The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-11-21
WHISKEY DID NOT
KILL YOUNG WEBER
So the Defense Charges-lt
Alleges the Young Man
Was Suffocated.

Admitting the guilt of William Ca
sey of Pittsburg on the charge of Civ
ing whiskey to Ernest Weber. Il. but
denying that the liquor was the cause
of the boys death. as alleged by the
state. the defense Tuesday assumed
the burden of proving that Weber died
as the result of suffocation on the al
ternoon of October ? in the barn of
Charles Zuttermeister near Tenth
and North G streets.
Casey is charged with involuntary
manslaughter: as are also his two
companions. Charles Codrington and
Frank Burns, both in the county Jail
still awaiting trial, and all employed
before their arrest with the construc-
tion gang at work on the c. & 0. at
Boston. The state for two days has
been endeavoring to prove through
witnesses including experts that as a
result of drinking the liquor given him
by Casey and his companions, Weber
died.
Partly Substantiated.
To a degree the contention of the
defense that suffocation was the cause
of death was substantiated. Zutter-
meister told how he went to the barn
between 3 80 and 4 o'clock on Monday
afternoon, October 2, and saw lying in
the buggy shed a pile of blankets, tar
paulin, buggyrobes and other articles
which were out of their place. He star
ted to investigate and not until he had
removed some of the covering did he
discover that Weber was sleeping on
pile of buggy seats with the blankets
and other things thrown over him. He
was then dead, the defendant alleges.
suffocation having been the cause.
In his own defense Casey testified
that when Weber, Ellie Ribkee and
Lecel Hale gave Codrington. himself
and Burns lift on October 2, that he
had about two-thirds of a quart of
whiskey and his companions three
quarts. But he said that only one
quart was consumed by the party OF
six and the defense maintains that
none in the party drank sufficient
whisky to, in ITSELF, cause the death
of any one. The defense has estimat.
ed that each member of the party
each drinking about the same amount
as it has been agreed by all witnesses
they did, reduced the liquor in the
quart bottle about one and a quarter
inches. Casey admits being a heavy
drinker and frequently has gotten
drunk.
Hale Was Anxious.
He said that when they gave the
boys liquor, Lecel Hale, who was the
youngest and the smallest in the par
ty, seemed most anxious to taste the
liquor. He said Hale and the other
two boys, who looked older and were
larger, assured them that they drank
whiskey every day. Casey declares
however, that he and his two compan
ions refused to indulge further with
the lads after quart had been con
sumed. He said the three men all
told the boys they would have to &c
careful or it would make them drunk
Casey, while a rough sort of charac
ter, SO far as appearances are con
cerned, is deeply concerned, and re
grets the affair very deeply. Several
times when on the stand he wiped a
tear from his eye. In support of the
suffocation theory Prof. Kelly of the
nigh school faculty, testified as to the
temperature records taken by him or
October 2. Other witnesses included
undertakers Dan McManus and Theo
dore Hunt. They substantiated Cor
oner Pierce, who admitted the autopsy
| was incomplete.