The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-02-18
RASOR TRIAL
Begins at Medina This
Morning-Panel of
80 Drawn
BIG LEGAL BATTLE
Mondays Morning News.)

Meulna, u, FEB. l4.-HaS tne sCalo
concealed It's most damaging testi-
mony against Guy Rasor, who Is to
go on trial before Judge George A.
Hayden In common pleas court here
Monday for the alleged Staying of Ora
Lee, his flance, October last?
Rumor In Medina and in Wads-
worth, the home of Ora Lee and of
Guy Rasor, where the approaching
trial Is the subject of discussion on
all sides, is persistent that the state
has more damaging testimony than
that of the tracks of horses worn
shoe and of wobbly buggy wheel,
similar to those made by Rasor's
horse and buggy, and the stain on an
old coat found in Rasor's barn. This
stain is in dispute, the state contend
Ing it Is blood, the defense planning
to bring expert testimony that 1t is
not.
The track Of horse, shod only on
one hoof and with a shoe worn as
was that of Rasor's horse and the
track of a buggy wheel, wobbly as
was the wheel on Rasors buggy, were
found on the highway in Custard
which Ora Lees body was found the
morning of October 9. The track of
the buggy wheel was over the body
of the girl.
to Wooster for a license authorizing
der burns on the eyeballs of the girl
are the basis of the theory that Ora
Lee was shot while in the buggy. in
which witnesses have testified they
saw her climb in South Wadsworth
the night of October s. That the
buggy was Rasor's was not shown in
the preliminary hearing.
Possession of a revolver by Rasor
was not shown in that hearing, either.
Ora Lee was shot three times, one
bullet entering her temple, another
entering her skull at the ear and an
other behind the ear. The authori-
ties believe the first bullet ended her
life. Coroner H. q. Hard having
pointed out that the girl must have
been shot without quarrel or other
intimation of attack because her eyes
did not disclose that she had winked
even before dying.
In the preliminary hearing a Ster-
ling, O., store clerk testified to selling
q revolver to young mansthe after
noon OF October 8. He would not
identify Rasor, however, as the pur-
chaser. Rasor on that day had gone
to Wooster for license authorizing
him to marry Ora Lee, the wedding
being planned for October 10. 1t Is
contended by the state that Rasor, re-
turning from Wooster, missed the
train at Creston and started to walk
from that town to Wadsworth, stop
ping In Sterling, midway between the
two towns.
The revolver with which the girl
was killed has not been found. Its
purchase and disappearance consti-
tute a5weak link in the chain of cir
cumstantial evidence formed by the
state.
The defense, which compelled the
state to bare its case in the prelim-
mary hearing, has been silent as to
its plans. But 1t Is understood Judge
J. AZ. Kohler, of Akron, and Arthur
Van Epp, former mayor of Medina,
counsel for Rasor, will attack the
theory advanced by the state as fur
nishing a motive for the Staying of
the girl by Rasor.
The defense is expected to point
out that Rasor, with a marriage
license In his pocket, could not have
been the man to kill Ora Lee because
he did not want to wed her. Why
should he obtain license in the aft
ernoon and kill his fiance in the ev-
ening, the defense will ask? And
witnesses will be brought forward to
show that Rasor that evening told
several friends of his approaching
marriage, speaking happily of the ex-
pected formal establishment of a
home with Ora Lee.
The testimony bearing on these
conversations will be used Cor another
purpose also. The defense will en-
deavor to show that Rasor was in
Wadsworth, at least a half hours
drive from Custard Hook, in the hour
between 7 and 3 o'clock of the even
ing of October s. 1t was close to 8
o'clock that two men, out training a
coon dog in the neighborhood of Gus
tard Hook, heard the sounds of re-
ports of a revolver. This testimony
has fixed the time of the murder, ep1
proximately, the two men testifying
that they were resting on a log at
the time and that one looked at his
watch at the request of the other
only few minutes after hearing the
shots. 1t was o'clock when this
man looked at his watch.
The defense also is expected to
drag In the names of other men, and
to base on this testimony a theory
that jealous rival shot the girl
The state has not disclosed Its case
as developed since the preliminary
hearing, when Rasor was bound over
to the grand jury, which several
weeks ago indicted him for first de-
gree murder. Since that time Prose
cutting Attorney N. H. Mcclure has
been given two assistants. The coun-
ty has engaged w. 8. Anderson, of
Youngstown, noted criminal lawyer,
and Frank Heath, of Medina, former
partner of the prosecuting attorney, to
assist in the prosecution of Rasor.
What new testimony is to be
brought before the jury is known only
to these three men. Rumor has It,
however. that possible courtship of
another woman by Rasor is to be
shown. The states attorneys refuse
to discuss this rumor.
A panel of 80 jurors has been
drawn, but it Is expected this and
possibly two other panels may be
needed before ~ men are finally Sc
iected to decide Guy Rasor's fate.
Gas overeomes Woman.
Wooster, o., Feb. 14.-Gas escaping