Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-01-12
RAISINCER TO
DIE ON GALLONS
New Jersey Farmer Found Guilty
Of Wife Murder.
10 BE HANGED FEBRUARY Is

Bridgeton, N. j., Jan. f2-The jury
in the case against Frank Raisinger
returned a verdict of murder in the
first degree against the self-confessed
slayer of his young wife, and he was
sentenced to be hanged February Is.
The marvellous nerve of the pris-
oner was not shaken as he listened to
the words of William G. Champion, of
Millyille, the foreman of the jury,
sending him to the gallows Attorney
Iredell says it is probable he will either
ask for new trial or will make an
appeal to the state board Of pardons.
The attorney for Raisinger made a
strong effort to prove that the accused
man was insane His principal wit
ness was Dr. Milton r. Mobiles, Of
Philadelphia, who pronounced Rails
niger degenerate Drs Ellsmore
Sites, David Oliver and John Moore,
all Of this city, were called as wit
nesses by the prosecution, and each
declared that Raisinger was sane and
responsible for his acts.
Raisinger was put on the stand for
the purpose of showing that as the
result of vicious practices he was often
in such a mental condition as not to
be responsible for his acts. The state
ments made by the defendant filled
his listeners with horror. A story
showing depravity of the lowest
depths was told, one that has seldom
been equalled in any court.
When he began his story his face
bore the same expression which has
With his peculiar looking eyes riveted
on the floor he unblushingly made
statements that caused more than one
of his auditors to turn his head away
with shame After questions of this
nature had been concluded, Raisinger
told of the killing of his wife His
story did not materially differ from
those already made public, except that
he declared that he shot his wife while
she was lying ON the kitchen floor.
When Raisinger was cross-examined
by District Attorney Fithian he sur
prised everybody by making the state
ment that after he shot his wife he
tried to commit suicide by turning the
shotgun on himself, but on account of
the awkward way in which he had to
hold the gun he was unable to pull the
trigger.
This stage Of the proceedings was
exceedingly dramatic, and Raisinger,
coolly and collectedly. handled the
weapon and showed how he killed his
wife and then tried self-destruction.
The startling part of the cross-ex-
animation was that the prosecutor
was unable to obtain any motive for
the murder from the testimony of the
witness. He denied that his wife was
angry with him, and that she struggled
against him. He said she lay on the
kitchen floor, and he, for no reason
whatever, went into the sitting room.
and. getting the weapon, came back
and shot her He then went back into
the other room, and, lying on the
couch, pointed the gun at his breast,
and. stretching his arm out, tried to
pull the trigger, but was unable to.
Then he returned and shot the woman
again She was still alive when he
fred the second shot, as her head was
moving and her hands twitching.
HEAD-oN CRASH ON PENNsY
Two Killed Many Injured, In Collision
Near Shanokin, Pa.
Shamokin. Pa, Jan. 10.-A passen-
ger train on the Pennsylvania railroad
near here, and Engineer Thomas Con-
sert, of the passenger train, and his
fireman. D. r. McElarff, were killed
while Conductor Daniel Mack. Of the
passenger train, was badly injured.
The crew Of the passenger train are
all from Sunbury. Engineer Harry Nc
Elwee, of Shamokin, of the light loco
motive, was injured about the head A
number of passengers were injured.
Among them were the following; E.
c. Voss and A. E. Welker, Baltimore;
William Foster, Lewisburg; P. D. Da-
vid, York; Mrs. Anna Richie and Miss
Amy Swank, Irish Valley; Adam
Burell. Weigh Scales; Mrs. Harry Err
wine, Shamokin; DIR. P. N. McNiel,
Shamol1in; A. K. Reed Sunbury; J.
T. Bowersox, Middleburg. An alleged
confusion Of orders in the telegraph Of
fee caused the collision.
sausages Killed Labor Leader.
Allentown. Pa, Jan. 11.-Lewis H.
Keller, a prominent furniture worker
and labor leader, died in terrible
agony of ptomaine poisoning. At a
labor meeting on Saturday night a
luncheon was served, in which Frank
furters were included. A number of
those who ate the sausages got sick
suddenly, and Keller developed such a
painful case of poisoning that his case
was given up as hopeless. Five doctors
were called in consultation. without
avail The coroner has been called.