Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-15
4 MURDER TRIALS
CONTINUED UNTIL
AFTER CHRISTMAS
Misko, Yovanovic, Christley
and White Go Over Until
January Sessions
KOTUR'S SECOND TRIAL
Gougler in Court Leads to Be-
lief That He Will Be Called
For Sentence
KOTUR'S SECOND TRIAL

One by one four prisoners charged
with murder learned definitely this
morning that they may see the dawn
of at least another Christmas when
John Misko, James White. Vlada
Yovonovic and John o. Christley were
brought into Dauphin county criminal
court and told that their trials will go
over until January quarter sessions.
Immediately afterward the selection
of jury to try Nick Kotur. the Steel
ton foreigner. for killing his fellow
countryman, Joso Backic, just a week
less than year ago, was begun.
With the trial of Kotur and the post
the calendar of December's red
week" of murder hearings has been
disposed of. Nine jurors had been
selected up until the noon recess.
Wilson and Shepherd Convicted
BY tomorrow evening at the lat
est it is confidently believed that Ko-
tur's fate will have been decided a
second time. Months ago he was con-
victed of murder in the first degree,
but the court granted new trial.
With the conviction last evening of
Elwood Wilson, who, with James
White, fellow negro, had been
charged with the murder of Patrol
man Lewis c. Nipple, and Cornelius
Shepherd. charged with the murder
of Henry Walker, and the pleading
guilty a few days ago of William
Jackson to the murder in the sec
ond degree" of Charles Brown.
Seven cases in all were on the cal
endar for the week and these cases
were disposed as follows:
The Roll of Red Week"
Elwood Wilson, who, with James
White, had been charged with the
murder of Patrolman Lewis c. Hip
pie. convicted; Cornelius Shepherd,
charged with the murder of Henry
Walker. convicted: William jackson,
charged with the murder of Charles
Brown, pleaded guilty to murder in
the second degree anud sentenced to
eighteen and half to twenty years
in the Eastern penitentiary.
The appearance of Benjamin T.
Gougler. convicted last week of en-
ticing 13-year- old Josephine Crawford,
led to a report that he was TO be
called for sentence late to-day. but it
was unofficially intimated that SEN
tence would scarcely be imposed until
after Kotur's trial is under way
Court Ovcrrules Challenges
Forty-one talesmen were called to
get the nine jurors which had been
picked by the noon recess and in sew
eral instances the defense challenge
for cause was overruled by the
court. Both foremen of the Wilson
and the Shepherd juries were among
those who were challenged.
While counsel for both Elwood Will
son and Cornelius Shepherd asked
for the customary four days time in
which to file reasons for a new trial,
the belief was expressed in legal cir
cles to-day that no application will
be made Counsel for the defense in
either case declined to talk, but the
impression got about that no further
effort to save the two negroes from
the chair will he made-and that they
will likely be called for sentence Mon
day moving.
The Voice of the Juries
The Shepherd jury returned first,
having deliberated about an hour and
forty-five minutes. 1t was 4:55 o'clock
when the twelve men reported to Ad-
ditional Law Judge McCarrell who
was on the bench with President
Judge Kunkel in No. 1 courtroom at
the time.
Only once did the prisoner show
any sign that he was moved at all by
the low-voiced answers to the jury's
poll. That was when Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Frank E. Wickersham
moved for sentence. Shepherd started
perceptibly and he eyed his own at
torney, w. ]. Carter. bit anxiously
He heaved big sigh when Mr.. Carter
asked for the customary four days
time in which to file reasons for
new trial.
In the Shadow of the Chair
Shepherd has been n resident of
Hummelstown and nearby districts for
close to fifteen years. During the
summer he coolly stepped into a circle
of crapshooters at the Brownstone
quarries near Nationwide and shot
down Henry Walker as the latter was
kneeling in play.
Wilson learned of his fate about
$40. the jury having retired a little
after o'clock. Only when the fore
man of the jury quietly answered
guilty of murder in the first de-
gree"-and finding that means the
inevitable penalty of death on the cleo
tricc hair-did the negro vince. He
swallowed hard and often
To Try Again?
Wilson's attorneys. II. Z. Knupp and
Horace A. Segelbaum, followed the
same formalities as Attorney Carter.
They asked four days time in which
to file reasons for n re-trial and
President Judge Kunkel granted the
request.
Wilson is a West Indian and is one
of several thousand brought here dur
{ .EsaEszusu,uzuzz.1p