Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1916 — TROSCHIER TRIAL NEARS END [ARTICLE]

TROSCHIER TRIAL NEARS END

Former Rensselaer Tailor Charged with Murder at Lafayette. William Trochier, a tailor, whose trial is now going on in Lafayette on the charge of having murdered Charles Harris, whose dead body was found in a room over the Zabel saloon there a few months ago, was, as stated in The Democrat at the time of his arrest, employed in Rensselaer last spring and early summer in B. K. Zimmermar’s tailor shop. iHe testified in his own behalf Tuesday and said that he returned to Lafayette from Rensselaer in July and that he had about $65 in money at that time. Troschier is a German and is now 58 years of age, He has been in this country for the past twenty years, and had worked at various places before going to Lafayette, -which has been his headquarters for several years. Harris, who was a saloon porter, occupied a room adjoining Troschier’s over the Zabel saloon, and he had frequently taken women to his room, it is alleged. The theory of the defense is that he had a married woman in his- room on the night of the murder and that her husband caught them together and heat Harris to death. Circumstantial evidence, however, is against the defendant. The next morning after the murder Troschier shaved off his moustache and took a traction car for Fort Wayne, where he was arrested. He had some money on his person, which the prosecution charges he had taken from the body of his victim. In his testimony Tuesday Troschier claimed that Harris had a woman in his room on the night in question, and that he, Troschier. was awakened by a disturbance therein; that he blockaded his own door'and knew nothing of the murder until sometime the newt forenoon, after the body had been found. He claimed that his reason for shaving off his moustache was that he had burned it badly the night before when lighting the stub of a cigar and that the money he had in his possession he had found in an old grip of his. Blood stains that were found on Troschier’s clothing a Purdue chemist testified was human blood, hut the defendant claimed that they were caused from nose bleeding with which he was often afflicted. Troschier is a boozer and had been on a protracted spree«tfor several days preceding the murder. Public opinion seems to be divided considerably in Lafayette as to Troschier’s guilt or innocence, but circumstances seem to be very much against. At this writing it is thought the case will go to the jury this afternoon.