Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1904-02-12
THE JAEGER MURDER TRIAL
An Epitome Of Evidence offered by
the Prosecution-The States
whole Case

Interested on reaching Newton Mon
day morning was that George N.
Jaggers had been found in his cell
with both wrists bleeding aud his
throat cut, and the impression first
prevailed that the trial would be
postponed. However, the doctors
agreed ne would be able to appear
before the court, which he did, and
the usual routine was entered upon.
Jaggers had possessed himself Of a
case knife in some way and sometime
after midnight of Sunday proceeded
to open the veins of his wrists and
attempted TO sever his jugular. The
knife being dull the job was excru-
ciatingly painful and after losing
quite an amount Of blood he cried for
help and was found about five O'clock
Monday morning.
Prompt efforts were made to stop
the blood and render him comfortable
which the doctors succeeded in doing.
When brought into court his neck
aud wrists were bandaged and he
appeared haggard and pale. He sat
very quiet, taking little apparent
interest in the proceeding and was
probably partially under the influence
of some narcotic to allay the pain
from which he must have otherwise
suffered.
Court was convened with Judges
Abram @. Garretson and Henry G.
Hunt on the bench. Prosecutor
Henry Huston was aided by ex-
Prosecutor Lewis Hood of Essex
county. Theo. A. Simonson and
Lewis J. Martin cared for Jaggers
interests. The state had stenogra.
pher Of their own in the person Of
Van Blarcom, and the defense had
Esten o. Vansickle in the same
capacity. The regular court stenog-
rapher was filed by Herbert Knight.
The Newark Evening News was
represented by both an artist and a
reporter, The Vantage Recorder by
Chas. G. Stickney, The Herald by
"Polk'' Bunnell, The Gazette by De
Alton Dillistin and Mark V. Rich
ards. The other county papers were
also represented.
The jury was drawn with little
delay and the chairs filled before the
noon hour. Jury was as follows:
William S. Slater.
Theodore M. Martins.
Floyd Dickinson.
William Laforge.
William Rinehart, Jr.
William Farber.
John Green.
George Case.
Linn N, Hockenberry.
Manning Cooper.
George Coleman.
Linus Littell.
The State in the afternoon used Ii
witnesses including those at the
evening session. The evidence relat-
ing to the use Of the dogs was
reserved as a special line to be intro
duced later. Nothing sensational il
the way Of evidence was introduced
and further than laying the ground
for future effective work was mainly
circumstantial.
The case Of the prosecution wal
opened BY Prosecutor Huston whG
briefly outlined the CRIME and point
ed out by means of maps the location
Of Victor f. Bevan's house anC
surroundings, showing the routl
through the woods which It Is assum
ed the prisoner took on his returI
home after doing the shooting. HI
also referred to the pieces Of waddinl
found, to the footsteps leading from
the house and said they would prov
that Jaeger had a gun and bucksho
in his possession and that he loadel
shells on the afternoon before thl
shooting was done, that Jaeger ha'
made a proposition to a neighbor 4
60 out and get some money. A. Fl
Konkle, a surveyor, was called {
prove the accuracy Of the map
exhibited and to show the genera
topography Of the ground, and sal
the distance from Jagger's to tn.
Bevans house was one and a ha
miles.
Victor e. BevaDs related the his
tory Of the shooting on the evenin
Of Oct %. sald he sat beside n
stove WITH his back towards it an
his wife on a chair near him facin
it. Heard the report Of a gun an
both fen. He went 20 an adjoinin
room and telephoned, went hack an
found his wife lying on the hoo
Soon after neighb0rs came and care
for them. On cross examination D
stated that he heard no noise ouisie
either before or after though the do'
Of the room was open The sho
came through the window.