Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1868 — MURDER OF MICHAEL SHAFFER. [ARTICLE]

MURDER OF MICHAEL SHAFFER.

On Tuesday, the 3d inst., Michae Shaffer, an old resident ot Newton county was found in Lis house dead, shot with two loads of buckshot, one taking .effect io the middle of the back, end going straight through, and the other striking uitn a short distance above and ranging upwards came out at the shoulder. The parties who fouud him, went to get him to attend the election. They reported the case at the polls and a a coroner's jury was at onee summoned who found Shaffer laying on hie side, with a dish rag grusped in one of his hands. From the manner in which he lay, it seems evident that the person who shot him came up to the door and deliberately fired two charges at him as ho eat on a box gfelfe-few. Jaek toward? the assassin, and that the first shot struck him about the middle of the back, and as he was falling, the second was fired. Either of the shots would have produced death. The Coroner’s Jury brought in a verdict that the “deceased came to his death by a gun-shot wound inflicted on him by one Frederick Tanner.” As near as we conld learn, the evidence asainst Tanner is merely circumstantial. It seems that a short time since, Tanner had a horse shot and accused Shaffer of shooting it, and attempted to get out a warrant for Shaffer’s arrest, but was dissuaded from it by the Justice who told Tanner that the evidence was not sufficient to convict him. Tanner then said that Shaffer should never.shoot another horse for him. There.were- tracks going to and from the house, that onr informant states correspond with the tracks made by the accused. Tanner was arrested and taken before Justice Harris, of Washington. township, Newton county, tin last Tuesday, when, upon motion, a continuance was granted the prisoner till Thursday (to-day), at which time preliminary examination will be had. Shaffvr fins long been known in this part of the State as a hardened criminal, hiving once served a term in the peuitentiaryJrom this county. His neighbors were all afraid of him on account of his desperate recklessness, ayd one and all seem to show no regret to think that he is out of the way of doing them harm, while at tho same time they do not want any leniency shown the man who could be guilty of an act of coldblooded murder. The accused, Frederick Tanner, is quite a young man, of rather prepossessing appearance, about, we should thinkj twenty-four or five years of age. He looks like anything but a man who would commit murder, and those who are acquainted with him say he would hardly do such a thing unless he was urged on by others. Note.—Since going to press we loam that Tanner is acquitted.