Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1921-08-19

CHARGED WITH MURDER.

CHARGED WITH MURDER.
Robert and Jasper Weesc. broth
erS, were arraigned before Squires
Lee Harper and w. ,R. Burdette,
at Lewisburg, Tuesday evening,
charged in preliminary examina-
tion. with the murder of George
Huffman, at his home, about five
miles from White Sulphur in hol-
low mile Or two east of the White
Sulphur and Alvon road, and not
for from the old George Dean place.
If judgement is to be based on the
evidence for the State, for the pris-
oners. represented in the investiga-
ton by Attorney ThoS. n. Read, Of
Hinton, INTRODUCED no evidence and
made no disclosure of the line of
their defence, then a petit jury of
the county must pass on what seem
ed to be case of wilful and delib-
crate shooting by Robert Weesc
with intent to kill. There was no
evidence offered showing the mo-
tive for the crime and the only sug-
gestion of an explanation offered
was a remark of one of the wit
nesses that WeeSe suspected Huff
man of stealing a half-gallon of
whiskey from him and that he was
going to his house for a reckoning
with him. His reckoning was with
a pistol at sight and the almost in
slant death of Huffman.
Without detail, unnecessary and
perhaps improper at this time, we
will state briefly the gist of the
evidence offered by the State in
substance as follows:
That about $3.50 o'clock Monday
afternoon Robert Wcesc, who lives
at White Sulphur, and his brother,
Jasper Weese, who lives in the
hollow near George Huffman, start
ed out, probably from Jasper's
house, going toward Huifman'S. Be-
fore they got to Huffman's they
stopped at the home of old man
Scott Lusher and asked the loan of
his pistol. having at the time
single barrel shot gun. The old man
declined to loan the pistol fearing
improper use Of it and that he
might get into trouble by loaning it.
Robert Wecse, irritated by MIR.
Lusher's refusal, kicked him and
hill him and, leaving him outside the
house in Jasper's charge, went into
the house and demanded the pistol
Of Mrs. Lushcr drawing shot gun
on her. Mrs. Lusher opened a draw
er to get the pistol, when Robert
Jerkcd the drawer out on the floor,
uOt Ihn nIStnl npl than Il Il Il
cartridges, which Mrs. LuSher pro-
duced from another drawer. The
Two men then took the old man,
who, at the time, was bare-foolcd,
off Up The road toward Hulrman's
house. When in about 80 yards of
Huffman house they; bound his
hands behind him with a rope and
lied him to tree. When they left
the old man, tied to the tree, they
warned him by saying, ''if you are
not here when we come back, YOU
Will know the rest" Before leaving
the house with Mr.. Lushcr. Jasper
shot Mrs. Lusher with the shot gun
when she pleaded with them moi TO
take her husband away. Three
shot, she said, hit her, but none of
which made very serious wound.
Robert and Jasper then went OH
10 Huifman's house, called him TO
the door. Huffman asked them to
leave saying that she did not want
TO have any trouble. Immediately
Robert Weese began firing the
pistol and stepping in the door
shot Huffman who ran out of the
back door. Wecsc in pursuit, shot
Fhim again in the back as he ran.
Both, DR.. Wyatt testified, were
dangerous wounds and one of them
necessarily fatal.
When Mr.. Lusher, tied to the tree
heard the shots at Hufrman's house
he got uneasy and busy, finally sue
cceding in getting a hand in his
pocket, got his knife out and cut
the rope, which he produced in
evidence, and escaped in the woods
that night.
When arrested, and while in
charge Of" the. officers of the law,
Robert Wcse did moi hesitate in ad-
Uniting that he had killed Huffman
both said they were glad he was
dead.
The defendants offered no evil
dence and Mr.. Read, making no
motion on behalf of Robert Wecse,
moved, on behalf Of Jasper, that he
be allwed to give bond for his APP
pearance to answer an indictment.
The Justices refused bond to both
and remandcd the two to Jail TO
awaitthe action Of the grandjury.