The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-18
Emanuel Cromer Gives the Most
Damaging Testimony at Trial
of Fred Collins.
ROBBERY EVIDENCE ADMITTED.
Court Allows Testimony After
Wrangle Among the Attor-
neys to Show Motive for
the Murder.
BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
Union. Mo. July l7--Collns turned and
deliberately shot at Charles J. Schumacher
as he lay wounded and dying on the ground
In front OF the Rudolph house"
The foregoing is undoubtedly the most i'm
portant statement that has been ELECTED
from the States Witnesses during the prog
ress Of the trial of Fred Collins. the Union
Bank rohbcr. on the charge of numbering
Detective Schumacher. The statement was
mace by Emanucl Cromer a member of the
posse which accompanied Schumacher to
III" Randolph house on the morning of jan
uary 81.
Court convened this morning shortly az
ter o'clock 1t had been decided by Prose-
cutting Attorney Meyersieck and James
Booth. associate counsel for the State to
bring the point under discussion when court
adjourned last night to an issue. Accord
rSly Oscar Busch was called to the stand
with the intention Of questioning the wit
ness regarding the robbery Of the Union
National Bank. As expected by the State.
Jesse Fl. Schaper. chief counsel for the de-
Ter Sc. objected. and the matter was argued.
Booth presented the contention of the
State. He said it was not the intention OF
the State to prove that Collins or any one
else committed the robbery. but simply to
show that robbery had bpen committed.
Scharer replied at length He represented
that the admittance of such testimony
would prove detrimental to the interests
of his client. as it would tend to prejudice
the jury against him
TESTIMONY ADMITTED.
Judge Davidson ruled in favor of the
State, holding that the testimony OF the rob
berry might be admitted and an exception
IVES noted by the defense. Buscb's testi
mony was to the effect that OF the night of
December % he was awakened by ii loud
explosion. He gave the details Of What he
saw Of the robbery and August w. Hoff-
mann. cashier of the Union Bank, was
placed N the stand to testify regarding the
moneys and other valuables that were
taken from the safe.
While the most important witnesses for
the prosecution were introduced to-day. ti.e
trial rather dragged. despite the honest en-
deavors of the attorneys for both sides To
expedite matters. At the adjournment of
court tonight it was generally conceded
that the trial cannot be finished this week.
lHtIt dlt 1T l'dSi -lNTte IuOIe VIII
nesses to be examined by both sides and at
the present rate it will take at least two
more days to present the testimony.
The arguments will take practically one
session of the court. Prosecuting Attorney
Meyers.eck will speak for at least an hour
and a half and he will be followed by
James Booth.
The defense will require even more time.
n
for verdict than on the introduction of
testimony. Captain owen in all probability
will open. and he will be followed by Will
liam l. Cole and Jesse H. Schaper.
DETECTIVE ON STAND.
Following the Introduction of tine testi-
mony regarding the robbery of the bank.
George D. Charlesworth. assistant superin-
tendent of the ST. Louis Pinkerton agency,
was placed on the stand. He testified that
Schumacher had been assigned to the bank
robbery case by the Pinkerton agency.
The next witness. Robert Schmuke of
Stanton threw the first direct light on the
case on trial-the murder of Schumacher.
Schmuke is the youth who accompanied
Schumacher on his first visit to the Rudolph
house when the detective met Rudolph
while in the guise of rabbit hunter.
Schmuke detailed their experiences on
that occasion. Attorney Schaper conducted
the cross-examination Of the witness and
the youth was subjected to a trying ordeal.
From the drift of Schaper's questions. 1t
was evident that he was trying to develop
that Schumacher misrepresented himself
with an object.
Peter c. Thurman. Justice of the Peace
of Stanton, identified the affidavit upon
which warrant had been issued for
searching the Rudolph home for the money
stolen from the Union Bank.
When the State attempted to introduce the
information and warrant as evidence an
other legal wrangle took place between
Schapcr. Prosecuting Attorney Meyerseick
and James Booth.
Schaper contended that the warrant was
not legal. and that it would not be compe-
tent to introduce the paper as evidence
Attorney Schaper made a formal motion
praying the court not to admit the docu'
ment as evidence. which was overruled.
[ Louis Eedder. Chief Deputy Sheriff Of
Franklin County, who was member of the
posse sent to search the Rudolph house wa:
the next witness. The defense attempted
to show that Vedder. at the time of the
killing. had not been appointed as deputy
This was refuted by the introduction o.
vedder's official appointment
Vedder then related the events that trans
PRED at the Rudolph house on January "a
I'VE. Schumacher. Cromer. Tichenor ant
myself. arrived near the Rudolph house
shortly after 10 o'clock in the morning.
had the search warrant. Schumacher
carried shortgun. Cromer was armed will
, revolver Tichenor with a shotgun and
had a revolver.
THE BATTLE
81 went first and was followed by Sctu-
racher and Cromer. When I arrived at the
door knocked with my hand. There was
no response. and. as we could hear someone
| moving inside. / kicked gently against the
| door few minutes later
II had hardly planted my foot upon the
ground when Rudolph and Collins came out
of the door farthest to the south. and
| with several vile oaths. commanded us tc
hold up our hands. Schumacher did as he
was ordered. holding his shotgun in his
| left hand elevated over his head. CromeI
and / started to back away.
Rudolph and Collins did not wait to SEE
whether their command was obeyed. but
! commenced to shoot Immediately after they
came out of the door. / turned and ran Il
| the north corner Of the building. when
! turned and fired two shots from my re-