENCE IN HIS OWN
BEHALF
An AIibi the Only Hope
of Defense.
ROBERTSON RECALLED

'
Been Called to Baum's Boots Being
Wet-Brothers of the Accused Go on
the Stand and All Tell the Same
Stor..
Harrison Baum. accused of shooting
with intent to kill Marion Erase, went
upon the witness stand Monday after
neon in his own behalf and testified as
to his Whereabouts on the evening up
on which the shooting was done. His
story agreed exactly with that of Levi
Baum his father, and of George and
Daniel Baum, his brothers. A sister
of rhe accused also practically te5ti-
fed to the same facts as the others,
and this with the statements of those
who saw the prisoner on his way home
from work that evening constitute
what Che defense thinks is a good ALI
bi. Were ii not for the fact that the
witnesses were relatives and there
fore interested, the alibi would be es
tablished beyond question. AS it is,
the matter rests with the jury as 10
the credibility of the witnesses.
The defense will close about noon to-
day when the state will bring on its
testimony in rebuttal After thai the
defense will be allowed to offer evil
dence in surrebuttal.
EX-Mayor Robertson, who was at the
Baum house the night of the shooting
and who assisted in the search for evil
dence, was placed upon the stand by
the defense Monday afternoon and stat
cd that he Gid not hear Officer Zim-
norman say that the gum boots found
in the house were wet. Zimmerman
did not call his attention to the condi-
tion OF the boots. This was consider
ed quite significant by the attorneys for
the defense, as the state has been plac-
ing great stress upon the fact that the
officers thought the boots were damp.
When Harrison Baum went upon the
stand the audience was on tiptoe Of ex-
element and anxiety to hear. He made
good witness. answering promptly
and talked in a mild and rather low
tone. He began at the beginning of the
Gay telling that he had gone to work
as usual that morning and worked all
day. In the evening he went from
work with other companions and stop
ped in the Davis saloon, where he
drank a glass of beer and ate some
oysters. He had some conversation
there and then went home. He was
wearing felt boots.
Upon his way home he passed the
Hossler house and saw Ida Hossler in
the yard. Shortly after he passed the
Hossler house the evening train went
by. He went on home and when he ar
rived there supper was waiting him.
He sat down with the other members
OF The family and ate his supper. 1t
was about 6: 30 when he arrived home
and he was at the table perhaps 20
minutes.
After supper he went to the barn
and got some oil with which he greas-
cd his shoes It was then after Z
o'clock. His father retired and some
time afterwards he and one of his bro
theirs went to bed A little later the
sister retired. This was about $3.50.
All agree that Harrison Baum did not
leave the house that night until taken
away by the officers.
Some time in the night Baum heard
the dogs bark and little later some
one knocked at the door. He went
down and the party asked If Baums
lived there Harrison replied, THAT |
is what they say" The officers and |
Mayor Robertson went in and asked |
him some questions, stating among |
other things that his victim was going |
TO die. To this he replied that he did |
not know what they meant. The faith
er came down and he asked what was
wrong and the mayor said nothing.
The officers ordered Harrison to get |
his boots on and come with them. 1t |
was after that that the brother came |
homo and told that Erase had been |
shot Harrison was then practically |
under arrest and he then said, II sup |
pose that is what they want me for"
He was closely questioned about the |
gun and his story agreed with hat or
ihis father as to ownership and the
shooting. Baum also accounted for
ais presence on the Monday and We'd
nesiay nights when 1t was claimed he
was seen hanging about the Erase
bone! He stated that on the Wednes-
day night neighbor was at their
house and knew OF his being ut home.
The neighbor had previously been upon
the stand and so testified. The gener-
al impression 10 that Baum added
strength to his own case by going up
on the witness stand. He had not con-
cludcd his testimony when court ad-
journed.