Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-11-17

prisoners and of overhearing the con
versation at the back window. He wa
sure that one of the parties was known
as Seitz and the other as 'Toughy. "
George Urossley was the next Wit.
ness. He was in Jail at the time the
attempt to escape was made. he
identified the saws and frame used in
saving the bars. They were handed
in the rear window he said. by John
Seitz, whom he identified as one OF
the defendants. The saws were receiv.
ed, he said. by Elmer Halderman, who
stood in the cell. ..and extended broom
across the corridor to the open, wind
ow, outside of whioh.Seitz was stand
ing. Seitz reaching in between the
bars placed the saws upon the broom.
after which they were noiselessly y
drawn into the cell by. Halderman. 1t
was not yet quiteidark, and he easily
recognized Seitz.
Officer John Grier Voris was called
to the stand. He has known both de-
PENDANTS since their infancy. After
the arrest he asked. Ralph Hahn how
long he had been known as "Toughy"
and he replied: "Oh ten years or
more"
Sheriff Maiers described the attempt
to break Jail and identified the saws
and frame
Evan R. Evans, a tn employ
ed at James Lakes repair shop, iden-
titled the saw frame as one which he
made during July or August.
James Lake. proprietor of the shop.
also identified the saw frame, which,
he said, had been ordered by John
Seitz who was accompanied to the
shop by Ralph Hahn-thst the saw
was paid for by Ssitz and was deliver
ed to him. This was some two or three
weeks before the attempt was made to
break iail
Ralph Hahn was called to the stand.
He denied that he had ordered the saw
or that he ever knew that one was
ordered. He denied that he was near
the Jail on the hight of Septem Der IS,
1905, when the saws were passed IN
through the window, but endeavored
to establish the Fact that he was in
Bloomsbury and Espy at the time.
John Seitz was the next witness
He did not deny that he had ordered
the saw of Lake, received the same
and paid for it. Hahn, however. he
declared, had nothing to do with the
transaction, although he accompanied
Setz both when the saw was ordered
and when it was delivered. To con-
cesl the transaction from Haun, Seitz
alleged that on leaving the repair shop
he adroitly hid the saw frame under
his coat. Seitz also declared that he
himself was Innouent of assisting the
prisoners to escape, but that he had
caused the saw frame to be mauufact-
ured at the instance of another,
stranger whom he met at the Nail
Works spring and who paid him two
dollars for the part he played He did
not know for what purpose the saw
frame was needed. Neither could he
describe the stranger at whose IN
stance he had the saw frame made.
Edward S. Gearhart represented
Hahn. Seitz being without an attor.
ney the Court appointed Major Q. P.
Gearhart to defend him.
The Courts charge covered the
ground very fully and was clear aud
impartial. According to the evidence.
Judge Staples said he did not think
the defendants could he brought in
guilty under the first and second
counts, but only under the third, which
charged them with furnishing instru-
ments to prisoners for the purpose of
aiding them to escape" The jury re-
tired at 8 80 o'clock aud at the ad-
journment of court was still out.
The next case attached was that of
Commonwealth vs. Francis Woll. the
charge being Receiving stolen
goods" The prosecutor is the Read.
ing Iron Company, which was repre-.
sented by James Scarlet. Hon. Fred
Ikeler appeared for the defendant.
Superintendent Hecht of the Mon
tour Department of the Reading Iron
Works, was the first witness. He iden.
titled fish plate offered in evidence as
those belonging to switch or section
of track torn up at the Danville Roll.
ing Mill and belonging to the Read.
ing Iron Company.
Henry Mintzer. track foreman. was
the next witness. He assisted in tear
ing up the track at the Danville Roll.
ing Mill and said the fish pl .te miss
ing were placed on pile. He identifi-
ed those In court as the ones used in
the track that had been removed.
Emery Heimbach. a repairsman on
the P. g. R. track, also identified the
fish plate.
E. L. SINNERS. P. g. R. Policeman,
testified as to finding the fish plate ON
Mrs. VOLTS premises. hidden under u
pile of other iron inan old barn, which
was kept locked. W. A. Persley, an.
other P. g. R. Offioer, testified to the
same effeot,as did also Chief Of Police
Mincemoyer. who accompanied the P.
& r. Officers on the search.
Elizabeth Woll, mother of the de-
fendant. upon whose premises the fish
plate were found. was called to the
stand. She herself did not use the
stable. She could not say who owned
the junk, found in the shop. The wag-
on kept inside belonged to her son.
Fred Woll. brother of the defendant,
who boarded with his mother, did not
know to whom the junk belonged.
Benjamin Miller, junk dealer, testifi-