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THEMY8TEBY DEEPENST*In thi CfitobrtM Cmnk Murfcr TrW.Court opened K 10:11 ob ths morning of DmubW 8 In the trial of Dan. ft. Holcomb. Judge Gridisy died the** swd 4Bib Michigan report* sad “Greenieaf cm Eridroro ta making his ruling on the question of admit log testimony fading to show conspiracy. Io admitting Um testimony the judge mid f ury weald be cautioned about U 1a certain ooodUlona. “Tba people.19 aald the oourt, claim that they hare mada a prima fade oaro, vbUa Um defense aaj they have not. I thtrk ft ruling of Judge Cooky In tbsfifitb Michigan baa held that such mldimee aa tba entire barn to offer k admlMlhU la thti»•Tbc testimony of Sheriff Wlxmaj aa to bow Holoomb lookad and acted at Um Uma of tba revolver Interview vaa oonchidsd, but tba motion to atrika from tba raoord wbat bad bam a worn to waa refused. Tba court said tba fact that Holcomb drank water at Uut Uma vaa an act, and ba thought ltoompetant testimony. Ha alao excluded tba graveyard Insurance paltey oo Jacob D. Crouch's Ufa aa part of the evidence.Jacob Hutchins, an eccentric old man from Spring Arbor, swore to seeing Judd's peculiar tracks la the Holcomb field, leading toward tbo Crouch bouae, and said be found them there the day after the murder.John Thomas wan next sworn. He saw tbo tracks In the whaat field, and measured the length. Tba left foot was about one Inch longer than the right and a little narrower. Wltnoas bad noticed Judd's tracks and from appearanoas thinks tba tracks he saw were made by a man who walked aa Judd Croach walked. The right foot made a deep Impression, bat the left was a natural one, from the appearance the tracks could not have feen made by natural foot. Wltnsea was closely cross examined.Harry Hague also noticed that one foot waa longer than the other, and that the small foot made a deeper Impression than the other, and that the feet cams together going down hUL Witness thought Judd would make such tracks. Ha had noUcod Judd's gait since the murder with reference to It. Accompanying the tracks made by the one with the lame leg was another track, bnt as that was on the eod it was not aa plainly discernible. Witness saw tracks In the woods made by Che same foot as the lame one.Harry Hague was the first witness sworn on the mornln 1 he 9th. He first saw Holcomb the morning lt;the murder in Policy’s room standing by a bureau examining a bundle of papers which witness thought locked like mort gates.Wm. U. Kartupet, a hardware dealer, was placed on the stand and asked If he knew Foy. The defense objected to this quesUon, but the objection wee overruled, and witness aald Foycame Into bis place aod asked for 88-calibre cartridges. Witness did not bate any, and Foy left, remarking as bo turned to go, “The long cartridges shoot stronger than the sbor ones, don't they! -Witness answered In the affirmative, and Foy replied, “That'a the kind I want to get, those that shoot too hardest. When cross examined, witness Bald this remark made by Foy caused him to remember him (Foy) so well.WIlford White was recalled and repeats* the testimony about the tracks.cm ta Halcomb's fore they were ta thaboula. comb took them from the Grom* aaif. Barfcvorth and Fraser got Into a hoi wrangle, and as they wrra sputtering as each-other the judge eald be did not think Witaas Allaa oonldgtve testimony about what waa la the bottle, but subaequenUy allowed the counsel to dkcuss the questtoa shout the papers.Allan left the stand and Sheriff Wlaney was put am sad produced the glare Jar containing the papera when they vara dag up. Tha oourt wm looking at theM when the 1ft 0*010* nd-Joannneot came. The papers whl* Heary Boioomb tried to put on to Herrington whik be (Harrington) wm in jell In Meson cannot be found now. There were half a doaea ofMrs. Mary Crouch, a sieter-ln-law of Jacob Crouch was sworn, fihe told of her relations with the family of Jacob D. Crouch. 8ald Judd always lived at Holoomb'a When wit ness bad business there Jacob Crouch always got his papers from the room occupied by Policy on the nlgbt of the tragedy. Witness wm familiar with his papers, as Eunice (Mrs. White) Sod she did all of the business. Mr. Crouch kept no safe. Witness had oeea ■tonally seen Mr. Crouch take papers from hta own room, bet rot frequently. Hid beard Mr. Crouch say the papers were very valua-C. D. Harrington wm next sworn. Hs said: “1 Uve In the city; have been here moat of ibe time for forty yeara. Came here this time lMt November. Knew Jacob D. Crouch since 1 wm 10 years old. Worked for him about eight yean ago this winter. Koow Judand Hotoomb. First knew Foy four years ago last Juno in Hi. Louis, Mo.; he wm working on a Mississippi •team-boat. I wm going down the river when 1 formed Foy's acquaintance. 