The Murder Trial of Joseph Weismantel in Defiance - 1882 - THE CONCLUSION

 

The State, represented by N. G. Johnson, spoke for four hours for the prosecution of Mr. Weismantel.

S.T. Sutphen spoke for the defense, followed by W. D. Hill, for another three hours.  They argued for self-defense and an acquittal for Joseph Weismantel.  According to the paper, there were times when the jury was brought to tears.

Soon Judge Owens gave instructions to the jury and it was dismissed to deliberate at 4:00 Monday afternoon.

Inside the jury, four different votes were taken and it was quite a divided group at first.  The first vote was 4 for first degree murder, 4 for manslaughter and 7 for not guilty.

A second ballot brought 1 for manslaughter, 1 for murder in the second degree and 10 for not guilty.

On the third time around, it was 2 for manslaughter and 10 for not guilty.

At last, on the fourth ballot, all twelve agreed to a verdict of not guilty, so the verdict was returned and Joseph Weismantel went free.

What happened to Joseph Weismantel after the trial?

We don't know when exactly Joseph Weismantel left Defiance, Ohio, and settled in Owego, New York, but in the 1900 census, he was residing at 75 Talcott Street in Owego as a boarder with Spencer and Mary Smith.  The Smiths had two children at home, Herbert, 31, an invalid, and Lottie, 26, a dressmaker.  Joseph, 42 and widowed, was the undersuperintendent of the wagon works.

A marriage license for Joseph Weismantel and his first wife, Lorinda B. Chaffee, was found in the Owego records for December 25, 1889.   Lorinda died on September 27, 1896, which explains, perhaps, why he was boarding with the Smiths.  Her obituary:

Mrs. Joseph P. Weismantel

Died at Owego, N.Y., Sunday, Sept. 27, 1896, of abscess and a complication of stomach troubles, Lorinda D. Chaffee, wife of Joseph B.(P.)Weismantel, aged 51 years. She is survived by her husband, two brothers, Dexter and Preserved Chaffee of West Warren, Pa. and one sister, Mrs. John Pease of LeRaysville, Pa. The funeral services were held at her late residence, 71 Talcott Street, Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Milton F. Negus of the First Baptist church officiating.

The funeral was largely attended by her any relatives and friends.  Granite Lodge, No 111, I.O.O.F. of which she was a member, attended in a body and had charge of the services at the grave in Evergreen Cemetery, which were conducted according to the solemn ritualistic ceremonies of the order.  The cortege was a long one and the vicinity of the grave was crowded... Among those present were Mrs. Weismantel's brother, Dexter Chaffee and wife of West Warren, Pa., her sister and the latter's husband, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Pease of LaRaysville, Pa., her nieces, Mrs. Mary Beckwith of New York city and Mrs. Etta Mereau of 5 Lyon street, Binghamton, Mr. Weismantel's mother, Mrs. J. F. Weismantel of Defiance, O, Mrs. Skillman and daughter, Miss Lottie of 56 Thorp street, Binghamton and Mr. and Mrs. Charles LaGrange of 12 Myrtle avenue, Binghamton."

On October 17, 1900, a marriage license appeared for Joseph Weismantel and Lottie Smith of Owego, most likely the daughter mentioned in the 1900 census above.  Lottie would have lived just down the street at 71 Talcott Street, while Joseph and Lorinda lived at 75 Talcott Street.

A New York state census in 1905 confirmed that Joseph P. Weismantel, 47, wagon maker, and his wife, Lottie, 31, and their daughter Mary, 2, lived in Owego, Tioga County, New York.

In 1910, they lived in Lottie's parents' house with her mother, Mary, 69, and widowed, and Joseph, 57, both named as head of household.  Joseph was a machinist at the bridge company and Lottie was at home with three children: Joseph P., 8 - Mary R., 7 - and Charlotte, 1 year, 4 months.

On the last census where Joseph appeared in 1920, he was 61 and working as a steel worker at a bridge shop.  Lottie's mother, Mary, was still co-head of the household at 78 years old.  Lottie had a job as a dressmaker in a shop, and Mary, 16, and Charlotte, 11, were still at home.  

The Joseph Weismantel funeral was held on March 23, 1922, in Owego.  He was buried with his wives in Evergreen Cemetery.  No obituary has yet been found for him, but we know the accused murderer left Ohio and built himself a fulfilled life with his wives and children in New York.