Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-04
Conrad Weighman Details the
Events Surrounding the Kill
ing of Henry Deeter
HIS LIFE IN DANGER
He Was Given Instructions Not to Get
Hurt Which He Regarded as Meant
to Defend Himself-Lons cross-Ex-
animation Fails to Shake Testimony
of Defendant.

Spencer, Feb 4-The Weighman
will all be in today and the opening
argument for the state may be made
this afternoon. The cross-examina-
ton of Weghman lasted for four and
one-half hours, and he passed thru the
trying ordeal without having his tes-
timony on direct examination shaken
in the least. The case will probably
get to the jury Monday evening. There
are but few persons in Spencer that do
not believe that the defendant will be
acquitted.
The testimony of Conrad Weighman
the defendant, was the feature of the
day. Weighman claimed self defense,
alleging that Deeter would have shot
him if he had not fired when he did.
Weighman's testimony III substance
was as follows:
II have known j. A. Spies for ten
years. | was working for him last
March and April. and staid at his
house. / first heard about the black
mailing letter on April 2, at about 3
o'clock in the morning. Mr.. Spies came
to my room and woke me UP, and told
me about the letter and the package.
He asked me if l would go out to
section 10 and relieve the deputy
sheriff, and l said / would.
He said: The deputy will give you
instructions what to do. Go to Mr..
Fahnstock's house and John Graet-
finger will take you out BE careful
and do not get hurt
Il got up and dressed. August Sipe
came into the room and asked if l had
gun and l said no. lie told me
to take his and showed me how it
worked. He went downstairs and let
me out, and I went to Fahnstock's and
knocked at the door. John Graet-
finger let ~ in and after we had a
bite to eat we hitched up and drove
out to the place where Mr.. Graettinger
said we were to meet the deputy sher-
lift. l did not know him at that time.
Mr.. Graettinger whistled twice.
and then we saw someone coming. He
came to the buggy and l got out. He
told me to follow the old railway grade
until 1 came near the stack, and at the
had dug to hide in, and iol me to get
in, feet first, and l could see all around.
He told me to lay low and not let any
one see me until they had taken the
package. He did not think anyone
would come in the daytime, but they
might He told me if they took the
package i was to stop them. Ii they
tried to get away l was to wing them.
He said: Don't get hurt. Al man of
that kind is dangerous.
Then they left me and l went to the
stack. l stayed there until about SUM-
rise, when l saw man walking west.
He came to the south, about thirty
five rods from the stack, and then he
shot his gun off. Then he circled the
stack and went to the stacker, carry
ing his gun in his right hand. He
reached in and took the package and
looked at it and smiled. He started
towards home and l told him to stop
and to drop the package and gun. He
looked over his shoulder and kept on
going, and stood up and told him five
or six times to drop his gun.
Then he turned, raised his gun. and
said: &c D. you, I don't have
to-" and shot. He had the gun near
ly up and if had not shot he would
have shot me.
He watched the stack pretty close
while walking around it, and kept look
ing over toward town every few sec
onds. realized I was in dangerous
place. l tried to shoot him in the arm
to disable him SO he could not shoot
me. I did not intend to kill him. At
ter I shot he dropped his gun and
started to walk away. got off the
stack and told him he must stop and
go with me. He said he did not want
to. l told him to pick UP the package
but he would not do it, so did and
gave it to him and he put 1t in his
pocket.
After we started for town he said
his arm hurt and I made him a sling
and gave him my mitten. He asked
me who sent me to watch and I did
not answer. He asked me again and
I did not answer, and he said, II know.