Will' VOL 38. BLOOiUSIWKG. PA. THURSDAY. SEl'TEMBKH 17. 11)03. NO. 3S Guilty of Murder LEVAN KILLED McANDREWS FOR HIS MONEY. Life Is the Forfeit He Has Taken Liberty is the Ransom He Must Pay. A CELEBRATED CASE. The case against Amandus Levan, charged with the murder of James McAndrews, on the morning of March 30 last, was taken up before the Court Thursday morning. The case was easily the most important of the entire criminal session, and the Court room, during the several meetings required in the hearing of the case, was filled with people. The first move in the case was the selection of a jury and the im mense importance attached to the proceeding and the great care with which the twelve men were chosen is attested by the fact that the en tire panel of sixty was exhausted before a jury was secured, and the last man was accepted from a list of eight called by Deputy Sheriff Bruce Black, from the talesmen, and the Commonwalth would prob ably not have accepted the twelfth man had it not been for the fact that they had exhausted their number of challenges. The defense objected to nineteen. The jury as finally selected was as follows: Frederick Wood, saddler, Benton; William Stackhouse, pat tern maker, Berwick; M. T. Nagle, farmer, Sugarloaf; Isaac Artmau, farmer, Mt. Pleasant; F. B. Jones, farm-r, Fishingcreek; E. J. Ohl, farmer, Hemlock; Clarence Hess, farmer, Sugarloaf; John R. Deemer, Merchant, Catawissa; M. B. Shultz, laborer, Benton; Eri J. Welliver, Jr. farmer, Greenwood; O. D. Cole, Farmer, Sugarloaf, aud Simon R. Carl, farmer, Locust. The jurymen were accepted only after the most searching and point ed examination by counsel on both sides ot the case, the District At torney in every instance being par ticular to inquire whether or not the juryman was a client of any of the attorneys in the case, whether he was a friend of the defendant, or the defendant's father, aud whether or not he had any con scientious scruples against capital punishment for the crime of mur der. THE CASE BEGINS. The Commonwealth's case was opened by John G. Harman. He stepped before the jury, and in his characterestic, forceful way, and in a voice that was distinctly audible1 in every part of the room, ' he out lined the circumstances of the case. " On the 30th day of March last " he said "there was committed on the public road leading from Cen tralia to Aristes, a most heinous crime, a most atrocious one. In the morning of that day, between the hours often and twelve o'clock, James McAndrews, a citizen of this Commonwealth, was found along the roadside badly wounded. He was removed to his home, aud the next day taken to the Miners' Hospital at Fountain Spring, where he died four days later, five days after the commission of the crime. Shortly thereafter and with an energy and zeal that was commend' able, the District Attorney, Mr. Duy, set about to ferret out and un ravel the clues and apprehend the perpetrator. He went to Philadel phia and there secured a detective, and placed him upon the case. The evidence that has been gathered and which we will present for your con sideration, will connect Amandus Levan with the crime. We will show to you gentlemen of the jury that he was with McAndrew in Honbach's Hotel at Aristes, a short time before McAndrew was struck down. That he was there drinking with him, aud that he was aware and in fact saw McAndrews display some money, being his salary which he had received that morning for his work at the mines. We will prove that Levan left Honabach's ! hotel betore McAndrews, going in ' the direction that was a little later ' taken by McAndrews, aud we will , also prove that he was seen coming t from the place at which McAndrews was found, a short time after he had been struck down and from In Second Degree the injury there received he subse quently died. The Commonwealth will show, continued Mr. Harman, that Levan was without any money at the time and thai the next day he appeared at the hardware store of Harry Buck at Ashland where he purchased a $11.00 Smith & Wes son revolver, and tendered a $20 gold certificate in payment for it. Furthermore we will show that an iron bar picked up near the scene of the murder was the weapon with which McAndrews was struck. We ill produce evidence to show that it fitted exactly the wound on the dead man's head. These, ?aid Mr. Harman are the facts with which we will fasten the crime upon Levan. In conclusion, said Mr. Harman, and in fairness to the defendant believing as we do that robbery was his motive and that he was goaded on to the commission of the deed by the desire for gain, we do not ask for a verdict of murder in the first degree but rather for a verdict of murder in the second degree. the evidmnce. The following will cover pretty nearly all the evidence adduced. We will give the answers or many of them to the most important ques tions in such a manner as to enable the reader to infer what the inter rogation was. Dr. J. C. Biddle, called and sworn by the Commonwealth. "I am the Superintendent of the Miners' Hospital at Fountain Springs. James McAndrews was brought to the hospital on the 31st day of March ioo;v He was un conscious, and suffering from a de pressed