The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-03
ORTELL DENIES
He OFFERED TO
HUSH UP CASE
eays Conversation With Weaver
Did Net Touch Upon Bride;
Zeok In Denial, Too.


Dan Zook OF Moline, rebuttal wit
nesses for the prosecution, this
morning denied they were mpll-
Gated in an attempt to secure money
from William Weaver in considera-
ton of having murder case against
him and brother, John, dropped, as
declared by William when testify
Ing yesterday.
Ortell said he had had a CONVEX
gation with Bill Weaver, bearing IN
the case, in his office at 1913 Sec
ond avenue, about two months ago,
but answered mo- to question
seeking to determine If he told
Weaver then that he was author
lied by John Looney to suggest
way out of the charges of killing
Harry Mueller by paying $4,000
The cross-examination revealed
that the conversation between Or
tell and Weaver took place in
back room of Ortell's office. Ortel
said he was sitting in the room
when Weaver came in. He said ae
has known Bill Weaver four or II re
years. c. E. DietZ, Weaver's at
torney. asked him:
IF you had had such a CONVEX
outlined in the query, which you
said you didn't have, would you
have admitted it even though it
had been true you would have IN
VOWED yourself in a conspiracy"
The answer was yes"
ZoOk In Denial.
Dan Zook, Moline barber, whom
Weaver said he went to see, denied
any connection with the case, as
alleged by Weaver He refuted
statement of John Weaver that he
Cook had said he wanted to see
Bill and disavowed having sent
any message of this nature to Will
liam by William Poston He. further
denied that Bill came to see him at
his barber shop about two months
ago and was sent to Ortell, or of
telling Bill that Ortell wanted TO
see him. He said he knew nothing
about the alleged conspiracy
William Poston, 1921 Fourth
avenue, Moline, whom William
had mentioned in connection with
the alleged message from Zook
-recollected that l told Bill, Dan
wanted him to call him up" This
Poston thought he told Bill in the
Eagles club, Moline, but he was
not certain when he gave such a
message. 1t might have been two,
three or four months ago, perhaps
more, he said, but would not testif '
to ANYTHING definite in this regard.
Poston said he is a brother of
Harry Poston, who was a witness
for the defense. He said he was
customer of looks.
= Arthur Carlson, who was at the
. sale Jan. 20, 1921, at the Mary
vi Weaver farm, when the fight oc-
y CURED, was asked about Bits ap
pearance after the struggle Carl
son said he was not more than IL
feet from Bill at that time, and
that he noticed no change in Weav-
er's features.
Refutes Weaver Story.
Carlson also refuted a portion Of
John Weaver's testimony, concern
ing threats made by Ed Ford and
two sons when they passed Viii
hams home on their return home
after the trouble. John testified
that he was at the gate to William s
farm, talking with Ed Weaver
after the latter had delivered Bits
glasses, when the Fords stopp ID
their horses and dared the Weay-
ers to fight. John said no attention
was paid to these remarks and the
Fords drove away shaking their
fists. Carlson said Ed Ford de-
clared he didn't have a grudee
against anybody but he didn't IL
tend to countenance two men beat
ing another Carlson said the
Weavers exhibited the tendency ,
fight.
DR.. r. B. Human of Moline tes-
titled yesterday afternoon that Bill
weaver came to him Jan. 81 for
dental treatment Two of Bills
front teeth were missing and two
were loose, he said He said he
replaced them with false teeth.
Dr. l.. B. Barding, who treated
Harry Mueller a month before lis
death, testified that in his opinion
the injuries to the head had 10
connection with death.
DR.. Barding said he was called
to the Mueller farm June 16, 1921,
20 attend Harry, who, he said, told
aim he had a pain over one eve
which had been growing more
severe for six weeks. The doctor
said Mueller had the appearan ce
then OF health. He said Harry told
him he had not consulted a ply
stefan since the fight and the doc
tor declared there were no scars
Or symptoms Of blows to his hea /.
Injuries Not Severe.
On cross-examination he said the
injuries were not severe enough.
based on his knowledge of the case
as told him by the deceased, to
have affected the tumor, from which
Harry Mueller died He said Harry
told him he was not unconscious
when he received a blow over the
eye. The doctor said Mueller told
Nun he was hit over the eye and
didn't mention anything about be-
ing kicked.