Hide Article Text (OCR)
For the fatal shooting of his w!foMrs, Diily ThompMon Rodgers, at Oar-r«*ft*« Hun, last March, James Rodgersmust servo not less than 15 nor morethan 20 yours in the western penitentiary.Sentence was imposed upon the dofondant in open court Saturday morn ing by Judge J. N. Ismgham. of Indi-- 1ana, upon whose mercy Rodger* throw himself unexpectedly late Friday afternoon when his plea of notguilty to an indict meat charging murder wan changed to one of guilty. The jury was at once discharged from furthr r attendance.! The court fixed toe crime will*which Rodgers was charged at second degree.After the Commonwealth had rested*i*iin the Garrett's Run murder case Fri-V day afternoon at 3 o'clock a series of conferences betw* on counsel were held 1 and finally at 4:20 o'clock V. O Mor 1ris.Ksq. who represented the d *h mi-ant Jas, Itodgers, withdrew the plea of not guiity which had been entered at 1 the beginning of trial and entered a *plea of guilty. fJudge J N. Lagham tio n heard evl* * deuce to determine the degree of guilt 1Seven witnesses from Ford City.includ *ing Constable Roy Wolfe, Lotus Hirsch berg,Paul Shumaker and Newton Conn flt;iwere called. All testified that they hadseen Rodgers on the morning of March (14 and that he was In an Intoxicated 1condition. Paul Shumaker testified to takingRodgers to his home in Garrett's!1Run in an automobile. In entering the 1 car he said Rodgers bumped his head 1 against the top of the car and lost his IhatiIiiodgurs was called to the stand and swore that his mind was a complete *blank from 9 o'clock on the morning*®of March 14 until the next niornig *when he found himself in jail.He said r ho had been up all night, the night of * March 13, suffering from neuralgia, { that he had drank 10 or 12 glasses of *whiskey to*deaden the pain. He said ' that on the morning of March 14 he : slipped a half pint of liquor in his * pocket and went to Ford (’ity to take ca train to go to Pittsburg to see a den-int. Rodgers said he dropped into the roffice of Roy Wolfe about 9 o'clock 0 and after leaving had no recollection j8 of what had occurred until he woke 1up in jail the next ftiorning. A jail pris oner testified that when itodgers was 1placed in a cell he staggered fabout with hi.-* overcoat on. The n* xtmorning he asked Where in —am *I?” When told that he had been place* ( jail for shooting Ills wife Rodgers *made a vehement denial of the deed 11charged.C. O. Morris, Ksq, counsel foe the (1defendant, argued to the court thatthe degree of guilt could sot rise high- ' er than manslaughter. W, L. Peart. 1 K»q., for the Commonwealth contend- * ed that there were elements of first 1degree murder in the shooting. 1lt;
Newspaper Details
Kittanning Simpsons Daily Leader Times
Kittanning, Pennsylvania, US
Sat, Jun 30, 1923
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
DE, USA 13 Jan 2022
Other Publications Near Kittanning, Pennsylvania
Kittanning Daily Leader Times
Kittanning Leader Times
Kittanning Simpson Leader Times
Kittanning Simpsons Daily Leader
Kittanning Simpsons Daily Leader Times
