Fulton Co PA Crimes in the News
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania) May 25 1871
Mr. Baltzer Deneen, of Fulton county, was found dead on the mountain where he had been peeling bark, on or about the 20th ult. Rumors say there is some suspicion of foul play. The back part of his skull was broken, either by a fallen limb or by a weapon in the hands of an unknown party.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) January 30, 1873
The Fulton County Homicide Case
In the Court of Oyer and Terminer in Fulton county, on Tuesday of last week, George B. Kerper was arraigned and having pleaded not guilty, was put on trial charged with the murder of Robert H. Welch. The Commonwealth was represented by John A. Robinson, Esq., District Attorney, and John Cessna and W. Scott Alexander, Esq. Messrs. F. M. Kimmell, J. McDowell Sharpe, Geo. A. Smith and W. S. Stenger conducted the defense.
The evidence disclosed the following facts: On the night of the Presidential election Mr. Kerper and Capt. George W. Skinner went from their home at the Big Cove Tannery to McConnellsburg to hear the election returns. They stopped at Renroth's hotel and ordered supper at eight o'clock. After supper they went to the telegraph office, and some dispute or difficulty arising about paying for the news, the operator refused to make the returns public.
Meanwhile, George Kittel and his brother-in-law John Mosser had also arrived in town and stopped at Fisher's hotel. Whilst these two persons and Thomas Hamill and John Peters and Abraham Peck were sitting together in the last named hotel, William Fisher went up from the telegraph office, announced the closing of the office, and said that the stoppage of the news was owing to Skinner and Kerper. Thias at once enraged Kittel and Hamill, the latter swearing that Skinner had boasted that he could whip six of the best Republicans in McConnellsburg. The proposition was then made by either Hamill or Kittel, that the crowd should hunt up Skinner and Kerper and whip them. They asked Peck, who is a large, strong man, to go with them, saying that he could do them good service. Peck declined, but the proposition seems to have been assented to by the others present.
They went to the "Stone House," (Brositus' Hotel,) in search of Skinner and Kerper. From there they proceeded to Rexroth's hotel. Mosser and Peters looked through the glass door. Mr. Jacob McDonald, who was inside the bar-room, opened the dorr and passed out as they passed in. As he got to the top of the steps, he met Hamill and Kittel going down, one of them remarking, "If they are down there, we will 'go for' them." When they entered the bar-room Hamill inquired for Skinner and swore that he would fight him as long as there was a drop of blood in his veins.
Meanwhile, the purpose of these parties had become known to several friends of Skinner. Kerper, about nine o'clock, went to Rexroth's with the intention of going to bed. Skinner had gone with two friends to Fisher's hotel for a glass of ale. The gentlemen who had heard of the threats made by Hamill and Kitter went to Rexroth's and, finding Kerper there, informed him that they were fearful that Skinner would get into difficulty. Kerper replied, "The Captain is big enough to take care of himself." Someone suggested that "they might take him unawares, or that five or six of them might fall on him at once," to which Kerper replied, "well, if you think so, let us go and get him." They went to Skinner's room and not finding him there started for Fisher's hotel. When quite near to this hotel, Kerper remarked to the friends who were with him: "We will go into Fisher's bar-room; those who wish to drink can drink - I will not drink - and then we will get the Captain and go home."
They went into the bar-room and found Capt. Skinner there standing at the bar in conversation with a gentleman from Philadelphia. Meeting some other persons there, they entered into pleasant conversation.
Whilst they were in the bar-room Kittel and Hamill stood ouside a moment, Kittel asked Hamill if Skinner was in the bar-room. Hamill said not. Kittel looked through the window and said "It is a lie, I see him myself." Hamill then said he was too drunk to do anything if he would go down. But Kittel engaged him in a low conversation for a few minutes, and they then entered the hotel above, and were there joined by Mosser, and the three passed down the inside stairway into the bar-room. Kittel and Mosser seating themselves on either side of the room and Hamill remaining standing.
The latter walked backward and forward through the room with his hands behind his back and concealed under his coat, swearing that he wanted to find the man who said he could whip six Republicans. He was exceedingly profane and abusieve. Kerper, who was sitting down on a bench, asked him. "Who do you mean?" He answered "Skinner, d__n him." Well, says Kerper, laughing, "if they were all as drunk as you he could whip six." Hamill advanced towards Kerper and said, "I can whip you." "Anybody can do tham" said Kerper, "I'm not a fighting man." Skinner turned around the bar, not having noticed the conversation before, and advancing towards Hamill said, "What's all this trouble about?" Hamill cursed him and repeated his charge in a very offensive manner. Skinner calmly laid his hand on his shoulder and said, "Boy, you had better dry up, or you might get laid upon your back."
At this point Mr. Fisher, the proprietor of the hotel, stepped between them and said, "Gentlemen, I want no fuss in my house." Capt. Skinner stepped backwards a few steps towards the bar, saying, "you need not fear any row or disturbance from me," but he had scarcely uttered the words when he was struck on the forehead by a piece of limestone rock almost as large as the first of a medium-sized man, hurled by Hamill. He staggered back, falling against the bar, the blood flowing freely from his forehead through his hands which he placed about his face, exclaiming "My God who shot me?" The sound of the blow was loud, resembling as several witnesses said, the report of a pistol shot.
Hamill ran, as soon as he threw, towards and up the back stairway. As soon as the blwo was struck, Kerper sprang from his seat, exclaiming, "who did that?" Someone answered, "Tom Hamill," Uttering the words, "Stop that or I'll shoot," or as another witness said "Get out of this, or I'll shoot," he fired his pistol in the direction of the retreating Hamill just as he reached the fifth step of the stairway. A young man named Robert H. Welch had been standing near the foot of the stairway, and as Hamill ran towards him, he made one or two steps, as is supposed, to get out of the way of Hamill, and thus placed himself in the line of the shot, receiving the contents of the pistol in the head, from the effects of which wound he died the following morning.
Immediately one of the bystanders remarked, "You have shot an innocent man." When Kerper, bursting into tears, exclaimed, "My God! I didn't intend to shoot anybody." The testimony that from the time when Skinner was struck until the report was heard, not more than a minute elapsed. The unfortunate man that was killed had brought in the returns from his election district. He resided in the neighborhood of Burnt Cabins.
The jury failed to agree after being in their room for more than twenty-four hours, and on Thursday afternoon, having informed the Court that it was utterly impossible for them to come to an agreement, were discharged. His Honor Judge Hall presided at the trial. His charge to the jury was universally commended for its impartiality and perfect clearness in stating the law of the case. This disagreement of the jury operates as an acquittal, inasmuch as, under the decisions in Pennsylvania, the defendant cannot be tried again for this offence. The case was ably argued on both sides and exerted more interest in Fulton county than any case which has been tried for many years.
Kittel and Hamill pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated assault and battery upon Captain Skinner, and upon the request of their Counsels, the Court suspended sentence until the April Sessions. -- Chambersburg Spirit.
- Transcribed by Nancy Piper