The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-11-22
JOSEPH RABER
Col life Term
|NIC0URli TODAY
Feared If Case Went to
Trial End Would Be
the Gallows.
BLAMES THIRD BROTHER
Asked Wife N TO Seek Di.
vorce But Go to Live
With Her Mother.

Joseph Raber, charged with mur.
der Of his brother, Luther Raber,
plead guilty to first degree murder
as indicted before Judge w. s. Hay.
mond In Circuit Court today, by his
attorney, r. "a. Loar. Of Clarksburg,
and was sentenced to life imprison:
ment at Moundsyille.
After the foral plea had been en-.
tered, both Raber and his attorney
declared that the defendant was not
guilty, explaining that the plea OF
guilty was entered because In the
face Of strong Scircumstantial evidence
in the hands of the State 1t was fear.
cd that IL the case went to trial Ra.
ber would be hanged.
Joseph Raber denied his former
stories regarding the crime and blamed
the murder on q brother, Clarence
Raber. and a man whom he caleld
Jesse Kerns, both whom he said were
wanted for other serious crimes and
who visited Marion county tsecretlyIat
the time Of the murde a !,
After Joseph Raberl had been sen.
fenced and taken back to ! the jail he
WIS permitted to talk to his wife and
several friends and relat tiyes. During
this conversation the condemned man
broke down and wept HI! ! pleaded
with his wife not TO get d divorce
but TO 60 home to her mother and
I've there, The husband expressed the
hope that he would soon be ipardoned
so THAT he sould return to his wife and
his six.yar old sdaughtr. + T a. q !
With Mrs. Rabers during this inter.
view In the jail was Frank Dunn, q
wtdower who with Allen Warner, an.
other neighbur, were arrested for co.
plicity in the crime as the result oi
statements by Joseph fRaber, but later
released. Joseph Raber compile gex.
onerated both these men by his state.
ments In the jail interview. declaring
that he had accused them because Of
his oyerwrought condition following
his own arrest. :. 81, Z. rs 4
Mrs. Joseph Raber: accompanied
Dunn to a Fairmont restaurant after
the interview with her husband In the
jail With tears In her eyes she ad.
mitted that she believed that her hus.
band was guiely. s'isE \. Z -
rs. Alice Afford, Il a married sister
and lis Jane Raber, another sister, who
were also present when her brother
was sentenced. expressed the fearful
belief that he was guilty. Joseph
Raber.s other was not In the court
room when her son was sentenced
Its said that she intended to be pres
ent but failed to arrive In time: !.
Attorney Loar after entering the
plea of not guilty for his client and
explaining that while Joseph Raber
did not admit killing his brother de.
spite the plea, gave in detail Joseph
Raber's latest explanation OF the muir.
der. Mr.. Loar said: IS ,sF! r.,
Joseph Raber 4IsSa a victim sof cir.
cumstances which he cannot well lex.
plain to the satisfaction iofsa Jury In
the absence OF a fugitive brotheriana
q man named Jesse Kerns who also
cannot now be found. d, 2 " e
Joseph Raber's brother, aSfugitiye
from Justice, according to the story
Joseph Raber told me this morning,
returned home about the time ofsthe
murder but did not make his presence
known TO anyone except Joe because