Part 4 of 9. On 14 November 1880, Daniel Troutman, a farmer living in Pillow, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was killed at his home during an attempted robbery. Two men, Frank Rumberger and Henry Rumberger were arrested and charged with the crime. They were tried in Dauphin County Court, found guilty, and executed, in March 1882.
In its edition of 24 March 1882, in conjunction with the hanging, the Harrisburg Daily Independent published a summary of the crime and the trials. Here following is the text of that article, in nine parts.
For all other parts of this story, see: The Murder of Daniel Troutman, 1880.
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AN ARREST OF JUDGMENT
Granting a New Trial and Separately – Bringing in a Verdict of Guilty as at the First.
Before the district attorney had time to move that judgment be pronounced on the verdict for the Commonwealth, Simon S. Bowman, R. L. Muench and J. C. Durbin, counsel for the defense, gave notice that they would move for a new trial and an arrest of judgment ad file their reasons in a few days. This was speedily done and argument on the case was held on May 18th and 20th. The judge delivered his opinion on the reasons and granted another trial on June 13th. The principal grounds upon which this new trail was allowed was because the report of the charge read that the court had
FIXED THE DEGREE OF GUILT.
The second trial was ordered and opened on October 17, 1881. It had been decided by the counsel for Frank that they would demand a separate trial, which was granted and the case of Henry taken up first. With Judge Henderson on the bench the following jury was empaneled: John H. Keen, blacksmith, Wiconisco; Solomon Swartz, farmer, Lower Paxton; George A. Deihl, moulder, Harrisburg; John J. Bretz, farmer, Derry; Jacob Nissley, gentleman, Middletown; B. W. Holtzman, teacher, Upper Paxton; Jacob McCoy, miner, Lykens Borough; David R. Elder, Swatara; Charles E. Roumfort, baker, Harrisburg; George Shope, miller, Lower Paxton; David Neagley, farmer, Upper Paxton.
This second trial lasted but two days when the same verdict as before was rendered. The case of Frank was then commenced with the following gentlemen as jurors:
G. W. Fox, storekeeper, West Hanover; Robert T. Beatty, clerk, Harrisburg; Wilson J. Baker, clerk, Harrisburg; Benjamin Booser, blacksmith, Londonderry; Jacob Hocker, merchant, Susquehanna; J. E. Rutter, teacher, Lykens; W. F. Rutherford, farmer, Swatara; Jonathan Spayd, farmer, Jefferson; Elias Fertig, farmer, Middle Paxton; Samuel Flickinger, insurance agent, Harrisburg; John W. German, insurance agent, Harrisburg; A. H. Frankem, shoemaker, Harrisburg.
Nothing new could be gained in evidence at either of these trials. At this last trial of Frank, Ida Graef testified that Frank had said to her on the Monday following Troutman’s murder, that she should
SWEAR THAT HE WAS WITH HER
on that Sunday evening between six and ten o’clock. If he should be arrested. She had sworn falsely at the squire’s office in Lykens, but was not telling the truth when she said he was not with her. Another new witness was Henry Rumberger himself, who testified to the truthfulness of his previous confession. The jury retired on October 21st at three o’clock and after deliberating for three hours and fifteen minutes returned a verdict of “Guilty of murder in the first degree.”
Reasons for the new trials were again filed but promptly overruled by the court, and both men were sentenced to “hang by the neck until they were dead, and my God have mercy on their souls.” This was the last appearance of either of the men in public.”
The next move of the counsel for the condemned men was to bring their case before the Pardon Board, which after several delays was finally accomplished on January 18th. The counsel on both sides was presented and presented their case. All that was asked was a
COMMUTATION OF THE DEATH
sentence, but this was refused. Governor Hoyt signed their death warrant, setting the 24th day of March as the day of execution.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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