Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-22
Mass Of Evidence Found
Against Albert wo|teI.
Gruesome Details Of Finding
Ruth WheeIer's Remains
And Many Incidents Connecting
MIN With Murder.

the nTtpldCe Vi w io"'--
expeditiously today
The prosecution rested its case TO-
day soon after VOTERS companion
Katie Mueller, a fragile girl. almost
sick with fright had testified to see
ing Wolter at night stealthily at work
on the tell-tale fireplace. Wallace
Scott, VOTERS attorney, then outlined
the defence in an address to the jury
which lasted only 10 minutes.
Wolter will take the stand IN ms
own defence. According to MT. Scott
he will call a second witness-a girl
to show that the body was not on the
fire escape until late Saturday, two
days after Ruth Wheeler disappeared.
Further Scott said he would prove that
Wolter left the house Friday early and
did not return.
Wolter squirmed nervously in his seat
as he heard Katie Mueller tell of the fire.
place incident. The scullery maid, with
weak voice, with careful questioning by
Prosecutor Ross, said:
II worked all of March "A. When l
got home Wolter was down on his knees
painting the fireplace. He had painted
the hearth and was painting the iron
frame and the apron-the shield that
goes over the crate. The paint was all
fresh"
The girl told of the call of Pearl
Wheeler, who was seeking her missing
sister, and of her jealousy and continued;
Late that night 1 heard a noise. 1t
was the fireplace cover falling down.
the fireplace was in the other room. but
could tell what it was by the sound
of bed He went and fixed it, but didn't
see what he did.
Il went back to sleep and the fireplace
fell again and woke me up. l got up and
looked. Wolter was down on his knees
at the fireplace working. l went to the
bath room and when | came back he was
still at the fireplace. He was there three
or four minutes, l guess
There was a calling of a few minor
witnesses, the placing of the grewsome
exhibits before the jury for their inspec-
ton. and the state closed its case.
New York, April 21.-It was promis-
ed when the trial Of Albert Wolter for
attacking Ruth Wheeler and strang-
ling and burning her to death was re-
sumed today, that the prosecution
would complete its case by tomorrow
at the latest. VOTERS defence could
then hardly be put in before adjourn
| ment over to next week and the prob
| ability is that the case cannot be fin
ished before Tuesday. But even in
that case the trial would go on record
as the speediest OF any notable crimi-
nal hearing in New York in many
years.
Almost the entire gamut of sensa-
| ton was run at yesterdays session Of
the trial. Testimony in an effort to
show still more clearly that the char
| red hand of the 15-year- old stenog-
rapher victim, the production of which
caused so profound an impression in
court yesterday. pointed an accusing
finger VOTERS way, was expected
from the prosecution.
Before the court opened today Juror
William Campbell, No. in the jury
| box. reported that he had received
several anonymous letters. The juror
did not reveal their nature.
Wolter was the same dapper youth
as ever when brought into court. He
greeted his lawyers with smile and
began at once to pay close attention
to the proceedings, but without mani
Testing nervousness.
John Mohl, ianitor of the fiat house
| in which Wolter lives and where Ruth
Wheelers body was shown to have
been placed in gunny sack on the
fire escape, after having been partial
ly burned in the fireplace in VOTERS
room, was recalled. He was asked
whether there was a ladder against the
fire escape in the rear of VOTERS fiat
to the roof. He answered in the mega
tive.
1t was apparent that this testimony
was intended to offset any later claim
that some unknown person came down
from the roof. entered VOTERS apart
ment and committed the crime charged
charged TO the prisoner.
The entrance into the fiat house on
the morning of the crime of girl an
sWering Ruth Wheeler's description
was testified to by Mohls wife. The
girl had a card in her hand and car
ried an umbrella and after pushing
the button which rang the bell in VOL
ter's apartment. opened the door when
the latch was sprung from above ana
went UP stairs. She never saw the girl
come ont again.
After clinching the identifications OF
number of the gruesome exhlblts
previously made in the case, the pros
ecution produced some new ones
which it called Coroner Holzhauser 10
identify. These consisted OF parts vi
the fireplace and the marble hearth
which rested before it in Woiter
room. The face of the marble pore
black smears, which the coroner sala
had been made with paint the heartn
was turned over and on the other sloe
the audience saw heavy stains. winch
seemed to have been caused by perco-
lation through the pores Of the hearth.
Coroner Holzhauser said the red stains
were blood.
Coroner Holzhauser testified that he
got down on his knees and picked out
from the fireplace 25 pieces OF bone, in
Guiding parts of legs arms toes. fin
gers and pieces of the skull bone. He
found also the hat pins. corset steels
and the hair.
Detective James Devine was called
and testified: with Detective Haggerty
/ watched the house all day waiting for
al fr Tn fko !,