Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-12-21

The chain of circumstantial evidence
by which the States attorneys have
asserted they will prove beyond a
reasonable doubt that Fred Lehman
is guilty, was forged link by link;
it remains for the jury to determine
whether those links are all strong
enough to hold them to a verdict OF
guilty. Some Of the sessions have
been enlivehed by passages between
the counsel on either side, and Leh-
man has strangely enough seemed to
enjoy some of these passages" quite
as much as many of the spectators
who have thronged the court room.
At times the hearing of the testi-
mony Of witnesses has been inter
rupted by the arguments of counsel
to sustain their objection to the ad
mission of certain testimony; and to
the sometimes impatient auditors who
perhaps forgot that the life of a fell
lowman hung in the balance, and that
the trial was not an event staged
for the general amusement of the
public, such interruptions have
seemed only a waste of time.
Thursday, the 18th, piled up evi-
dence calculated to reveal glaring dis
crepancies in Fred Lehman's story
of being held up by bandits. Wit
nesses were also called by the State
to give testimony as to statements
made by Lehman and his conduct dur
ing Monday, Tuesday and Wednes-
day following the night of the MUIR
der. DR.. p S. Bishop, coroner, tes-
titled in regard to what he found at
I IL, bo oA
there at o'clock Monday morning,
September II. He observed articles
from buffet drawers scattered on the
floor and noticed that there were no
stains on such articles; he found no
wounds or bruises on the body of the
dead woman except a bullet woand
above the right temples; there were
no evidences of criminal assault and
no signs of a struggle. DR.. Bishop
also testified that a "selt inflicted
slight bump with a rub" could have
produced just such a bruise as ap-
peared on Lehmau's forehead and
which he asserted was made with a
club in the hands of one OF his as.
sailants. The cuts on Lehman'S
breast, DR.. Bishop testified, we're evi.
IDENTIFY caused by fairly sharp knife
as to the bullet wounds on Lehman's
arm and leg, they were made from
the front and the skin on the front
of the arm was slightly burned by
powder.
Sheriff Boone on the stand identi-
fled samples of soil taken from
around the Lehman home, and tes.
titled as TO the actions of Lehman
during the first three days following
the trial. He said that Lehman die
not give any evidence of any feeling
and that he smoked a cigar at tn,
cemetery when his wife was buried
and that he appeared perfectly ra
tional
Deputy McQuillin also told tn
story of their visit to the farm an,
of their Investigations, corroboratinj
Sheriff Boone's account of expert
ments made in firing revolver shot
at the Lehman home, which wer
heard six-tenths of a mile away. Leh
man stated that at least three revol
yer shots were fired on the night o
the murder, but neighbors livin
across the road have testified tina
they heard no revolver shots on tn
Lehman place on that night.
c. w. Slough, night guard at tn
county Jail, testified that Lehman dc
MED to him ever being out with Ale
Fenton or the Robassers.
Judge Winn asked that testimon
relating to revolver shot experiment
be taken from the jury; tile Court o,
erruled the motion.
Chester Mills, the neighbor of Lei
man who lives across the road frol
the Lehman home, was questioned
regard to the slippers worn by Lei
man on that night. He first observe
the slippers about daylight Monds
morning; one laid in the road whel
Lehman's feet had been when Mil
went to help him, the other by Il
front porch of the house. Mills spoil
to Lehman TO find his slipper near Il
porch and said to him, Erred, W
must have been in the house; here
one of your slippers found near Il
porch" Lehman answered, "No,
dropped off when you took me in"
Mr.. Mills said that he thought
heard Lehman mention Grace when
found him in the road and ran in
the house, where he called twice f
Grace, then ran back to help him in
the house.
Clendennin, a Swanton telephol
man, said the telephone wires at t
Lehman home had been cut by pince
similar to the pair owned by Lehma
Frank B. McKindley, chief depd
sheriff of Lucas county, testified
regard to Lehman's statements to hi
Bertha Hall, 13-year-old sister
the murdered woman, said that S
was familiar with the red banda
handkerchiofs used by Dewey Ken
Lehman's former hired man; wh
handed the handkerchief which Le
man said was used to gag him, S
said it looked something like the o
belonging to, but she did not think
belonged to the former hired man.
Witnesses were called to show u
Lehman told visitors he was shot VIII
running away from the bandits, aft
putting up a hard fight.
Reuben Hall, father of Grace 1t
man, was the last witness called
the stand Thursday afternoon.
testified that he had no i'll feeling
ward Lehman; that the Sunday
fore his daughters death was the Fl
time Lehman had ever driven by tn
place with Grace without stoppi
Mr.. Hall testified that he had giN
instructions to his son, Clyde,
search for the revolver. He went
the scene of the tragedy with DR. c
grove; did not see any wet or muC
stains on the articles thrown arot
the room; Grace lived about 20 m
utes after he arrived He talked "
Fred at dinner, when Fred told !
about being choked and beaten
three men.
Friday
The testimony of Reuben II
father of Grace Lehman, was :
4