Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1919 — HARTNETT HEARING ON [ARTICLE]

HARTNETT HEARING ON

STATE SPRINGS SURPRISE IN HARTNETT MURDER HEARING TODAY.

Dan Hartnett, of Frankfort, Indiana, charged with the murder of Earl Hughes on the 25th day of last October by Mrs. Edith Hughes, was brought into Judge Irwin’s- court this Tuesday morning to answer to the dharges. The witnesses for the state took the stand first and when the court adjourned for the lunch hour they were still introducing their evidence to show that Hughes had been murdered. Thfe evidence offered appeared rather strong, -but it may be shattered by the defense when they take the stand. Mrs. Hughes, wife of the dead man, was the first to take the stand. Her testimony was only of minor importance, the witness simply stating that her husband had been killed on the night of October 25th. The next witness and the most important one from the State’s point, was John Weinhardt, at the present time in the employ of the government at the National Military Home at Danville, 111., where he works as a fireman. At the time of Hughes’ death, Mr. Weinhardt was employed as yard detective at Monon. His testimony was as follows: “On the night of the tragedy I had two or three conversations with -Hartnett, who had come to Monon on the 7:45 p. m. train, the train on which Hughes was riding when last seen. My conversations With him were lengthly ones and throughout them all Hartnett appeared extremely nervous, placing his head in his hands and weeping at different times. After a time he told me that in coming from Pleasant Ridge to Monon he had gotten into trouble with Hughes, due to the fact that they were members of different railroad 'organizations, Hughes belonging to the Order of Railroad Trainmen and Hartnett being a member of the Switchmen’s Union. Hartnett claimed that Hughes was drunk and that he became exceedingly abusive attacking him on one occassion while they were in the caboose together. Then, according to Hartnett, Fred Ball, the conductor, slapped Hughes and kicked him off the rear end of the train. I was with Hartnett until about midnight when he took a special freight to his home in Frankfort. I then went to my home but made no mention of the. incident until learning of Hughes’ death the following morning.” ’Harry Mason, signal maintainer the Monon, and ’Luther Lutes, night yardmaster were the next to testify. There testimony was substantially the same as they were together when they found the body of Hughes, going to the scene of the accident on a speeder. They testified that they found the body of Hughes lying between the rails; that the back of his head was mashed, his arm broken and his clothes badly torn; that the body apparently been dragged from sixty to ninety feet by passing- trains. —Lutes- testified that -the body was warm when found. Both witnesses stated that there was a. small pool of blood near the body and that it was found at telephone pole No. 79, a half mile east of Pleasant Ridge. In order that he might catch a train, F. E. Lewis, of the defense, trainmaster for the northern division of the Monon was permitted to take the stand next. Mr. Lewis testified that he was on the m ilk train which was flagged by Mason and Lutes at about 7:15 a. m., at the point where the body was found and that the body was still warm lying directly •between the tracks. Further testified tfhuat six passengers and five freight trains had passed that point from the time that Hughes was last seen until the finding of his body. Sam Vawter, a section boss who had charge of the track where the dead man was found, took the stand just 'before noon and testified that he had found a pocket book belonging to Hughes which was covered with blood. ' This was three and onehalf miles from the place where the accident occurred. He further testified that he found some undergarments near where the pocket book Was found and that they were badly blood-soaked and appeared to have been used for & mop. \At this juncture Justice Irwin adjourned court until one o’clock. The state had not yet finished with its witnesses. TMb hearing this afternoon was expected to develop some interesting testimony fey the defense.