The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-11-19
RATS TOOK $500 IS CONTENTION
IN TRUNK ROBBERY CASE.
81 Witnesses Summoned in Case
Against Garrett County Farmer
Accused of Larceny.

One of the hardest fought legal bat
ties that has occupied the attention of
the Allegany County Circuit Court
opened Thursday afternoon of last
week before jury. The case which
was venued to Cumberland from Gar
rett county, is that of George Friend,
farmer charged with the larceny of
So, 300 in cold cash from the home of
John Seibert, a farmer living near
Broadwater, Garrett county. The rob-
berry occurred in April, 1913. shortly
after the money all in paper bank notes.
had been taken from bank and placed
in trunk in the Seibert home for the
purchase of farm IN the neighborhood
On the morning of April 10, 1913,
Selbert went to get the money in his
trunk, and it was gone. The Landis-
Harris blOOdhounds of Fairmont were
secured and followed a trail far I'D in
the mountain but at that time no ar
rests was made. Later Seibert secured
warrant for Friend, who had been a
visitor at his home, charging him with
the theft of the money. Friend was
arrested and held under bail to answer
to the charge, Gilmor s. Hamill, Sr.,
of Oakland, and Captain J. Philip Ro-
man of Cumberland, defended the
accused, while the State was ably rep
resented by julius c. Renninger,
States Attorney for Garrett county,
Frank A. Perdew, states attorney for
Allegany county, and H. r. Donnelly
and w. c. Somerville, of the Cumber-
land bar.
After the jury had been impaneled
Thursday Julius c. Renninger made the
opening argument for the prosecution.
followed by Captain ]. Philip Roman
for the defense, Captain Roman tolo
how the rats had gotten into the room.
scattered cracked corn on the floor.
tore uD paper and tunneled into the
trunk. Fifty-one witnesses had bee n
summoned from Garrett county and
service was asked for THURSDAY for
several more to appear in court Friday.
Following the conclusion of the state s
evidence on Friday evening, the defense
began the taking of testimony Saturday
morning which lasted until l: 80 o'clock.
States Attorney Renninger made a
strong plea for the prosecution, followed
by Captain J. Philip Roman for the
defense, who, with a calender in his
hand, explained to the jury that it was
impossible for the accused to have taken
the money on the date claimed by
Siebert. The evidence showed that
Friend and Siebert had been together
on trip April II, II, 10 and H. as the
register from the National Hotel at
Grantsville showed that both had taken
dinner there on their return on that
date.
Siebert testified that the morning
they started on the "trip he went to the
trunk where the money was kept and
procured $40 bill with which to paw
expenses, and that all the money was
there at that time. 1t was proved by
the defense by Miss Oma Whitesell.
who was domestic in the Siebert home
at that time, that the money was first
missed on Tuesday morning, April Is,
the following day after Siepert and
Friend had returned from their trip.
The girls father also testified that she
had gone to the Siebert home to work
on Monday. April IA, the day before the
robbery was discovered.
The testimony of Gilead Broadwater.
merchant of Grantsville, who produced
500 gold certificate which he said he
had got from George Friend, consumed
much of the courts time. On cross
examination he was asked by Captain
Roman how long Sibert had the money
in his possession before he pointed out
any marks, and said it was almost
Immediately. He was then asked if he
had not testified at the preliminary
hearing before the magistrate that it
was more than an hour, and said he did
not. He said if the testimony showed
that it was mistake by the stenog-
rapher. A summons was issued for
the stenographer, but she did not appear
in court. The case consumed three
days in the local court, and more than
fifty witnesses testified. Ezekiel Mus
grave, of Fairmont, who took the
bloodhounds to the Siebert home to trail
the thieves, testified for the state. lie
could not remember the date that he
was called there, and said he thought
the trail was too old to follow when the
dogs arrived there. The case went to
the jury shortly after o'clock, who
returned with their verdict about two
hours later finding Friend not guilty.