Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-28
STATE PRODUCES
STAR WITNESSES
Mrs. Sophia Horn Tells of Incl
dents Just Previous to Muir
der of Ignatz Schmidt.
BAD FOR THE DEFENDANT
Evidence Piling Up Against Him and
Defense in Cross Examination
Is Helpless.
Especial to The Argus.)


Cambridge. ILL.,, Feb. 2s.-The
state today introduced its star wit
nesses in its effort TO fasten the
crime OF numbering Ignatz Schmidt
upon the shoulders of Ernest Schra-
der, whose trial is on in the circuit
court here. Mrs. Sophia Horn, who
lives in the house next TO the Schmidt
residence in Geneseo, told of the in
cidents which just preceded the find
ing of the body. She, with her hus-
band, attended a street fair in Gen
eseo on the night OF the murder, July
"a, and upon returning to their home
they found Schmidt in their sitting
room, unclothed except for a shirt
and a rug which he had wrapped
around his lower limbs. He exhib-
tied cuts and bruises and stated that
Schrader had attacked him. They
took him back to his home and he
showed them where Schrader had
broken into his room.
The witness was not Cross exam
ined by the defense and part of the
evidence was taken with the Jury out
of the room. Judge Graves an
nounced that he would pass upon
the competency OF the evidence lat
er. The witness spoke in German
and was very hard TO understand.
Her husband. Chris Horn, followed
her on the stand and corroborated
her testimony.
OTHER WITNESSES ON.
Other witnesses who were heard
we're Fred Titus, who stated that on
the night Of the murder he saw Schra-
der down town In a partly intoxi-
Gated condition; John Liljah, who
stated that Schrader had made a
proposition to him to become guar
dian of Schmidt to whom he always
referred as 1.-The devil" The wit
ness was promised that there was
considerable money In It for him II
he would agree to what the defend
ant asked. Liljah refused. however.
John Johnson, Henry county coro-
ner, was the first witness on the
stand this morning. He told Of hav-
ing been called to the Schmidt home
on July 20 and described the con-
dition OF the body OF the murdered
man.
w. c. Fritz. city marshal of Gen.
eseo, related instances of Schrader's
being drunk.
TELL OF ILL FEELING.
The state yesterday introduced
witnesses who testified about the
i'll feeling that was apparent between
Ernest Schrader, defendant in the
murder case, and Ignatz Schmidt, the
man who was killed. Minnie Burk
land oorroborated the story told b!
Mabel LilJah regarding Schrader
having gone to the Schmidt residenc,
on Orange street, Geneseo, and o
having emerged after the sounds o
heard. She also told that Mrs
Louise Schrader, divorced wife o.
the defendant and daughter of tn
deceased. had left the house appar
emily because of seeming trouble
She remained away until the mex
morning.
OTHERS coRRoBoRATE.
Florence Liljah and Mrs. Emmi
Volger corroborated the testimon.
that had gone before and the latte
added that the noises which emanat
ed from the Schmidt residence resem
bled the sound that would come fron
bammering upon a door or an empt
trunk.
Mrs. Margaret Kellen testife
that she had worked at the Schmid
home for two weeks and that she wa
we'll acquainted with the principal
in the case. According to her, tn
deceased and alleged murder wer
not on speaking terms and were 4
fact very unfriendly towards eac
other. Both Ernest Schrader an
Mrs. Schrader had on various occa
sions made threats against the If