The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-07-31
CORONER'S INVESTIGATION
OF THE WEHMAH MURDER
Esq. S. R. BrattOn Qualifying As
Judge Presides


but postponement was taken to prepar
for the trial until / o'clock. at which
time adjournment was again taken un
til O'Clock Monday morning.
The Office Of coroner in Obion Count,
having been abolished. Esq. S. r. Brat
ton, according to law, qualified as act
ing coroner or judge Of the case.
The court room was packed, Monda!
morning and the heat was intense, bu
the examination proceeded.
About twenty-five witnesses had beer
summoned and eight or ten were exam
ined before noon and several in the at
ternoon Adjournment was taken at
O'Clock until Wednesday. Witnesses
stated that Mr.. Wehman came to towr
after supper on the night OF July II
with Mr.. Dunn, with whom he board
ed, and separated, but planned to meet
at Alexander's livery stable az about 10
or 1870 o'clock to 60 home together.
Mr.. Wehman went to bathroom and
was last seen at $50 o'clock crossing
the street from the bathroom and going
diagonally in the direction OF Milliken 5
marble yard. AT about $50 o'clock
Frank Dietzel took ahckSe and buggy
from AIexander's stable. witnesses said,
and drove out alone. saying he would
be gone about two hours. He asked
for gentle horse
When the horse and buggy we're re-
turned the driver was not seen, as the
stable hands we're al the side of the
stable attending to some hot horses.
The horse was hot aud appeared to be
very nervous and excited, so much so
that the stable men commented about
1t. Witnesses stated they had seen
Dietzel rabbit-hunting several times
lately in fields near the old we'll where
the body was thrown and that he was
seen driving that road the evening of
the fatal night.
In settling his account at the livery
barn several days ago. DietzeI stated
that he had not driven horse on the
night Of the eleventh.
IL was shown that Wehman always
had considerable money on his person.
Pierce and Fry and ]. A. Whipple
are the attorneys for the defense, and
Mr.. Pierce objected TO the proceedings. |
refusing to allow his client to testify. |
Lannom and Stanfield Represent Miss
Clara Wehman in the case.
Wednesday mornings investigation
proceeded with members OF defendants
family on the witness stand. III. Diet
eel, ST., stated that he and Mrs. DietzeI
sat on the front porch until 1915
o'clock on the night OF the 18th and
then went to bed They had just re-
tired when Frank came in and Mr..
Dietzel called to him. The young ladies
had returned from awalls to the church
corner, and we're in their room, when
they heard Mr.. Dietzel calling Frank.
Mr.. Burdck testified as to the stains
IN the money. Wehman was in the
habit OF carrying money in a tobacco
Jack. At one time Wehman left with
Mr. Burdick $3.50 in money that he
rad saved, and Mr.. Burdick remonstra-
ed with him for carrying money in his |
pocket. Wehman was known to have
IS much as two to three hundred dol {
ars 10 his pockets alitthe time.
DR. Robinson assisted in removing |
he water from tho we'll the next day.
md found in the bottom OF the we'll
lat with brick in it. an old towel, and
AXE Of soap, DR.. Robinson was one OF !
be persons deputized by the Sheriff to
id in making the arrest Of Dietzel, and Il
gas present when the arrest was made,
nd heard Dietzel say to his father that /,
e had not had any trouble with George
Vehman, and that ne had not MUIR
cred him. On the way to the jail he !,
aid Dietzel said to the officers that the
list time he saw the deceased was about
O'Clock on the Saturday night that he :
in front Of Che Lyon furni-
ire store. =
Clara Wehman, daughter Of the de-
,ased, said that she aud her father had =
Dne to Memphis on Saturday before
,e 4th Of July and that she saw the v
urse or sack in which her father car
ed bis money and that It was an old
d sack; that wheu shows some Of the :.
,oney supposed TO have been at one J
me the property Of Wehman, she Q
artiaIly identified. she, said i looked !
ke the money he had with him, and Y
lat he had about $500 Wehman told
sa..~l,tar that hn had hnpn ont =