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The People of the State of Michigan - - - (Complainants)

VS

William Shimmel - - - (Defendant)

Cover Sheet

 

Shorthand Reporter’s Record

 

The People of the State of Michigan,

Complainants.

 

vs

 

William Shimmel,

                 Defendant.

 

 

Filed July 23 – 1907

                 Cora B. Plumley

                                  Dep. Clerk

 

Binder & Brewer,

Shorthand Reporters.

Page 1

 

State of Michgan

                                                   SS.

County of Ottawa

 

In Justice Court

 

Grand Haven, Mich., June 3, 1907

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

The People of the State of Michigan

                                  Complainants,

VS

William Shimmel,

                                  Defendant

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

 

Appearances.

 

C. C. Coburn,  )

     And            )         For the People

Q. I. Lillie,        )

 

 

L. L. Park,                 For the Defendant

Page 2

 

 

 

I N D E X.

 

 

	Direct	Cross
Dr. Fredrick D. Smith	3	5
Fremont Brown	17	19
Frank Griswold	31	34
Edward Brown	47	50
Frank M. Green	56	61

 

 

 

--------

Witnesses

 

Dr. Frederick D. Smith

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Fremont Brown

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

   Re Direct Examination

   Re Cross Examination

 

Frank Griswold

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Edward Brown

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Frank M. Green

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Andrew Sheeler

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Emil Rollenhagen

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

   Re Direct Examination

   Re Cross Examination

 

Charles J. Douck

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

   Re Direct Examination

 

Thomas McCarthy

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Edward McCarthy

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Mrs. Minnie Golden

   Direct Examination

 

Nora Conley

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Alfred Adkin

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

   Re Direct Examination

   Re Cross Examination

 

Lloyd Adkin

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Peter Bolima

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Jacob Bolima

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

Darwin G. Shavalier

   Direct Examination

   Cross Examination

 

 

Photos of Witnesses

   Freemont Brown

   Edward Brown

   Emil Rollenhagen

   Nora Conley

 

 

Photos of William Shimmel

   William Shimmel 1907

   William Shimmel 1888

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In 1906, Uncle Martin (Martin C. Golden) operated a general store and post office.  A little before 9 o’clock on the evening of April 23rd 1906, Uncle Martin locked up his store and headed home.  He only had to walk 150 feet along a board walk that connected his store to his house.

 

Before he could travel any distance at all along that board walk, he was approached by a man with a gun and was shot twice in the head.

 

Uncle Martin died six hours later.

 

A year later, William Shimmel was arrested for the murder of Martin C. Golden.

 

The following is the transcript of William Shimmel’s first trial.  The first five witnesses were called on June 3, 1907 and the transcript pages for these five witnesses are numbered 1 thru 77  The last twelve witnesses were called on June 24, 1907 and the transcript pages for these witnesses are numbered 1 thru 223  The trial resulted in a hung jury.  No verdict was reached.  William was re-tried in November of 1907.

 

The second jury trial resulted in a verdict of “Guilty as Charged”, but an order of the court set aside the verdict.  The judge in the second trial overturned the verdict due to a lack of evidence.