The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-17

field Buckner, one of the negro ghouls, was
brought into court a witness for the de-
fense to show the Jury that he also had
been approached by the attorneys for can't
rell and Martin and induced TO make state
ments prejudcial to his own interests and
also that he knew of the overtures that had
been made to Martin and Cantrel. Buck
ner, dark negro. blinked owl-1ke at the
court and jury and emphatically refused TO
testify. After the attorneys had tried 10
get him TO talk Judge Thornton addressed
the witness with questions. The negro stu
refused to testify. and the judge adludged
him in contempt of court and fined him -
and sentenced him TO Jail for thirty days.
The jail sentence struck the crowd as be-
ing very amusing, and the boisterous laugh
ter was only quieted by the judge and ball
iff who vigorously pounded with their CAV
els Buckner has been in jail for five or six
months and will probably remain in either
the Jail or penitentiary for several more
months IL he is convicted and, as the negro
probably hasn't seen IS during his confine-
ment, the punishment for his contempt
seemed funny to the crowd.
RUFUS CANTRELL'S TESTIMONY.
Rufus Cantrell was the interesting wit
ness of the day. Cantrell says Cass Gonna
way was recommended to defend him by
James Collins, deputy prosecutor, and that
after Connaway had been retained he did
everything possible to convict him by his
own statements. Under the pressure that
Connaway brought to bear on him Cantrell
said he told all he knew of the grave rob-
bing in Indianapolis and for this was as
sured that he would not go to the peni-
tentiary. If he was sent TO the penitentiary
Connaway was TO get him pardoned, the
negro said In describing the treatment he
had received from the attorney during the
time he was being pumped for information
Cantrell had nothing but praise. He said
the attorney bought him whisky several
times when he was out with him and at
other times brought whisky into the jail
for him IN oCfn xxvha he n
was taken before the grand jury he said
Connaway accompanied him, carrying in
his pocket a flask of whisky with which he
literally piled him during the wait In the
grand jury anteroom. Cantrell became spe-
cific in his testimony and told of several
alleged times when he had been treated
thus.
During Cantrell's stay in court he
preserved the same demeanor as during the
Alexander trial and was apparently salts
fled at being allowed to show off to
crowd. He lost no opportunity to say mean
things about everyone against whom he
has taken a dislike. and his descriptions
of Cass Connaway and others bringing
him bottled whisky In their bulging pock-
cts was so vivid that it did not take ready
imagination to see the whisky and pos
sibly smell 1t.
with some testimony about conversation
he had overheard between Detectives Asche
and Manning relative TO the favors being
shown Cantrell and the possibility of re-
lease If all of the negro prisoners would
help the State in the prosecution of Dr.
Alexander and the other accused physicians
TESTIMONY IN REBUTTAL.
The prosecution offered in rebuttal of the
testimony the statements of Deputy Sher-
iff Conner, Deputy Sheriff Kimball and
others that Cantrell nor Martin nor any of
the other ghouls had been given whisky
while in their charge. James A. Collins,
deputy prosecutor at the time of the arrest
of the ghouls, and Detectives Asche and
Manning were also called to testify as to
the alleged irregularities in the retention
of Cass Connaway as attorney for the
ghouls.
Mr. Collins stated that his share in the
employment of Connaway as attorney was
treil that Connaway would be good man
to employ. Collins said the negroes orig
inally employed w. E. Henderson. a COZ
oEed attorney but Butt they S oeeame s
gest the name of some attorney 10 them.
Collins said he told Cantrell that Connaway
was a lawyer of good reputation and of
much promise, and that he could get no
better man I'm Indianapolis to work hard
for him. Collins said that upon this recon-
mendation Cantrell acted, and Connaway
|. formerly of the city Police Court was also
called to the witness stand TO testify to
a conversation between Connaway, Collins,
Asche, Manning, Martin and Cantrel The
judge testified that he knew nothing of the
alleged occurrence. Charles Call, of lbs
West Michigan street, was also a witness
to testify that neither Cantrell nor Martin
had ever appeared before the grand jury
which indicted them in drunken condi-
ton, and that as far as he knew no whisky
had been furnished them while they were
in the ante-room of the grand jury.
At the close of the case made by the
prosecution, Prosecutor Ruckelshaus and
Charles Benedict, his assistant, scored a
victory by being able to introduce in evil
dence the testimony of Martin I'm the Alex
ander trial, in which he admitted that he
had followed grave robbing for four years.
and also that he had participated in the
thefts of several bodies, offenses of which
he is now specifically charged. There was
objection to the introduction of this testi-
mony, but Judge Thornton overruled it
and Walter Carpenter, the court reporter
| who took notes of the testimony, read the
negros statements in the trial. Daniel
| Stiltz, husband of Johanna Stiltz, the wom-
| an whose body is alleged to have been
| stolen by Cantrell, Martin and the others
| was a witness for the State to establish
| her death and burial and the subsequent
discovery that the grave had been desc
Grated and the corpse taken from it.