The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-02
EFENDS SELF
from BLOWS OF
HARRY MUELLER
.,,,,.u Weaver Declares He Was
struck Twice Before He
Retaiiafed.

m ~ alTce you SuOu tnc ol1 t-nhs
800 Mueller said to william
80, ..sr and then struck a blow
81 nrecipitated the fight between
,roy at the Mary Weaver farm,
"a 1921. william declared,
- testifying yesterday after
Ar the trial Of his brother,
~ and himself for the killing of
4 Y,eIler. s.,
Il ,s,ored accusations that Weaver
N - threatened to beat Mueller, ac-
u ling 10 the defendant Weaver
"a he was struck in the mouth
'.seiently hard to be knocked 20
~ ground, and that a she was try
= 10 get up Mueller struck a sec
Il hlow that knocked his glasses
+ This punch was TO the left
"a Of the face AS Mueller struck
third time, Weaver said he
4 sshbed his arm and when Muel-
=, pulIed back retaliated by de-
T,erine two or three blows to
u.rry's face. Mueller did not hit
I'm again, nor did he fall to the
rraand at any time during the
struggle. the defendant said.
weaver judged that the fight
asted about 80 seconds. When
,hey quit both walked away, he
4 uM. william declared four of his
bower front teeth were ioosened,
he two center teeth being sup
,orted by skin only He said they
we're not false teeth; that he ex-
3uzcted the two held by the skin
when he reached home and the
rsrt day went to a dentist for
treatment. At suggestion of his
eounsel, Weaver exhibited to the
BURY the false teeth, that he says
Ehsye replaced those alleged to
lave been knocked loose by Muel-
fkt
Weaver said he is 81 years of
3ue He gave his weight as 100
pounds without overcoat, four
sounds less than year ago. He
4 aid he has been suffering from
rheumatism in the back and breast
dsce 1918 He described his state
Jl HtdlIl do
Lifelong NeighbOrs.
According to the defendant, he
bad known Harry Mueller since
Harry was or years of age
They lived on neighboring farms
After Harry married he lived about
half mile from William. He said
be often saw him and spoke of
things common or passed the time
Of day. Weaver said the day be
fore the sale he passed Harry and
Albert Mueller on the road and
that greeting was exchanged by
Ia wave of the hand. He asserted
he had had no quarrel with Harry
before the day of the sale, Jan. 20.
he saw Harry while the auction
was in progress and both callel
each other by first names.
This was during the sale of cows
|n a point east of the barn, the
asst sale of the day The crowd
moved south towards the house TO
|sttle for the purchases, but
Weaver remained to talk to Charles
|Sonneville, he said. When they
parted William said he went to the
southeast corner Of the barn where
pohn Weaver was talking to Ed
Weaver and Rollie Book
Lets go home" William ad-
dressed John.
Tust a minute" John answered.
u walked west Is or % feet,
1 nsn turned around and called
hack, 'C'mon, amt you going
sme?" William testified.
He said he went back towards
Inc group and when within five or
II feet Of the three, felt a hand
upon his shoulder and, turning
around, faced Harry Mueller.
] want to see you a minute"
Aaeller said, according to William.
weaver didn't reply to this but fol-
owed Mueller north. When Muel-
"a stopped he said, I've got some
Jung | want to settle with you,'
ana added, Il heard you said you
we're going to lick me-" Weaver
tU0ed. Il didn't" You did" were
sfepeated two or three times be-
sofe Mueller exclaimed that he had
II rudge against Weaver anyhow !
I'd struck the first blow, accord |
Ing to the defendant.
Revived 1S-Year-Old Grudge.
Al objection against that part of |
seaTer's statement referring tof
sOaole with Mueller's father, was |
{aefruied and in answer to a ques- |
IN the defendant declared he had |
~ trouble with the elder Mueller |
n Or is years ago.
"a response to further question |
s after his description of the |
- weaver said he saw Ed Ford |
~ ont OF a wagon and come run
toward the scene of the strug-i
de was shouting and when
" seen was so feet away. Ford
statement to the effect that
aaa 1t in for the Weavers, too.
was IN the act of removing
ooat when stopped by Rollie
according to William. Will
saia he then saw John in the
81 and invited him to go home.
walked as far as the ice
separated and William con-
~ nome alone, he said.
1sN IL he had shown his in
a. 70 anyone at the sale after
ent William said he called
ies Sonneville's attention to
iafther said he saw Harry
number of times after
and once stood within a.
-, MN when both attended a
49, out that at no time were
or greetings spoken by
h asked to Pay 5000.
sae direct examinatlon-of VII