comminuted iracture of the skuII. The wound was an inch in length and about a half inch in depth; the edges of it were sharp and well defined. I performed an operation. He died on the 4th of pril. Death was the result ot hemmorages of the brain, The District Attorney handed an iron bar or brake to the witness. He identified it as the iron that had been picked up near the scene of the murder by a young boy, and turned over to him. When asked whether or not he had compared the iron with the wound on Mc Andrevv's head, the Doctor answer ed "I did and it fitted the wound exactly." Continuing he said, " there was blood aud human hair upon it. I believe the blow was struck with this iustrument or one like it. It would be impossible to minct such a wound by falling on a stone, unless a man fell with con siderable force. On cross-examination the Doctor stated that such an injury might be inflicted if a man fell with sufficient force. "Iam not acquainted " said he " with the road or formation of ground where McAndrews was found. I was never there." Mrs. James McAndrews. "I re member the day my husband was brought home. It was on the 30th day or March, between 11 and 12 o'clock. His coat sleeve was torn and his pants pockets were turned inside out. There was no money in his pockets. He was taken to the hospital the next dav. I can't say when he died, I did not kuow, but I have become so nervous." She spoke in a clear voice, but there was sadness in it and her ap pearance bore evidence of the trouble she has had. Her children were very ill and it was to afford her an opportunity to return to them that she was called in the order that she was. James C. Brown. "I reside at Eloomsburg. Am a civil engineer. I made a map or plan of public road which shows Main Street lead ing through Montana, location of cross streets, hotels, blacksmith shop and branch of L. V. Railroad. It also shows some underbrush along the' road. I was assisted iu the work by Mr. Eyer who has been l.i my employ for several .years. J REPORT OF THE At the Close of business RESOURCES. U)ns ana Investments, . 5389,120.61 Furniture and Fixtures. 8,ooo.oj 79,660,43 Cash nnd Reserve, t47G.7Sl.04 A. Z. SCHOCH, President. Aristes is the name of the postoffice but the town is known as Montana. The brush along the road runs from 6, io, 12 to 15 feet. Yes sir, iu my opinion it is sufficiently dense to shield a man from view. Mrs. Lydia Minier, "I live at Aristes. Was on the road between Ccntralia and Aristes on morning of March 30th last. Saw McAndrew lying along the road. He was in bad condition. lli; pants pocket was inside out. It was about half past eleven, as near as I can re member. Stood there about 10 or 15 minutes, then went home. On my way home I met Art Houabach John Knittle and Ray Houabach. I told them about the injured man. They were going in the direction of where McAndrews laid." The matter of time had an im portant bearing upon the case, and the counsel for the defendant tried in cross examination to get at the exact time that the witness had met the boys along the road, and put several aculeated questions to her, which served to mix lur up consid erably and her answers were decid edly acrimonious and rather amus ing. Monroe Rape, "I reside at Aris tes. Am proprietor of a hotel. Was on road leading from Montana to Centralia on March 30th. Lewis Kostenbauder was with me. It was nearly 11 o'clock. Found a man lying beside the road. His head was toward Montana and his feet toward Centralia. I looked around and found the man's cap, a five cent piece and a key lying 111 the middle of the road, about twelve feet from where the man laid. There was some blood in the road. There was a fresh cut club lying near by. It was about eighteen inches long. Kostenbauder picked up the five cent piece, put them in the cap and placed the cap under the man's head. We then informed Squire Black. Wh :n we arrived at the hotel there were several men there, among them being Amandus Levan. There was nothing about the club to indicate that a blow had been struck with it. On crosj examination by Mr. Ikcler, the witness said, "The road at the place was very dusty. Kos tenbauder spoke to the man but re ceived no answer. I did not notice the condition of his pockets. There was a lot of stone there, some of them sharp pointed and some of them contaiued spots of blood. Cannot say how long Levan had bec-u in the hotel before we arrived." .The witness was about to kave the stand when Mr. Duy exclaimed "juJt a miutite " aud iu answer to a question the witness reiterated, that there were numerous stones where the man was lying, some sharp pointed and of good size. The witness had hardly finished when Mr. Ikeler picked up the point and asked "audit was there that the body was foiiud?" and witness ausweied " Yes sir." The testimony of Lewis Kosten bauder was substantially the same as that of Rape. He said he had tried to arouse Mc Andrews, that he had shook him and tried to get him to speak, but that he only moaned. On cross-examination he said that McAndrew's head, when found, was resting almost directly against a sharp pointed stone that was partly buried or embedded in the ground. The witness described another stone that laid near Mc Andrews moutn wnicn looicea as thiugh it had been blasted. "I did not notice the odor of liquor upjti him," "No sir" I" don't know whether Levan was around there or not, but to the best of my knowledge he was in Trexler's bottling works when Rape and I started for Centralia." CONDITION OF September 9th, 1003. LIABILITIES. Capital Stock, . S60.000.00 Surplus anj 1 rofits, (Net) 49 479 73 Circulation, .... 