Ligonier Valley Rail Road Newspaper Articles
We have compiled over 1,400 newspaper articles that mention the Ligonier Valley Railroad, or related subjects. The articles were originally published starting in 1873 and our collection runs through 1995. Enjoy!
Ligonier Echo
Wednesday, November 25, 1896
Huston Case
John Huston Found Guilty. Dixon Huston, His Father Acquitted Of All Charges
The assault and battery cases of Geo. Senft, Supt. Of the L.V.R.R., John W. Rhay, foreman of trackmen and William Stoffer, police and employe vs. Dixon and John W. Huston came up for trial in Greensburg criminal court before Judge McConnell last Thursday afternoon and continued until Saturday evening when the cases were given into the hands of the jury. The trouble as you will remember grew out of a dispute about the title of a piece of land and straightening of Mill creek where it flows into the Loyalhanna. The railroad people, September 29th, were filling up a new channel cut out by Dixon Huston when they were attacked by the defendants and a fight occurred followed by four indictments against Dixon and John Huston.
In the trial the witnesses for the prosecution testified that J. W. Huston shot Geo. Senft twice in the legs with a double barreled shot gun, after which Geo. Senft pulled a revolver and told him to stop shooting; that Dixon Huston attacked Mr. Senft shortly after with a
club and knocked him down, that he also struck John Rhay with a club knocking him down and cutting his head; that Dixon Huston was knocked down with a shovel in hands of Mr. Senft. A number of witnesses were called all corroborating the above statements.
For the defense the first witness called was Dixon Huston, who testified that his son John shot Senft after he, Senft, had pulled a revolver from his pocket and pointed it at him, and that he knocked him down only after he felt that his life was in jeopardy. John W. Huston testified that Senft pointed the revolver at his father first and fearing that he
would shoot him he ordered him to put up the weapon, but that he refused and then he shot him in the legs. Joe Huston corroborated the testimony of his father and John.
The evidence closed at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. D. S. Atkinson, Esq., made the closing argument for the defense. He spoke for an hour and a quarter. Senator E. E. Robbins closed the case for the commonwealth. His argument did not consume quite an hour. The jury retired at 6 p.m. and returned at 1 minute to 12 Saturday night, in which they acquitted Dixon Huston of both charges of aggravated assault and battery made by Geo
Senft and John W. Rhay. John W. Huston was acquitted of the charge of pointing fire arms and William Stoffer; the prosecutor, pay costs. John W. Huston was convicted on the charge of aggravated assault and battery made by George Senft, and recommended to the mercy of the court.