The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-02-28
was called to impeach Vroman. Con
ley and Stokes were recalled after the
recess, by the defense.
ALIENS RAPID FIRE.
Story Of the 5oche Tragedy Told by
Vrcman, the Cabman.

Madison, Neb., Feb. 27.-Frum a
STAFF correspondents: with court
room damned with people straining
forward to catch the story of the Jar
mer tragedy Lee Vroman of Norfolk,
| ex-jOckey and the cabman who saw
Herman Boche shoot Frank farmer
last May, was toasted in a legal grid
iron by Senator Allen, attorney for
Boche, yesterday afternoon when Vro.
man went on the witness stand as the
first witness for the state in the Boche
murder trial
Vroman came under Senator Aliens
rapid fire of questions in the cross
examination by the state. The Nor
folk cabman kept his head during the
process and what ever the result of
his answers he did not contradict
himself or vary his answers during the
| fire of questions.
The cabman was one of the three
witnesse1. put on the witness stand
by the o yesterday. The second
witness v 8 Norfolk physician who
was called v tend the dying man,
the third Il, z'ngham, mistress Of
the resort in I. u " which the shoot
ing occurred ant, Vroman an eye
witness to the lilfa, y farmer. The
testimony drawn III. ,the witnesses
by the state was not new contribut-
ion to the known facts in the case.
The shooting was outlined and the
point established that Boche had shot
farmer on the morning of May l,
1907.
Events of Fatal Night.
Under Judge Jackson's questions
Vroman had resketched the events of
the night of the shooting and describ-
ed the killing of farmer. Then the
witness was turned over to the de-
Tense, Senator Allen conducting the
cross-examination Judge Aliens quer-
les, at first causal, gradually took on
fire until he was plying the witness
with question after question of high
ly personal nature.
Senator Allen first touched on Vro-
mans life history, his experience as
jockey, as a restaurant worker and as
a Norfolk cabman. Then Vroman was
|
May 1, 1907. farmer had ordered a
cab from the witness in an up town
restaurant. After midnight Frank Jar
mer and Herman Boche entered his
cab and were driven across the creek
the men inside the cab, the witness
said, talking and laughing.
Vroman said that he and another
hackdriver had spent the evening in
side parlor of the resort playing
cards. In the main parlor Herman
Boche, a girl called Grace Cole and
another person was seen by the wit
ness seated on settee talking, laugh
ing and drinking. Who the "other
person" was the witness would not
signify.
Vroman said he had fallen asleep in
the side parlor and when he was
aroused about morning he saw Her
man Boche in the same room seated
on a small chair. Boche, he testified,
was apparently asleep. Vroman went
out to the cab. farmer came out with
Boche, whom the witness said was
mot so very drunk" Vroman said
that he had seen a good many drunk
en- men,
farmer started to put Boche into
the hack when Boche got down be-
tween the hack and the porch. Boche
got up himself. farmer helped
Boche into the hack. The witness did
not remember whether he, himself
helped or not but did not think he
did. Boche fell onto the hack floor and
came out of the hack, saying some
thing in German. Boche started south,
followed by farmer, while Vroman
drove north to turn his hack around
The Flash of a Gun.
Vroman had the men in sight and
drove down to where the men were
talking in an apparently friendly way
: Boche moved away and was followed
by farmer. Vroman drove his hack
: up to them and dismounted. Boche
moved away and was again followed
up by farmer farmer was pushed
aside and then came the flash of a
gun.
Lee did you stand there within
( eight feet of these men without doing
anything?" demanded Senator Allen.
NO." said the hackman with a grim
| smile
What did you do?"
! 81 tried to get away as fast as
could"
, The crowd that filled the court room
laughed and were admonished again
by Judge Welch.
: Don't laugh" said Senator Allen,
This is no laughing matter"
Vroman Saw it All.
The cross examination was renew
ed Senator Allen questioned the wit
ness closely on his claim to have been
able to have followed the shooting as
he. was mounting his hack to escape,
Vroman maintained that he did not
have to turn his back to farmer and
Boche to get on his hack and this
noint was thraShed over several times