5)1,750.00 I)ue Hank, . 8,421.71 Individual Deposits, . 306,129.59 $476,781.04 WM. H. II I DL AY, Cashier. Are You a Hunter? If so you will he interested in Wells' Special Gun Sale All first class and reliable. We name a few specials, but tome nnd sec our bij linj Special Offering at special prices. Thc.ie are all gooj auic procurers if properly handled. SPECIAL CUN3. A double barrel qun with tin.; walnut stock, clean brirc, finely finished. Always lfi.oo, Special :.t 48.48 each. Thu a 12 guagu gun, a yre.it field piece. Here is a bemtiul 12 Rajje hammerless, double barrel, clean hire finely finished. Left barrel choked, rijdit barrel n odified. Always $28.00 We will sol! a fe.v at $22.00. Come and see it. HUNTINC COATS At money saving price. Don't expect these coals at these prices all season, but now. 1 he old favorite hunting coat that have always p-iid $2 00 for now .f 1.65. you The regular $1.25 hunting coat in this sale at 9S cents. t'ct!ff'nKs from $1.25 to 50 cents a pair. Hunting Vests and belts 53 c's to 25 cts. We claim this to be the finest as sortment of Hunter's Goods of all kinds, and at less prices than ever offered in Bloomsburg. COMK AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. FOR SALE BY J.G.Wells, General Hardware, Bloomsburg, Pa. As the witness made the last statement, Judge Herring eyed him sharply and without transferring his scrutiny said ; "You kuow Kosty that it is not true that Levan was there, don't you ? " The witness flushed up, and dis playing considerable uneasiness answered: "I didn't say it was true, I said to the best of my knowledge. Arthur Houabach" Live at Aristes with my lather. Was on road between Montana and Cen tralia, on morning of March 30. There were two others with me, Ray Honabach and John Knittle. We met Mrs. Minier aud one of her little girls. It was about quarter past eleven. Cross-examination " No sir, I have no definite way of fixing the time." Thos. E. Snyder " I am super intendent of the Colliery at Mid Valley. Yes sir, I knew James McAndrews. Prior to March 30 last, he was in my .employ. I paid him his salary last on eve of March 29th. The money was in one of the company's regular pay envelopes. I gave the envelope containing the money to McAndrews partuer, Patrick McGinley. The exact amount was $32.78." In answer to a question of District Attorney Duy's as to whether or not Aman dus Levan, the defendant had drawn any pay at that time the witness answered ; "no sir. Levan had drawn no pay from the Colliery for two months. He had been work ing, but his salary had been used up in the purchase of a guu, and by his lather who collected $9.00 every two weeks for his board." " Going back to the money given McAn- j drews on March 29th said District Attorney Duy, can you say what denominations the money was in?" " Yes sir, it was in one $20 gold certificate, one $10.00 bill, two silver dollars, three quarters, three cents. Patrick McGinley. "I was Mc Andrews partner in the mines. Work ed with him on night of March 29. I saw him last on morning of March 30, about seven o'clock. I gave him his pay envelope containing the money Continued on 8th page 1st Col. Getting aiiAious about your Fall Suit? Most men arc about now. Men don't buy until they're ready, and a vast number get ready all at once. We -will soon be very busy, of course, but we will never be too busy to wait on you. If you arc of a quiet dispo sition, and want to buy com fortably, come a little ahead of time. Come now. We are proud of oui hand some new 10, $12, $15 and 20 Suits. Smart as can be and care fully tailored inside and out. We can fit any man that has a right to expect a lit and some who haven't. gen Qidding, The Up-to-date Clothier, Cor ner Main and Center Sts. BLOOMSBURG, PA. Come in and sec us, "We'll treat you right. Prices Reduced Quality and Style not reduced. Shirt Waists Reduced. White Shirt Waist Suits, Graduated flounc es, waist trimmed with Hamburg insertion. Were 3.00 now 2 75 H E L E A D E R D E P A R T M E N T 5 T O R E O o O White Shirt Waist Suits, T1133.I skirt- trimmed with lace in sertion and tucks. Were 4.25 now 3.00 o O o White Striped Mad ras Suits, Gored skirt, shirred flounces, waist trimmed with lace and tucks. Were 5.00 now 4.75 Special Prices on All Shirt Waists and SHIRT WAIST SUITS. Prices Reduced Quality and Style not reduced. o White Lawn Skirts. Some with Tucked circular flounces, others with box plaits and tucks. From 3.00 to 2.00 OOO Shirt Waist Suits Madras, Lawns a n d Ginghams 2.00, 2.50, and 3.00. From 3.00, 3.50 and LOO o o Shirt Waists, Striped Madras and Lawns. Were 75c and 1.00, Xow 30 cents. Special Prices on all Summer Fabrics and SUMMER WASH GOODS. ;5 it': n ; 1 ; i 1 III If; : fi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers