TRIPLE MIDER
BURGLARY and ARSON.
Trial of Gotleib Bohner and
Albeal Iron
FOR 11111 MURDER OF
John Peightal, Sarah Peightal, and
Scott Garner,
IN PENN TWP., HUNTINGDON CO., NOV. 17TH, IHGO
Verdict: "Murder in the First Degree."
Rohner, and Albert :Van
. :Borde - nbcitirg, ware arraigned for trial
on Friday morning tho 14th inst.
They plead not guilty. The following
aro the names of the jurymen empan
nelled : Na•han Greenland, John Mil
- Silas Gibbony,D.tvid Jkondurs3n,
Jatuea'•llorn_ino,M. 11. :5.40040 a cob
11.liett - , J. D. Appleby, David Jones,
Edward Couch, Ralph Crotzley,
-Lincoln.- The princes wore brought
- into Court - lit quarter of eleven on
Monday morning last. Mr. Speer,
raked tiir i other assistance to Mr. S. 'l'.
Brown, as he was unable on account
of hoarseness to act as counsel for de.
'fondants K. Allen Lovell, Esq , was
thereupon appointed. The Attorneys
for prosecution were Dist Attorney
:M. S: Lytle, and I'. M. Lytle and It.
;true° retriken.
'the case wm. opened by P. M. Ly
tier attorney for,Comutonwealth, , ,,who
titeted'the - Uistory oPt6 = initiderotilien
the hearing of,testimoy proceeded.
'Aftdreio Grose, a' Surveyor, - was
Culled and sworn, who had made the
!drafts, one of the farm and house, and
the killjoy of., th 4 interior of the house,.
itg tho fin"sitiod Of" the" Wait
4.liq,,wheroliscovered.,
loiter Teightal set in Penn
'township; fun second cousin of' John
Peightal. Ou the evening of the
of November I was at Pleasant:Grove
*Station; I left the station between 8
and 9 o'clock, and went up - the railroad
with Ilenj. Hoover; we
4iartod about 60 rods from the house,
the going up the railroad; and 1 went
-"towards the public road; on going
zthrough the field, about 30 or 40 rods
- from Peightal's house, I smelt some
-thin*,e' like smoke;_f saw a blaze inside
the window, ran to thu house,burst
:ed the door open, discovered three
fires in.the house, and ran back after
5Air....1100% ex; met _him about 40 rods
'from the house; we came back togetb
.cr.;illoover got two buckets; and we
got water from the creek, and put it
- .on the <load bodies; I smashed in the
window and oratened the fire 'on the
got-ittke, the _extinguished;
Danl. Beigifkil ::itha'ived,- also Henry
&eights!, Wel. Addison Leo,
Napoleoii:AleOiror; said Andrew F.
iGroveXieVe and rslaited 'to Pleas
mut Grove, and that's all I saw that
night:': I went back the 'next morn
ing with Grove and Hoover; there was
snow on the ground_ which fell on the
Pith; wo looked for ground-which
and found
them; we trucked them in the meadow
between thu house and railroad; I took
the boots;ttod shoes from the jail.
„liven me hy. Pouse, and" they fit the
cracks peel/44y; --;• , • -
(Yoss-esomitied.-L:C:illed Hoover be
'fore. I oVertookhirn;
,called heroin' I
went into the house,-but -got no an
, r awer, -saw the bodies . were burned;
gave Isaac Peightal boots who re
turned them to jail.
Benjamin Hoover.--Peter 'Peightal
and 1 started home from Pleasant
Grove Station together, until we got
within 89 - ;0r:._994, - ,rOdti Of. Peightal's
-crossing; Peter left me, and I went up
the ruitengdp heard soinbodY calling
sue, underkothl him 'to iay"'Fire;" left
and : went.;towards: John
Peightal's house; met Peter in the or
-chard; he said; ‘,'Whht.in' - .. - the world
does this mean; John Poightat's house
js afire;" rasked Vin.if—he saw any
'thing of the old folks; he said he didn't
know where they were; he had been
,atback window where they usually
44t; 'and hallooed to them but got no
answer; had;burstedlfront door open
and halooed, but got no answer there;
we came on then, and the first I dis
covered fire was when I got on the
fence; 15 rods from the house; I get
two buckets, and wo carried water:
inteithikiteherrpart nritil we Saw no
danger of them burning up; discovered
fire in back robin Where bed was, but
the door was-shut; Peter got a rail
and we knocked it in; had part of fire
-out when Henry Peightal came to as
-filit'us; we got fire out; Dun'l' Peigh•
tai was the .next, one who cattle; I told
hith fo'f6tElf-a'lailfeitP with' a' 'light,
which he did; when be came back we
had fire out; Addi Son Leo, .Napoleon
1102ver Andrew : . Grove camp
tbei ,
abniit.; this' 13(tuie tithe; Grove
ibroOilit a sheaf of oats which Was
'vent into - the house at the
kitchen and - by the light of the lan
.tern'and sheaf of -oats, we saw old
Mrs. Peightal lying about 3 feet from
Aiiedoor inside; .that's.ttil3.,"Only: body
.I.lawlhere; the-tittle was. there and
it appeared as if the family had been
At supper; there,was.a Are, near gre.
Adjiittrited'till 2 P. 111.
, ,Daniel about One
ballf. mite from scene of, murder;heard
atm/Mei at 9 O'Cloek; went to-Peigh
tare-rhouse,-,about'lo; went into kiwi'.
en,'and saw a'tablel.vbiell was spread;
saw dead bodies on floor; Jobe Peigh
tal laid with feet under, table, and his
head near eldinney;SeOtt Garner laid
From the other, en d 'of table near the
window; Mrs Peightal laid in front
of:door, about ten feet from the table;
011 were dead; -Tames Strong and Win.
States and two others carried bodies
to another room and laid thent out.
Grove—llciar4 of inni;dnr
i•I
o'CloCk went-to tionats, and
there found Peter Peightal, Benjamin
Hoover, Henry Peightal; Lee and Na
poledn,Hooveriarrived about the same
tamOr did;.l asked about the oondi
tion;of things Lin
- the - .house; think
'bodies t i the 'Were• lyitig
dead - in-11in kitchen; I tben,said,"Gen
tlemeb,,tbis is a murder - and I knew
who didli;" Lee and I'wentlto barn
And each got ashearof oats, )vhich_we
lit in:the cellar lirthnlinuse; and then
entered the kitchen; the first body I
saw was Mrs. Poiglital's lying about
3 feet in front of door, with , the Cloth.
ing burnt frona.ber lower extremities
o odmmething..resembliu,g.. a pillow
-,. arOnitel her head; I, took
it off - her and saw a 'ea' in 'E'er heAl
could: see - thleforni . ' of 'the -old gentle
man very distinct, the boy's not:quite
so distinqt;, the table was set; tho plate
whOro - the old .gentleinan sat, bad a po-
WM. LEWIS, HUGH LINDSAY, Publishers.
VOL, XXV.
tato on about half pared; the boy I
think had a potato pared and mashed
and had his coffoo poured out in the
saucer; Mrs Peightal had a cup full of
Coffee, hot having commenced eating;
I saw two men on morning of the 17th
about 7 o'clock; they stopped in our
store at Pleasant Grove; 1 saw them
leaving the store and going towards
3lcConnellstown; saw the same par
ties betwoen 11 and 12 o'clock passing
my place
.towards Peightal's house;
saw then neYt in prison; these are
certainly the men I saw.
Cross examined—Couldn't tell where
' they were when I saw, them first; I
was about, 100 feet from them when
they.otitered the store; I was not in
the store; when they left, the store
about 7 o'clock I was about 30 feet
from tbom;itrWas daylight; when they
came' brick , the Arne - day they Wore
walking on the railroad, and I Wris at
The'end •of Ilia' s;tore ; they didn't. step;
a good many. people du travel up and
down the road; I described the men
to Mr. Ward as he wished to tele
graph.
Samuel Liminsberger—W as at John
Peightnre house, and saw the; three
bodies; the wound in John Peighial's
body was in front of ear on the left
side, and was made by a bullet, which
did riot come out; Scott Garner' was
shot orr left - side of 'head and bullet
came ;out ,on the right side; Mrs.
Peightal was shot on the right side of
the neck; the bullet did not come out;
she was also wounded above her right
ear; it ivas knocked in and the skull
broken; they were all dead; all the
bodies were covered 7.'1L11 hed•clotbing
which had been set on tire; Mr. Peigh.
tal-was herlied on right leg up to his
head; think -right arm was - burned;
Mrs. Pcightal was burned on left side
and all over her lower body up to her
waist and tier - arms Scott Garner bad
one leg burned, hie left side partially ;
I found the tracks;-they ,eft the rail
road_, went through the meadow •.to
the cornerof the barn; they were the
trackii of two men side of each other;
they 'walked round the barn ; and went
to' the house along the lane, ono behind
the other, up to within 4 rode of the
liotise, where tracks were tratuPed.
Cross-examined.—Tracks were not
tramped at the barn; lane was not
tramped so much that we Couldn't see
them ; looked for them about daylight
on the morning of the 18th; barn is
about 100 . yards front the house; trucks
wore ,11 . 6zeif •hild *were, clear 'mid
,
Williont States. —Heard of murder
and got to house about 12 o'clocic same
night; saw all the bodies; formed a
jury and e x amined them about eleven
o'clock ; probed the wound in Mrs.
Peightal's head with a knitting needle,
which went in about four or five inch
es; a powder wound was right around
where Mr. and Mrs. Peiohtal were
shot; the bullet went into window tio
hind win.re Scott Garner had been sit
ting. William Strong and I washed
the bodies.
H Conrad.—Was at; house
next morning; made a short examina
tion of wounds; in my opinion death
of John Peightal was caused by; that
wound.
Cross•e.rantincd.—A wound of that
kind would CAUSt) almost instant death;
wound in Ntrs. Peightal's neck was
not necessarily a fatal wound ; wound
on bead looked as if it bad bean made
with the butt of a pistol ; the boy's
wound was fatal.
Dr. R B Mistling.—Have beard
testimony of Liminsberger, Dr. Con
rad and States, and think the wounds
described by them were •suflielent., to
cause'ieath upon,all
VOA slit,
house about 11 o'clock; Watit flitff
rootn - mijoining kitchen to get arc . - axe, '
but no axe-there; the bed co-t:oring
acid r bidding littd . beeti' taken off; the
bureau was broken open, the-entail
drawer was pulled entirely out, and
the lock-,oir the lower dyawcA l trekett
off; foundliatchet in front of, bureau
with handlo broken . off, Lind` the axe
also; the chest had been broken open;
welonlid u ; small pocket-Wok - in in
which was six dollars;'two gold dol
lars in chest, and ten diites-'lo.llyer:- .
Moses Hiliner.—Wzii4l'.. - .l3,ari - §e' the
morning after the murder - ; t ivas" in room
where the bureau was; I found the
axe standing behind the bures - uTfeund
a gold dollar on the floor ,
,itOt'ettrof
bureau, which was broken optic:
E . " E. Loca=Live itt 11011idays.
burg am in the hardware business;
raw_ the prisoners at my store the 21st
of October, who wanted to • purchasti
pistols; my clerk, Wm. Mitchell, show
ed them different kinds of pistols, and
while they were looking at , them I
left to - go to supper; I missed - CA-0 sin
gle-barreled pistols whew' came buck;
they_ were breech loaders,-_of
manufacture ;I keep cartridges same
as those used for Allen's pistols, made
by bunter: -
Croes4 , xizmizied keep.'accounti§ of
my cash eitleii'MiclCilay pistols cost
8-1-:oo.etich, „ . , .
at: house
next morning,and. found, a cartridge
on kitChthi &Mr; - lying about 3 - or 4
feet-from Mr. Deightal ; (cartridge
correspeinht - with some afterwards, ta
ken from prisoners.)
Ilr.'Kes,s:/er-T reside in Altoona ;;
am a druggist, 'am acquainted, with
Gotleib Bobtior, lie called himself
Charley Moore; he bought medicine
from me, and a few ; days before he
was arrested be said' tviii'going • to
New York to get $BOO. ;
Cross-examined — lle got medicine
from me more than once; he Was cre
dited, but Inever got ally monnY;
depended on his statements about pot
ting money; don't recollect ever see :
ing -Bordettbourg. f
' Amelia Foust—,Lire in, Altoona; have
seen prisoners pretty often ; have
known CharleY about, four months;
'saw him pretty rid!lr'every other even
- -
ho told me ho was to get money
from Germany, don't know Itow much;
he told me the first Monday after pay
day, the 10th; we*woro to be married
in a week from the next day, going to
housekeeping. and property was to be
paid for by tine money from Germany.
Mrs Filer—Live in Altoona ; prison•
ers boarded at my house; they left on
the 13th of October and came back
on the 20th of October; they went
away again on Monday before Thanks
egiving between 6 and 7 o'clock ; Char
fey told me I needn't -leave the door
°poll as they wouldn't be back that
night.
:David Stinson-B.lw the. prisoners
about •three-quarters of a 'mile from
Peightars house on the lfith of Nov
ember about 11 or 12-o_'clock ; 1 was
.
working on the road, with Abraham
Collor, James Farley, Adam Snyder
land two others; some one of the Men
talked to them ; these are the very
men.
Cross-examined—This happened on
the day before Thanksgiving ; nobody
with them; heard of murder the next
morning.
Abraham Coller—Corroborates Stin
sOn's testimony; am positive these arc
; the men.
ICross examined- I saw Charley along
the railroad three or feur times about
two weeks before the murder was
I committed; had no acquniutanee with
him ; Alber t made an attempt to get
I on g coal train, but failed.
James Forky—Corroborates Coller's
; statement.; I asked one of them where
they were going; he said, to Dudley ;
am positive these are the mon.
Washington Lang—ltesido in Me-
Connellstowd; keep a public house;
saw these two men at my house on
the forenoon of the 17th of November,
and 2 or three weeks before that ; the
first time they were inquiring fbr work
of Mr. Smith; the second time they
came early in the morning, got some
cider, arid before they left got a pint
bottle filled with brandy, and took it
with them ; they loft about 10 o'clock.
Cross. eXa ined—Mr. Smith employs
men to work, and the first time he
promised to give thorn a job; they
talked as if they had 1 eon working at
Broad Top.
John Sweeny-Lire near McConnells
town, within 30 feet of the railroad;
saw these men at station on the nior.
'ling of' the 17th between the - hours of
9'and I 0 o'clock ; Albert asked me
whatlime the coal train went to Dad
ley ; am positive these are the meat. •
Mrs. Margaret Sweeny—l a m the
wire of John Sweeny ; these men stop
ped in our house, and staid about an
hour; my son talked to them; eta sure
these are the inert.
James Ward—Heird of murder on
the night of 1.7 t h; went to the house I
and was there two hours or over; I
started to Huntingdon between one
and two; got here between 3 and 4;
went to telegraph office, and was told
that the 11 o'clock train east was at
Lancaster.; went to ~Car Inspector's
,ofteri, and while, there the . telegraph
operator said that a man had told him
he had seen the two men I was after
got on the Cincinnati train west; 1
went to telegraph office and despatch
ed to Altoona to have.i hem arrested ;
I remaiacd • there until train arrived
at Alto6mt, when 1 got a dispatch
that two men had been arrested ; I got
the description of men from Mr. Grove
and gave it to the operator as near as
I could.
John Swirell—lleside in Hunting.
don; am a car inspector ; was at sta
tion;orOhe'morning,of the 18tq
Ward met rue; inspeeted the 3,32
train, and Raw . LIVO mon get on the
front' platformand rush through the
,car in a great, harry; I told Mr. Ward
.rsaiv- two men get on that train, and
advised him to celegraph to Altoona.
:Gross exa mined . 1 .1.1.10 y, , grit in at , the
south side; I was within 30 feet of
them ; I didn't know either of them
and couldn't identify them.
JesselDecker—Live in Huntingdon ;
on that,trigitt was at Jacob's saloon
about 12 o'clock ; saw these men there;
they carne in about 10 o'clock; Char
ley-61d me ho had been at 'Stapleton,
and were going to Tyrone; they were
in the oyster rumn.when I left between
12 andl'O'clOek; they bad a bundle
with them.
Cross-examined-Got acquainted with
Charley at Letterman's, lust spring;
he was then, working on the canal.
• A. A. Jacobs—l keep the" saloon spo
ken of by Mr. Decker; think. these
were the men who came into saloon
about 10 o'clock ; they drank ale, and
tmoked cigars and ate oysters
down between 12 and 1 and didn't see
them after that.
Cross.examined Charley told me
they came from Philadelphia and were
going to Louisville ; they paid me
with a tive.dallar greenback.
James Buchanan— Wao brakeman
on the passenger train that night ;
1
collected the fare from them; they
told me they didn't have tickets; one
gave, two dollars, and other, one,
reed-balf ;'I thirik these are the' mon";
there were only two got on here.
Mathew McAteer—Am a railroad
conductor, and passed this placo on
the morning of the 18th November, at
3,33: two men got on here and went
to Altoona : when they got off they
were_arrested pointed them out to
Mr. Cramer, - depot 'Master, - he 'pointed
them out to Mr. Clarke ; 1 made
change for two hues from Huntingdon
to Altoona,
John M. Clarhe —Reside in Altoona;
am railroad police officer; on the
morning of the 18th 1 arrested , these
two mon; Mr. Cramer came to my
house, between 8 and 4 o!efock, and
told rho' fie' had - s dispatch to arrest
two mon who had committed s mur
der near Huntingdon; was near by
when the train arrived; McAteer said
there:ex:344llmo men : who f gi3t an:at
Hitntifilyion) - Bohner Witi - walking
HUNTINGDON, PA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1870.
-PERSEVERE.-
away as fast as he Could, and I told
him to stop; Mr. Cramer took charge
of Bodenburg, and I took char • e o f
Charley; we took them to the lamp
house, and from t herd we took them
to the lock-up; ltordenburg asked me
what this meant; I teld hill' we had a
dispatch from Huntingdon to arrest
him; he ha ha-cd; 1 put them in sepa
rate cells, but before I put them in I
took their bundles from them, which
each one had; made a fire on and went
to telegraph office to telegraph to
Huntingdon, lint found, Cramer had
already telegraphed; wo received a
dispatch that a' man would he up on
the next train to identify them;l went
back to lock-up, and Charley said he
had been in Tyrone the day before;
about 8 O'clock a boy told me one of
them had got Under the lock-up; went
there and saw the mayor and many
others; we tore up the'" floor, sent. a
boy down, but he could see nothing;
Mr: Peck went down with a lamp and
he could see nothhig; he had gone
back to his cell; we then searched
them and fotind-a knife,a pocket•book
Colltaining $llO iii cnrVeney, and some
other things on' Bodenburg; he had a
box with cartridges in it; we found
,a
paper of cartridge in Charley's 'pos
session. '
TUEsDAY
Grinner.—Reside in Altoona;
witness corroborates Clark's testimo
ny nboitt, arresting 'prisoners and 'tele
graphing io Huntingdon; Bodenburg,
when arrested, had a black moustache
and a good black overcoat; the other
man %vas pretty roughlfdrcsied.'
Hon' Geo Potts.—Ant.' mayor of ' Al
tootle; arrived at lockup about. S'o'clk;
Clark told me he had pot in two pris
oners for the murder ofa whole fami
h; found Mr. Witmor at ' the door of
the lock up and I went in; one prison
er had got under the floor; Charley
was sitting in his cell; saw the bundles
and put them away; after Borderburg
had got back to his cell, we examined
both prisoners, and logic everything
from them; witness was shown the ra
zor, pants, shawls and other articles
which be identified as having been ta
ken from them; wo went to the cars,
and the bundle containing the l lack
pantaloons Charley said, was h.s, and
the ono containing shawl Bordunburg
said was his; all the money we found
in the bundles we put in,bank.
Cross:examinal—Toid Mr.. 11'1111 m
son to have the train Maine(' until
we would know who the bundles be
longed to; Charley ackhowledged the
bundle to he hih that contained the
mon eyra
_th e .._ Q th ey fordeaburg
said was his.
rthar Storm—Am a poli ce man in
Altoona; heard pf arrest on the 18th
of November; I saw them first in the
lock-up; Charley was in the cell, and
the other man Was under it; I-helped
Mr. Willitimon to Open the bundles;
(he identified the articles;) I marked
"A. S," on the pants; I carried the
bundle containing pants to the cars,
and Charley reached for it; there were
in the pants a bag containing $59,50,
$22 in halves and quarters, a 5 kane
piece and '4B cents in coin; it was ,tied
up in bunches; didn't find any money
in bundle No -2; in bundle No. 1, was
a cape, light colored shawl, and other
articles; in No. 2 .was a plaid shawl,
tied in a rod handkerchief;, Mr. reigh
tal got the money %%bleb was counted
iu the mayor's office; total amount in
coin $260 48, delivered to hint.
o.os-examined—Don't know how
much paper money; beard it wassloo;
Clark and Witmor brought prisoners
to nuntingdon;all was American coin,
except a Mexican dollar.
Isaac Pech—Livo in Altoona; saw
prisoners between S and 9 at . loci.-up,
they were hunting one; I got a digging
iron,"broke up the floor, got down,
but didn't see him; saw him after; ho
came out; ho had Mtn in "ugly mud"
that smolt pretty bad; I found, $40.50
in gold, in lock-up,between tbe ceiling
under the floor, shoved down a crack;
also found 835,50 in halves, $2O in
quarters, I Mexican dollar, ,840 in
. gokl
and 75 cents; gave it to Mr. Storm,
wlio, took it to bank; it
,was included
in total amount; found a broken razor
below in the vaults, where a bolo was
made; it had dirt, on it. ,
'- Cross-examined—l found no timey
on prisoners; foUnd mine in lock up at
terwards; didn't see the man digging
under the floor. •
Jacob ff. Witmor—Live in. Altoona;
am apOlicoman . ; on the morning ,of
18th I went ; to Mayor's office; ho told
Me ho had two fellows in the lot* up;
and not to let them out; Clharley had
cut six different places in his cell; I
asked him for his implements, and
took from him a_pocket,knife; went,to
t 136 ' other coil and no] one
there, there ‘ras a hole in bunk; look
ea down privy hole hut ,sane nothing
there ; I thought weapons , were under
there, and wont down and found A , ra•
zor with the name of "Peightal" on it;
1. throw the easo away on account of
filth kept razor in my .desk until
yesterday.
008 s-examined—l saw name on it'
the same day 1 found it; that's all I
found under the floor', .Clark and. I
camo hero with them; hpd: to take
thorn to jail on double.quick ; they
were handcuffed, and I had 13ohner.
Chaplin—Resido in Hunting :
don ; am a barber;, was acquainted
with John Peightal; sharpened. razors
for him ; (showo razor and case, an d
stated that be had seen thorn , before;),
I put, his name on the razor; it Wong.
ad to Jehtt.Poightal.
Cross examined-1 beliovo_John was
the last of the family I marked razor
for; that is:My writing nu.it.
Isaac Peightal—Live in IPenn twp.;
am a brother to John Teightal; this
was his razor when ho lived with me;
I read that name, and , know • it was
put on somewhere; ho took razor with
him when he left my,houSO-, ; _.-
Cfo4.eXantined-LPon't. think I saw
'= • _
„
M` • 7 ;ti
'ett.
' • <4
the razor after ho left my house; it be
longed to John ; it was the only razor
about the house that was marked,thnt
recollect. '
Kennedy .11. King—l went to jail on
the morning of the 18th ; I asked the
officers whether they bad been search
ed; he said they had, but they had no
fire-arms; wo searched them again;
the largo man (Bohner) pulled off his
boot, and I saw him take a paper in
his hand which contained money ; I
took it from him ; it was $122,00 in
greenbacks, and currency; I banded
money to : Sheriff, who took possession
of it; they 'bad searched the small
maff, but I noticed ho couldn't speak
plain ; he inid ho had' tobaCco in his
mouth; when I reached up to take
him by the neck, ho spit $27,50 in,g(ild
iu my hand ; one $2O gold piece, a $5,
and $23.
Cross•eaamincd—l went to jail with
crowd which was excited; threats
were made by the crowd ; prisoners
made statements to Y. M. Lytle and
H. McDivitt about fifteen Initiates af•
ter they were searched; 1 saw what I
'supposed was Wood on a vest, which
appeared us had been washed, and
on a pair of pante.
Richard Laiagdon—l was at the jail
on the morning of the 18th; I told the
little ono to examine himself; found
nothing on him; examined the other
and found $192,00 in his stocking; I
then tent to little one; told him to
speak. plain ; he said ho bad tobacco
in his mouth; I tapped his cheek and
as he was in the act of swallowing I
caught him back of the [leek and he
delivered out of his mouth $27,50 in
gold.
Cross examined—Don't think I saw
any blood on their clothing.
&imucl Paightal—Live about 3 miles
from John, who was my brother; he
had been living there about 14 or 15
years; ho went there shortly after
marrying Miss Sarah McCall; I was
in Alttionat a short time after arrest,
and got all thelclothing; they were put
up in two bundles; black shawl, cape
and pants in one, with white handker
chief around it; a ,plaid shawl in the
other and red hankerchief around it;
have had the two bundles in 'my pox
session ever since; the initials of "S.
Mc" her maiden name, worked oil the
handkerchief with red thread, I would
suppose Were hers; Mr. Peightal was
65 years 'old.
Cross examined—The initials on the
handkerchief I never saw before.
two
and
Garner—liwo about two
and a halffrOM - Mr. Peightal; Scott
was my son, and had been there three
summers; his flatter died 5 years ago,
in Salisbury Prison ;"1 sewed for John
Peightal, and made these pants for
Scott, and took them to him on Mon
day evening belbre the murder; Scott
was 10—years; .1 month and 10 'days
old.
Cross-examined—There wero no per
sons in the house on tho night of the
murder but the two persons and S cott
Garner;llr. Peightal butchered on the
Tuesday before murder.
Re direct—air.'Peightal was out at
the barn on Tuesday, morning arid
found two men on the loft.
11i8s Margaret McCall: Mrs. Poigh•
tal was my aunt; I visited her and Br
ed there last winter ; I saw hor hav
ing a shawl just like this; I believe all
these articles to have been hers.
James McCall : I reside in Hender
son township; Mrs. Peightal was my
sister ; this is a shawl that was bought
by my father for her forty years ago;
the calk: is one she wore in her young
days; she was in the habit of putting
"S. Mc" on her handkerchiefs and this
corresponds with her other• handker
chiefs.
,Sheriff Neely: 1 met the oflicers at
the cars, and we took tit,: prisoners to
jail; there were some threats made by
the crowd ;in jail we searched them;
Mr. Langdon and Kennedy King made
Albert spit out $22,50; examined their
clothes; wouldn't say there was blood
on them ; the measure of tracks bro't
in exactly measured boots .and shoes;
witness then gave .up the $122,60,
found in Charley's stocking, and $6 in
gold which had been found in his vest;
I got on Saturday night last two ease,
knives sharpened to a point, and scab
bards, in their possession, andiarewell
letter ; got one knife inside oteharley's
pants, and the other in the bed behind
where Albert had been sitting.
Cross Examined --- I deposited the
money in bank, and got it this. morn
ing; Mr. house and Weaver wore with
me when I. got the knives; I furnish
mailable iron
,knives to prisoners,these
are cast steel; there is no convenient
sharpening place in jail, ,and they
were not sharpened there; never saw
such knives about thorn • before, and
none Were furnished them by me. Mr.
Lung, the guard, got them thread to
mend their clothes, as they said; the
leather for.the scabbards came off their
boots; they said they got them in a
cavity under.the window, where some
former. prisoners, put things, but I
cleaned it all out in the spring when I
moved in..
went out to the
house with ethers the morning after
the murder was committed; • -found
tracks.of two men in ,the meadow, go
ing up towards the barn, and then go
ing towards the railroad; Addison Loo,
Moses Ilarner,and James Boring help
ed to measure them; the latter meas
ured
,with a rule and I took them
down; measured tracks coming
down • from, the house; the left foot
measured thus : length of heel, 3 inch
es, width of heel,,ll inches, length of
foot, IA inches, Width o'rShnok 2} in.,
widest.part of foot •FincheSs; the sum).
ler•traek, thus . : right'fbot: length •11.1
inches;, hoe! , 3 inches 'square, shank .2,
inches, broadest part 31 inches; snow
fell the , day before and tracks •wero
easily recognized; came, to, jail •the
day they were arrested; but the boots
and shoo were off before I went in•
TERMS, ,, $2,00 a' year in advance.
lhought,the shoes' corresponded With
the tracks; the house.is situateth.in
Penn township, Huntingdon county.
Prof. Louis J. Veilh.—This witness
stated that the two letters taken front
the prisoners on Saturday and given
him were a correct translation from
the German. The tollowing,are copies
Of the letters, which were read
linstvtsiunoN, Dec. 25th 1869.—An open
Idler bathe fitroters (rough people in Geentani
and blood hounds of Huntingdon.
In strength of my office and in the name of
the devil I take the pen in order to announce
not my death but yours on this Chr:stnuy.
Rascals that your are, you wanted to kill us
nta we *didn't do the crime. We were four of
-us - -the two wlio dune the crime made their
escape. By:that reason I came to the conch,-
,sion to save my life, for the merciless fate did
threaten* me with death.' We 'resolved it
was better for one roan to die than two. We
, were to be gone long ago, but we. had not yet
weapons. But for . that purpose we , received
' them, for the proverb says, -“Patiene, reason
and time, (that will be three noble things) a
man that is able to wait can make every
thing possible." Who the min was that done
the crime you needn't know, you can ask
himself. Fur that purpose I gave up my be
lief that I knew it—there is no Gud in
heaven. The hog-shepherd sitting in the
court knows it. Lytle—or whatever hIS bad
name may ,be—he wanted to bring me some
snuff, the damned blood hound. Ile will re
ceive not tobacco but a pistol shot to go to
hell. Yes, you German, you said that !yen
were ashamed—you Shall not shame yoursel
ves much longer, you it ill receive in the same
Mao a ball of death.' Who these are I kedp
it for myself. You were right in telling in
the newspapers. I have laughed heartily over
that crime, as I shall kill you-like mad dogs.
Now we deserve death. It you want to fol
low us you can do,it, then our balls will kill
you. If you believe on a God you can pray
once before you meet us fur our balls will
bore-your breast. You must not believe you
are going to capture us again so, quickly like
Altoona. We were not prepared fur that, but
now we can see how it stands -everybody we
will cross wilt bo knocked down. 0, with
what pleasure. we will receive them who aro
coming after us. It makes no difference
whether brother or friend, you are nil lust in
death, for we have money and good weapons
already this very day. Yes,' ne am going iii
company and woe to you people of Hunting
don. Your town shelf be laid in ashes and
wheerer.will resist shall be shot down. I
repent again you should riot raw us and if
you will do it I shall make a trial with .you
then. I have get a good eye which never
misses the right conjure. I need only one
finger of my right hand and you s—ta
and bandits must leave the world and go to
That all this will Happen I testify it
'here with my signature.
Gouviticui,
Front devil, from hell, from death and de
btruction. Y. M. and B.
11UNTI:saIDON, J:111, Ist. 1810
ran laskigiN' - ircat•l‘r nest taw-which
after centuries till the close of the world will
he remembered of me. You wanted the his
tory of my life so I want to giro it to you
with 'the pen this time and the next time
with the ball. I get Mona , better with the
bull then w ith the pen. We could have left
Altoona but was too light. I wanted to get
into prison and then to get nut of it; that
makes the law book full. The watchmen in
Altoona (the rascals) Lave stolen all the
money and we sboutd suffer for it; so is it;
the small ones got hanged and the big- ones
get free. ,Those - bloodhounds of watchmen in
Altoona; they shall die the "first day. I wish
they could enjoy that stolen money. - I will
enjoy too, to use my now weapons for them.
They shouldn't fall by a murderer's hand,
but by -the hand all noble one." Yes I do it
with my hand. Others are doing it with the
mouth and the heart; that I call murder. I
want to 'explain to you everything right, for
you are all made of a bad stuff. I do not
wonder you are going to the church and
sleeping with a wife that keeps you in the
dullness till you die like a dog. But we, we
are made of gold and jewels. Hurrah, hut,
rah, hurrah! in the name of the devil and
his servants may live. You damned cattle !
You believe on God, you want to go to heav
en. You can go in your
The ministers of the gospel canto to see us
too. I sent them off right away. I told them
that I ran all these things off with My shoes..
All the ministers of the gospel should be
hanged, only it is a pity for the ropes but
one I will not condemn, that is Mr. Steckel.
lie speaks German and is a man who I like.
I'll get shut of hint otherwise-I'll get tiled
or sleepy: I'll change my mind with the
world and to-day; on the now year, I'll count
how much lead : and shot I need in the next
twenty years, especially for the dogs who are
sitting in the Court and who are made of the
same bad stuff—and such dogs want to take
our lives. Every human being has that right,
but they Must not catch themselves. Yes,
you would have laughed if you would have
seen us hanging on the rope. * • * *
The thick Brown and that dig which has ta
ken my money in the jail—prepare yoursebt:eis
fur death; come like a thief in the tiight
and demand your lives. •
![ere follows eighteen verses of jargon,pro
fanity and threats alike senseless and uniu :
telligable, and the writing cloSes as follows :
This night you will all become angry 'on
account of me for 1 'will slay • theshepherd
.
and the sheep will scatter:
Behold, hero a pen ;nark brings the death,
death, death.
I make•three crosses for inv name is froni
a Cross. Frain 'MAN '
Chart adjourned until 2P. M. _
Limiasberger—l was with. P.
Peighial when measuring the tracks
and 'comparing the boots and shoes
with them; they went through the
meadow to the barn together; one foil
lowed 'the other up the' lane; could
trace. them to a wood pile near the
house, where the snow was tramped
umthe boots and sloes fit the-tracks;
1 saw the same tracks up, to a tittle
cave about three-quarters of a mile
from the house. saw tile prisoners tile're
between 3 fulfil o'clock the - same day
of the murder; traced trackfl froth there
to house, and from there back to rail
road) the same persons made theta;
they were sitting , by the fire .at-•the
cave. •
Cross:examined—f, first saw ,boots
and shoes the nest day aftertheY \Vero
brought here; went ups with" Peter
Peightal; snow had 'thawed a little;
mensured•traelcs;'l'saw them at the
cave the day the inurdessas nomina
ted; I,re•measured.the tracks the same
evening after their arrest, by the light
of a lantern. Witness_ examined the
boots on Bohner, and stated that they
like'the Coots; the boots, fit the
largest track.
Margaret McCall--I saw inonby
Mr, Peightal's house about a year ago;
my aubt'sliblVdd:it. to nie;.it was in a
muslin poke, which she took from a
bureau drawer, in • ,ii far. corper of a
moth; it, stood in the sank =place the
day of the murder.
Cross-examined—Aunt' claimed'
mon
ey as hers; nothing said about any oth
er monev•at that, ttrine.:'. .•
Thonta - s Westbrook i = Live in Poets
town;-adjoining -- Hunting,don . ; • Oirthe
morning of nth of Novembar Lwas at
the statiidi. about 20' mi‘tittteti:,b'efitre
arrival of the Cincinnati train ;:Char
ley asked me how soon the train woul.:
be hero; rtolif him in a lOW minutes;
they came - together and gilt " on ' the
'train: ani ndsitive Charley iallidthan;
no other passengers got, on., '; ,)
cross examined : NeVer saw hint:be
fore; they both sat in the office wait•
ing the train. (While this witness Was
telling that it was cold that night, and
he himself had a soldier's overcoat on,
Charley, who was beloW -,
hint iii 'the
bitr, - said, "1 hadn't an overcoat on,"
thus convincing the jury beyond a
doubt that he. was the one who, was r at
the station)
Mrs. Sai•eih Gable : LiVO in Altoona;
um acquainted with these men ;'they
called at my brinso; 1 washed. ler Al
bert; three or four weeks before, they
tom me they • were going' to Harris
burg ; they said they Wouid . bring me
a present and pay my rent; 1 ,never
saw them after they came back; Al
bert told me they were getting a for
tune of $6OOO from Germany.
Cross cramineg : Albert had a letter
'written in German ; some relative in
Germany _was to give hint the 'money;
Albert alwayskohaved himself wek,iit
my house. , . -
Francis B.
