The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-03-04
TRIAL OF OSCAR SCHNEIDER
FIRST OF ARSON CASES
SaFy Brings In Verdict of Not Guiity-
Attorneys Make stroaE AFgamsnts-
Aboiitioa Of KoossnAi csuRty Puts
Stop 90 Trials.

was drawn 10 the case Of the state
against Oscar Schneider:
Geo. 4. Rutherford, @. A. SheF-
man, s. A. Travis, OFFis Modlin,
Peter Parker, Nicholas Hits. ID. r.
Vaughn. Samuel Curoe, J. r. Culp.
Alexander Peters, d. b. Mcdonnell
and s. l. Carmen.
The case was opened on the part Of
the state BY Attorney Wilson, who
stated 20 the jury what be expected
TO prove. Edwin Melee assisted In
the prosecution aud Robert Elder,
for the defense. vas assisted by r. E.
Mcfarland.
Tho attorneys bad very few per.
sonal word encounters during the
trial; bat on one occasion. when
Attorney Mcfarland obieuted 20
sworn testimony. matter which IL Of
record. be told Wilson he would
make him prove every point all the
way through. and be did.
SIR. Mcfarland had = very hard
hght, pFohahly one Of the hardest in
his many Year, eKpeFiencs and
Schneider owes hls acquitAl 10 bis
attorneys ability as = general in
criminal Gases.
Tho ownership Of ahs property
destroyed vas proven by james Roche.
Of the idaho Mercantile Co. The
eontsnta weTe proven, a. Was the i'm
probability % tho fires being Of nc.
cldsntai origin.
Carl Saarlh testified that himself.
Henry smith and Oscar Schneider
were snroate past the store house
When SchnsidsE announced that b.
would burn Il. scaTla said ho did
not think Schneider meant a.. bat
that Schneider sent under the lean.
20. provided for shelter for farm
teams. aud shout = minute after
came running 90 WhoFe Smith and
himself weFe waiting and said be
hsd set IL on Ore; that be claimed 20
have put = match through a knot
hole. \ fee minutes later the build.
inR Was Ia flames and tho boya 70.
turned aud Joined the Gre fightera,
Schneider remaining all night watch.
ing The Smbers, for which ho received
pay.
Testimony vac introduced showing
the great number Of large tFua In
Occur d'Alene and particularly
against Tho Idaho Mercantile com.
pany; also showing that long over
due blu bad been frequently cent TO
Schneider aud that he bad shown HE
feeling against that company 20 some
extent by collecting e3 through
third party. this money being for
services rendered during this fire.
Arthur Golden testified In detail
as 60 the burning Of another ware.
house owned by the same company.
the Ere occurring on March Is,
1908. lie evidence was practically
as published in the prcga last ueck.
The witnesses' testimony Was not
changed by erosa examination. The
defense tried to make Il appea, that
detectives or the acting prosecuting
attorney bad told the witnesses for
the state Whist Co aay.
SIR Mcfarland also tried to make
u appear that II WAS more plausible
that Mr.. Sander caused the fires than
that Schneider did
Smith refused absolutely TO testify
on the grounds that what he said
would or might inoriminate himself
He was a very poor witness aud quite
badly frightened and when he started
20 answer the questions Of Prosecutor
Wilson, Attorney Mcfarland used a
very clever ruse by asking the
judge TO request Detective Donahae
20 leave the court room during the
progress Of the trial az he lDonRhae)
had some mysterious power over the
witnesses and he either thought he
saw or imagined he saw Donahae
make signs 60 the witnesses lie
then requested that the jury be ex.
oused until the point was argued.
After the discussion, Judge Morgan
informed the attorney that Mr., Dona.
hae had been employed by Attorney
Wilson 10 assist In the case ON the
authority of himself; that he was sit
ting where no could watch Donahae
and that there was nothing in Mr.
Netherlands statement, and the trial
was resumed with the detective
present.
During the pleas or arguments
presented to the jury, Attorney Elder
made a very pathetic speech. Mr..
Mcfarland spoke for over an hour.
Attorney MeEee spoke very ably for