The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-09-27

use OF TOOLS. QucStlOh' w DIS hS MOI
given to outbreaks of anger when a
boy, and did he not threaten TO shoot
schoolmate?" Answer not that |
know Of" Q. did he not often get
violently angry with the horses and
beat them?" An. Yes, sometimes.
Q. "Was he not a boy of violent
temper when about the farm and beat
the horses without reason?' A. Yes
sometimes l went out and told him
that was enough
The second week in the trial of
Fred Rettinger for the shooting to
death of William Bates began this
afternoon, with the defense fairly
underway. For a murder trial all OF
last weeks proceedings were what
would be considered tame. There
were no unexpected developments,
no sensations, no heated sparrings,
no exciting episodes. The case NOV
ed along quietly and slowly. with
many stops and arguments by the
lawyers over questions propounded
and certain testimony inadmissible.
Judge Hess was frequently held
down by defendants attorneys on his
range of questionings and the objec-
tions were sustained by the court
So far there have been no intricate
points of law involved. Several times
The question of admission of certain
testimony has been argued in the alb
sence of the jury, but the law library
has not been ransacked to support
claims over controverted questions.
The witnesses have been tame, and
much of the testimony, particularly
that of the immediate relatives of the
defendant, had to be drawn from
them by long and patient question
ing. Mrs. Rettinger, wife of defend
ant, did not prove a strong witness
for her husband, and the same may
be said of his father and mother. The
Rettingers have known little else
than hard work Their educational
requirements have been exceedingly
limited. The answers to many ques-
toned asked defendants wife had to
be outlined and her answers were
chiefly yes" or no" She was a
domestic in the Rettinger family
when she married the defendant. Old
Mr.. Rettinger bears evidence Of I
life of toll and of constant rubbing
against the hard ways of the world.
Fred has grown up in the same
trend He disliked school, and so
went on the farm to work and has
kept at that without social or mental
relaxation. He went to town only
on business, and then mostly at
night. He worked to sleep, and slept
to work again. He did not read and
kept very little in touch with the
world He never learned the valiie
of self-control, Lut lived out nature
without restraint. Hence came fits
of anger, bursts of passion that
found exhibition in words and in the
treatment of his domestic animals.
But he was a producer in the worlds
needed markets, and this was much
better than being an idler and nom
producer. The events of the past
few months have wonderfully chang
ed his life and he has developed char
acteristics hitherto unknown. His
neighbors and friends, as they see
him in the court room now, scarcely
recognize in the trim, neatly attired,
mannerly- bearing and self-composed
man, the unkept farmer boy of few
months ago. The kindly hand and
training of Sheriff Steiner is plainly
SEEN 1t takes an awful roundup,
smetimes, to change man out of
his former self into better channel.
John Rcttinger called to stand:
Am the father of Fred Rettinger;
born in Germany came to Unite d
States in 1854; there was insanity IN
our family in the old country; my
brother drowned himself; | came TO
Miami county in '65; have four sons;
Fred has been farming on shares; |
own farm; Bates land joins mine Oh
south and west; | manage the bust
ness of the farm; Fred made trip last
season into Michigan to seek loca-
ton; said he wanted 10 get away
from the Bateses; Fred had been
working at machine that would
start up and run and never stop;
Fred had some sheep by himself;
some of them died and one was shot;
pump Fred had on west farm had
been plugged up; he believed Bates
had done it; think that Fred on the
18th day of last May, was of unsound
mind.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Kellison--
My mothers youngest brother was
insane; he drowned himself in Ger
many when | was boy; my mother
told me he was drowned; had trouble
with the man he was bound out to;
Fred has lived since he married in
the same house with us; had forge
and did repairing of machinery, etc;
made patent washing machine. Fur
Their examination showed the bust
ness relations of Fred Rettinger with
his father on the farm, ten ling TO
prove his adaptability to business.
Witness attended to the buying and
selling of stock; Fred did not man
age, but was subject to my direc-
tons; had intended to leave my
place; went into Michigan on a visit
and to look at the country; wanted
to leave on account of the Batses
How long is it since
Fred has been of unsound mnd?"
Answer-"Eve since he was sick. I"
Question-"Is it not fact that in