_Brallace.—Ant , a•r:Store•
keeper in Huntingdon,;(witners, was
showy) a bill which
,was found One
of the prisorors)'T sold gdmV ,
te "John
Peightal for the use orJoseph Kyle;
sold him -Kentucky Jean amounting. to
$8,75, four, or five years.ogo. „
Cross-examined The bill Wastiot in
' my handwriting; - Joseph Kyle died
about 8 years ago. •
P: M. Lytle, Esq. : Saw 'l.lte'l prison
fil at on the• day , they. were , •arrest
cd; saw them tvhen brought; off train
and rent in jail ,with the Sheriff in ad
vance of the party; twits actingias a
private citizen ; the •Gernme , popola
lion were excited,: the prlSOliers wattle
voluntary statements to Me ;•"'I cau
tioned them'net to tell anything'
'would criminate themselvete.
[Counsel for defendants, objected ;to
omitting confessions:qf ,p,risoneri„os
evidence, as there tippeared to
ti initiation; Mr. Lytle stated ho was re
quested to come back by Charley at - a
subsequent day, whew theiCourt ruled
that the confession made then would
be admitted as evidence, and-Mr. Ly
tlo;proceeded Bohner stated: to lroo
that he andliddenburghad,come•from
Altoona and ; arrived kore at half-post
4 o'clock; they' walked: Co l'eighttil'o
that Monday night, aneslePt iii thk
barn; inquired fur work' of'Mrc Ptiigb/
tai on Tuesday; that.heinid polite oat
towards the, railroad and ha(l,•,sho r tyrr
them the Wny; they staid in the neigh
borhood that day inquiring. for ivierli y ,
and slept that night in a' bare' fartker
down the road; went to , McConnelisL
town on , Wednesday forenoon,,,-staid
there sometime, and • started .back to.
wards Pleasant Grdvo, - and - walketi—
slowly ;so as to avoid - getting ft> Peigh
tars too soon; at about seven o'clock
they started from 'railiond, 'Wake()
through the-field to O corner of 'blitil
yard;that they had two.single-barreled
pistols that, had been ; purchased. io
Hollidaysburg, and that hokPoiropr)
loaned 13ordenburg his pistol, and lie
staid "at the corner of 'the 'bardYard
while llordenburg did thwkilllitg;• sta . -
ted that he heard„threo„shots,
that when Hordenburg,caute put„lie
handed him one poke of money :citta
kept the other; ho ;seated that Ito,tdnu;
burg told him he had killed i three;knd
I think he said that he had. fired:the
house; they then left and came along
the railroad to.nuntingdon; he has re,.
peated the sante statement to me since;
Bordenburg's statement corroborlifes
Bohner's, except - that he says Uohnor
did the killing and he watched; they;
also stated that they. had been there
two or three weeks before. ". :• '-' •'•
Cross-examined The. statements
were made separately;4. don't 'know,
whether they learned I was a, mouther ;
of the bar; I asked Charley where the
balance of the money was; I was
employed by Mr. Peightal to - recover
it; neither of them acknowledged that
be had done the killing. ,
R-111. Speer, Esq - 7 j - saW ' Charley ,
throe years ago to-morrow, Jan:l7th;
when I: defended himmt•this
was indicted for lareeny. r•:•..
Cr oss•exa mined—l met, him'in,
and said; 'Gotlieb, this i 8 .1.1. 610. RI/Ipfri%
he said, I 'could get • him o f itt 'or
said, "No; this is not' killirig:abrilE"•'
NO. 28,
Commonwealth here' res - 634.1
Al. There being no witneeseepmejde , oft
defence, and no argument-submitted
on either. side, Judge. Tayloryprocee'd.
ad to deliver• the charge, }which _occu
pied an hour, ,
The Jury retired at the ; conclusion. :
of the charge, and returned._ in,
fifteen minutes with :tlll3" i fol)9Vritk
verdict: "Guilty of niurdei4n'the 'fitiAt
degree:" _Bohner lieard,ithe, "verciikt- ,
with as much unconcern as hu,hassbeed, ,
noted for since his arrest,
ticnbur n'OpCareirdepreised in
hung• his head deitin,':infi• I tearif Were'
noticed to trickle , "doin 'Ohbotr l ' MO
ho was,tulfen to the jail; u 7„,
On Friday morning at .90:1'njoek, ,tllo:•pria;i
oners, Bohner and Bordenbourg, Jr.er) bro't ,
into Court 'to Teceive their 'scinferice;"` '
prisonersrwere Odd: to stand iitrarrijAttaked'
if they had anything to.say.vr hy,the sonlenee
shotild not be "pronnuneed. Borilenhchire re:
plied that ha-rvas(not,kuilty ; tha't'- lie' didn't
know anything ntAokilling-ofttio family or •
!Aiming of the lons() until he eit to . Altoinia,
The Judge , than' - konouneed "the senfdtici; •
k. that, they be hanged.ll. tho.nedk until' dead,
in the ,jail yard.
119;,Pienics' in 'a town iti •'3.lakyirtua v ".
are4Ound tth by thiYghls standing
a long: row, whila- the- .ydung . •
alook the line and kiss.thera
night." Wish we,
. .„
sae-Whitt should u y m
oung un'es,
ry with him "Wlien% eitliiiig"'uptiri his
pfliationd?---AffeutiOn in his heart,
fection,in his , manbers, cioufecticin
cry in his pockets.
ITER.,:A. while boy met a colored , lfkl
the, other day, and asked .him, :what Ito
had such a short nose for. '4,spectn-•
A so t won't poke itself in other people'
business."
a
THE VELIDIC'f, ,• 5 •
INM
SENTENCED.- ,',