1 next saw Foy in this city, both before and after the Crouch murder. First met him Nov. A We walked up the street and went into a barn.The defense objected to wbat Foy bad aald to vltoeaa about the Crouch affairs.Mr. Gibson aald they wasted to prove by wtlueee that Foy asked Harrington to help do a Job out at the Crouch farm, and that the captain and Judd would pay well for 1L Foy alao said Harrington wm tbs man he wanted to see, as be was looking for a man who had rerva.Wlineas wm dismissed until the court could look at the printed testimony.Supervisor McCain wm re-called and gave an extensive explanation of tha Uoee and distances about tha farms In the neighborhood.Mr. George hammond wm celled and aald be saw Judd Crouch a Clark’s lake In August, 1888. He was asked what Jodd said about his father at that time. To this the defense objected and a long desultory talk wm kept np by the lawyers notll the hour of adjournment.9The famous witness, (Harrington's) testimony was ruled out by Jodis Gridley In tho Crouch case when sourt convened Dec. 10, aod with It all cumulative testimony on this branch of the case, disposing of i large an ay of wltneaaei who have been called by the people to prove the existence of a conspiracy from the separate acts of tiit alleged conspirators.The only Important testimony this morning waa that of Harrison Boow, a very Intelligent farmer and school teacher, aged 40, who has known 9add a good many yrara. He testified about ctmvermUona In which Judd •poke bitterly of bis father's treatment and described his hatred of Henry White; be op posed Eunice Crouch's marriage with White and accused them of conspiracy with Dayton Corucb (who died In Texas) to gel Jacob Crouch's property; Judd aald he had not been In his father’s bouse for more than twlt; except onos and he would wot go again soon.The cross-examination waa tedious.Alexander C. Brown had at one time worked on the Crouch farm. About the last of February had seen Holcomb, Judd and Foy together In earnest conversation. Heard wbat Uiey were talking about. Witness waa not allowed to tell the conversation.After one other wltsses had glvsB testimony of very lutle Important Joseph Allen waa •worn, lit was asked: “Do you know anything of a paper claimed to have been taken from the Crouch house on the night of the murder! He waa not allowed to answer the question and a long dkewssiow sasued. The court wm undecided as to whether the (pies-ttoo wm a proper obc or not. He had fore-seen that sooner or later this question must oont up, and It was soamihlag requiring deliberation. He would therefore render a decision In the morning.On the morning of the 11* Judge Gridley asked for and wm handed a oopy of the paper* la wHaros Allen's poseerolon which were dug up In the glees Jsr by • Detective Gunn, Henry Holcomb, el si.B. A. Smith of Salon Rapids sworn; At the time of tbs death of Jacob Grom* witness said be owed Crouch several hundred dollars oo a note. After the murders Dan. Hoko*b bad the note and wrola and told him an. Wit-II lastly.Alexander Brown wm the first wit oalled la the afternoon, and asked to the conversation between Holcomb, Foy and Judd, at the Crouch boose. The Judge over* ruUd the objection (hat wm taleed and witness continued:Dan Hcloomb said to Foy: Ton had better burn that letter; If the detective* should get hold of It, and there la anything la It about the murder, they would send you to state prison sureaLd we couldn't asvo you; Jim, if you koow anything of this murder or who did H, tell us. 1 know you are ss Innocent ss a bird, but if you know who did It, for God's sake tell ua. Foy waited a mionte and then said: “X don't know anything.On croemiamlnatinn, witness said he knew Foy well and did not think him intoxicated at the Ume.Bay Hewlett, prosecuting attorney wm called and eald he had made three unsuccessful starch** for the papers found oo Allen In Canada and couldn't find them, and be did notbelieve they wore ever In the office of the prosecuting attorney.Snerlff Wlnney swore that