The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-10-07
EMIL LlCKA CONVICTED or KILLING
~ NIKE KOREK
GOT FROM 8 70 20 YEARS
I'm portant Tax Title Question Settled in
Favor OF Senator aorarty Record
Of Proceedings.

AiCoT bIlhl lhbbiuS buTcc uh9b III
which brilliant defense and an equal
I ly brilliant prosecution was made
Emil Licka was convicted OF having
murdered Mike Korek a fellow tramI
at Peutoga on June 2S last.
4 ---Licka was defended by NJ. H. Nor
iarty who was appointed by the cour
ana who came into the case without
any previous preparation Some
friends OF the accused in Chicago had
Interested Congressman SABBATH in the
defense and he sent his partner Mr..
Micheals. who arrived here Tuesday
without any definite Information as to
the case and its ramiiications
Monday afternoon was consumed in
securing a jury The regular panel
was exhausted and fifteen bysianders
were brought in and many Of them ex.
amined before jury satisfactory to
both sides was secured.
Prosecuting Attorney McDonough
had given the case great deal of con
sideration and the way tnat he put his
case before the jury showed that he
had 1t well in hand.
The story of the case as told by the
defendant who was put on the stand by
the defense Is as follows;
Licka and the deceased were Polish
tramps who worked few days here
and there and walked the railroad
tracks or stole rides on freight trains
from one place TO another, sleeping in
box cars. etc. They started out from
Chicago and worked north TO Wells
where they worked a short time for the
\, Stephenson Lumber company ia the
mill They drew their small pay and
went 10 EsUsuaba where they purchased
n revolver
They worked north along the g S5
n. w. until Pentoga was reached on
the fatal day. They had few drinks
at the saloon there and bought few
eatonles at the store. They started
west on their tramp ana WREN they got
to the switch that runs in 20 the ola
mill plant they got to shooting at
marx The statement of the
dying tuan tended to show that they
got into an altercaration Of some kind
AT any rate Korek was shot and NOR.
tally wounded. Licka says that they
were shooting at a mark and that in
breaking the revolver to see what was
the matter with the cartridges a shell
was exploded accidentally and the bull
let hit Korek who was standing In
such position that he received the
shot. The entire case hinged upon this
occurrance whether IL was accidental
or wilful
AT any rate when the man was shot
Lioka went away; he says to summon
help. He was captured later in the
day the wounded man brought to Iron
River where he died q few days later.
Mr. McDonongh laid his foundation |
very carefully and introduced the dy.
ing statement of the deceased which
was to the effect that Licka. shot him
Intentionally.
The defense pleaded accidental shoot.
{ng. The defendant himself made n
lvery good witness until he got to the
point where he claimed that he shot
the man and went for help His tes-
timony from that point on was not
strong.
The most OF the day Wednesday was
consumed In arguments by the attor-
neys. The Judge charged the jury late
in the afternoon and the twelve men
retired and wrestled with the case for
about five hours, finally bringing in a
verdict OF murder In the second degree.
The other cases on the criminal dock.
ct were disposed of as follows
People vs. Hall, continued
People vs Ostrand, continued
People vs. Zenile. continued.
4 People vs. Montombo. nolle rrosequi
People vs BarrIl. Smith and Bedure.
defendants pleaded guilty and wcie
sentenced 10 3-years on probation.
This Is the case arising from the theft
Of goods from cars at the North
Western depot Sambaugh
People VS. Smith. continued.
People w Rusky. nolle prosequi
People Va KuzInski. 90 al, continued.
People W Urban. plea { I guilty SEN
fenced 10 from months 20 10 years in
the Marquette penitentiary with re-
Of one year.