Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-12-14

Taking up the story of the Lehman
trial where the Tribune stopped last
week, on Wednesday evening, the
events of last Thursday, December 6,
come next in order:
Thursday morning the indications
were that it would take at least all
day to secure complete jury, but con-
trary to expectations, shortly atter
q the noon intermission the jury box
was filled and the court passed the
jury to the attorneys tor acceptance
or challenge. Both sides expressed
their satisfaction with the jury as it
stood, aud the first chap ter in the
trial of fred Lehman on the charge
of numbering his wife, Grace. on Sep
tember II, 1917, was closed.
-Four days were consumed in secur-
ing the jury and 118 veniremen were
examined before 12 jurors satisfac-
tory to both sides were secured. The
last juror to be chosen to whom neith-
er side took any exception was Ira
Fraker, who is the father of 13 chill
dren, all living, and who stated that
while he was opposed to the death
penalty, he did not believe in a citi-
zen shirking his duty. When asked
by Assistant Prosecutor Ham if he
could follow the instructions of the
court and bring in virdict on circum-
stantial evidence if you were convinc-
ed beyond reasonable doubt?" Mr..
Fraker answered with some emphasis,
at would be my duty as a citizen to do
it."
All but two of the jurors are farm
ers and all but two are fathers of chill
dren:- They are as follows, George
Bachman, Theodore Fouty, (stock-
mani, Dan Clingaman, o. r. George,
George Dunham, Albert F. Belts, ire
tired physician) j. c. Geesey, Law
renee Denny, Levi Borton, T. c. Ward
ley, Arthur Gingery and Ira Fraker.
The youngest man on the jury is 38
years of age and the oldest is 20.
Following the completion of the
jury Attorney F. S. Ham presented
the case for the state; Mr.. Ham told
the jury that the state expected to
prove that Fred Lehman killed his
wife during the night of September
18th 1917 with % caliber bullet out
of deliberate and premeditated malice
and that the state is entitled to ver-
NiNl - bullby VI LIc llISG ~
gree without mercy. He traced the
story of the tragedy from it's opening
chapter which dealt with numerous
auto trips with the Fepton's of secret
meetings with Alley Fenton, wife of
Leo 'Fenton of Lehman's infatuation
with Mrs. Fenton, down to the night
of the murder of Mrs. Grace Lehman.
Attorney F. B. Fowler speaking for
the defense blamed gossip for Leh-
mans prosecution; he stated that the
defense would prove Lehman's inno-
cence beyond all question; that Leh-
mans relations with Mrs. Fenton were
purely neighborly and that Lehman
never owned a revolver. The case
for the defense is based upon Leh-
mans story of the events which trans
pired on the night his wife was killed
Arrangements were perfected on
Thursday to take the jury to the Leh-
man home and Fred Lehman desired
to go with the jury these arrange
ments were carried into effect Friday
forenoon and Fred Lehman had the
first glimpse Of his home in Fulton
township since the day of his wife's
funeral last September. Owing tc
the death of a grandchild of Judge
John j. Winn the trial was suspended
from Friday morning until Tuesday
morning.