he had given them to the lste Prosecuting Attorney Haw loti, but had looked for them and could not find them. Witness wm naked to tell whet the pspert were. He said: One vm a patent deed from the government to Mr. Ciouch, some bonds, end a deed or two. The paper on which they were written wm yellow with age.James White recalled—Said the papers taken by Holcomb from tbs Crouch boose ware notes and mortgages; none were opened. There wm one deed.An effort wm made to prove that the age found on Allen wm given him by Henry HoJoomb but the oourt aald: Ton know you must connect Holcomb with It In some way before It can come in.Gov. Blair aald the fact that these papers wire of tbc same kind as those Uken bv Holcomb from the Crouch hocue wm good Inference that they were some of them.Mr. Montgomery said be hated to say anything more; be had supposed tho oourt virtually decided It twice alreedy, but the other aido were at It again.Au effort wm made by the people to show that Henry Holoomb was dUxulsed and that Dan kJtw ft. bherlff Wtnnay swore be called at tho Hurd bouse and found Gann, Behlm-md, Henry Holcomb, Judd, the csotela and Fraser there In Holcomb's room. During the discussion of the admissibility of Alien's testimony court adjourned.The prosecution recalled Joseph Allen on the morning of the 18h. The Judge wanted them to show what they intended to prove further, and was told they Intended to show that after the scheme fell through with Harrington, the Holcomb party tried to put the Job off upon Allen. Judge Gridley ruled that the people could show what Alien and Henry Holcomb did together before the separation occurred when Allen left Mason and went to Hamilton.Allen said be and Henry Holcomb visited the Jail at Mason to soc Harrington. Henry told Allen he wanted to sec If Harrington would be “a good man to crack a safe. Witness knew Holcomb at this time m Frank Jones, that being the name given when they mef, April 8th. Holcomb drew a draught showing two railroads, a stump, and two trees, and told wit ness that belween the trees wm a plant and this plant wm where they were to get the money. Now, Allen, said Holcomb, do you see tbc game! Yes, I do, eald Allen. I don't think you do, said Holcomb, at the same tlmo pulling a rcvoKer from his pocket and pointing It at witness's head, saying shew your hand. Wtints# replied, I always play my hand out and hold five trumps.Oo cross-examination witness aald he came here la October, 1688. Stayed at Lansing two ulgbte; met a man named Hull and slept with him. The second night they walked to Maaon together. Hull gave his same to Alien m Denting. Tho two had $128 all told. Denting had a made up roll to fool people with. There was#! in the roll. Boarded at 214 Jackson street, Nov. 21, 1688; Robert Morehouse roomed with witness on that night; went to bed about li o’clock.Joseph Allen wm recalled the first thing in the afternoon, and testified to first meeting Henry Holcomb at the street car barn in Jackson, and to various places visited by him (Allan). He furthor said:Henry Holcomb told me of a scheme and •bowed me a plan of two stores. Bald In one wm a safe; In the safo was $6,000 or $7,000, and wanted witness to help bfm crack the safe. Witness said he could crack a safe In 10 minutes.After Holcomb told me teat he knew wbo the murderers wero and where Vha papers could be found, I showed fear; then Holcomb drew bis revolver and presented It at me; be thought 1 was going to squeal; pointed one at my bead; the other wm partially out of his pocket. Witness never refused to go into any robbing scheme Uist Holcomb proposed. Holcomb once showed witness a photo which be said wm one of bis men. Witness remembered haring seen the face In the Police Gsastte.When I met Henry after leaving the Jtil at Mason he eald, 'la It all rtahl f' I aald, ‘Tea.' He said, *1 have only $70: here are $40.' 1 told Henry that I bad seen Gunn and be wm after ua. Witness showed how he put the eight papers into his shoe to carry to the Jail They made quite a bulk, but be aald that wmthe way be carried them thereWhen court adj mrsed on the 18th, there bad ben $8 witnesses examined by the prosecution.
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The Lake County Star
Baldwin, Michigan, US
Thu, Dec 18, 1884
Page 6
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USA 28 Nov 2022
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