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HomeMy Public PortalAboutCrime: Murder - Stonebraker, George131 GEORGE STONEBRAKER KILLED BY HIS WIFE, THELMA STONEBRAKER Cascade News - - -- George Storebraker Instantly Killed in Shooting; at Ranch Home Monday Vol. Xxx April 6, 195 #22 Testimorny at Stonebraker Inquest Vol. XXX April 6,, 1945 #22 Accused Takes Stand as Murder Trial Goes Into Fifth Day incomplete Vol. XXX Junn 22, 1945 #11 Mrs. Stonebraker Acquitted of n1wrder Vol. = June 29, 1945 #12 Woman Attempts Suicide Vol. XXX August 9, 1916 #12 132 George Stonebraker Instantly Killed in Shooting at Ranch Romp Monday Cascade News April 6, 1945 Volumn XXX • Number 22 George Stonebraker, 529 Valley County rancher, who for years operated a truck line and freighting business out of Cascade, was killed almost instantly Monday evening, from bullets alleged to have been fired by his wife, Thelma Stonebraker, 31. A first degree murder charge was filed against Mrs. Stonebraker Tuesday by Prosecutor Thomas Feeney, who said she shot her husband to death in front of several dinner guests. The shooting occurred at the Stonebraker ranch, north of Cascade, about 10 :30 o'clock Monday evening. Present at the time of the shooting, besides Mr. and Mrs, Stonebraker, was their daughter, Betty Lou, Mr. and Mrs. Lou Johnson of Walla Walla, Helen Barney and Chic Jensen of Cascade, and ,Jeff Butell, Mr. Butell being an employee of the ranch. A coroner's inquest was conducted by Coroner L. L. Titter- in on at Cascade Tuesday afternoon, withnesses being Dr. K. A. Heitman, Mrs. Barney, Mr. Jensen, Mr. Butel and Deputy Sheriff Berle Kelley. Dr. Heitman testified as to the wounds, one of which was through the heart. The other witnesses' testimony, except that of Deputy Kelley, was to the effect that Mrs. Stonebraker fared two shots, all testimony being largely the same. Deputy Kelley testified as to the position of the body upon his arrival at the scene. The witnesses testified that a little, but not much drinking had been going on, that the evening had been a pleasant one, and that no harsh words had been exchanged between Mr. and Mrs. Stonebraker, • other than a few alleged slurs made by Mr. Stonebraker. '133 The assemblage, with the exception of k'.a.s. Stonebraker, were just conpleting their dinner when Mrs. Stonebraker, who had absented • herself for a few minutes, returned with a pistol and started firing, the witnesses said. The verdict returned by the coroner's jury was as follows: "We the ,jury in the above entitiled inquest, being duly em- panelled and sworn according to law find the deceased, George E. Stonebraker, came to his death by gunshot wounds, inflicted by a gun in the hands of his wife, Thelma Stonebraker, April p, 19451, at about 10:30, at the Stonebraker home located about eight miles north and one mile east of Cascade, Idaho." The jury consisted of Frank Colthorp, foreman; J. C. Hood, LaVaugn Herrick, Jack Clemmens, George Nock, Jr, W. J. %ing2t, George Harwood, Dr. 0. R. Leavell and Lynn Knight. Mrs. The1r3 Stonebraker was taken to the Ada County jail late Wednesday to await a preliminary hearing on a first degree murder charge. She dismissed interviewers with the announcement, "I have nothing to say until after I've talked to my attorney." Her brother, Everett F14T , who accompanied her and Sheriff Merlin Francis from Cascade on the trip to :Boise, said J. F. Martin of Boise, said J. F. Martin of Boise, Mrs. Stonebraker's attorney, would talk with her as soon as she feels better Mrs. Stonebraker became hysterical when press photographers appeared, and no pictures were taken at the request of Sheriff Francis. Meantime .Deputy Sheriff Berle Kelley, who talked to the 31 • year old woman immediately after the ..hooting, said she kept re- peating: "I killed Lim and I don't know why." She was permitted to see her husband on her own request. At the Titterington Mo4aary at Cascade before going to Boise, where i 134 incidentaly, she was born in 1914- Services for Stonebraker were held Thursday at i p. m. at the Titterington chapel. Grameside services are planned, with the Elks lode- in charge, this Friday at 2 p. m. at Lewiston. The couple had been married about eight years, and have one child sire years old, who is now residing with firs. Stonebraker's mother. Stonebraker has two children by a previous marriage, Mrs. Wanda Lynch of Cascade and Mar4 a Lt. Walter "Bud" Stonebraker serving in the Pacific; also a brother, Sumner, of John Day, Oregon and a sister, Mrs. Hayden, of Orofino. His mother, Mrs. Minnie Stonebraker, of Clarkston, Idaho, ®also sur$vies him. • 135 Testimony at Stonebraker Inquest Cascade News • April 6, 1945 Volumn XXX Number 22 Coroner Titterington called the witnesses to the stand and they were sworn in. Their testimony, is as follows: DR. K. A. Fu.ITMAN Q. You were called to the home of George Stonebraker last evening? A. Yes, I was. Q. At about what time? A. I can't say. About nine or ten o'clock. That is just a guess. Q. Will you tell the ,jury Just what your findings were when you got . ere? Mr. Stonebraker was dead. He was on his knees with his head cradled on his right arm on the sofa. His knees were on the floor and his head and right am were on the sofa. There was a pool of blood that he was sitting in. There was obviously a bullet hole in his back in the region of his left shoulder blade. I did not disturb the body and today I examined the body and there was quite a few findings. I will take them up in, I think the sequence. There was a groove in the inn,..z surface of the left wrist. I think the arm was flung up in front of the body and the bullet was a mushroom type and having encountered resistance began to expand and white. It entered the left chest, about one inch above the nipple and then went through the heart and emerged in the region of the left shoulder blade. On the left arm just below the shoulder was a clean round hole and the course of that bullet was through the arm, through, the chest until it came to lodge beneath the arm, through the chest until it came to lodge beneath the right arm pit. The first bullet that traversed the • heart was the primary cause of death. Those are the findings. 136 Q. Last evening yca were at the residence of Mr, Stonebraker? 'I A. I was. • Q. Can you tell the jury just about what took place? .A. Nxs. Stonebraker carne up to Mrs. Barney's house in the evening and asked if she would come out. So I went down and got a girl to tape care of the children and we drove oast there. Helen.is a very good piano player and we were out there about in the neighborhood of from eight o'clock, as near as I can estimate, until 10:30. That is as near as I can estimate.. Thelma had been drinking a :little heavier than the rest of us and she went in and put on a long skirt and was putting on an act for the rest of us. She and Betty Lou, her daughter. Betty Lou was kind of copying after her. So Thelma had had enough to drink that she fell down in front of the davenport. I was sitting on the daven- port at the time so I picked her up. George said I had just as well leave her lay there, she was a no -good Hafip. Then she went down stairs, and Betty came back and said her mother was crying. Then we started to eat. We had a table set in the living room. We had chicken sandwiches and coffee and none of us were realy intoxicated at the time and were just having a nice evening. And she came back in, Thelma, that is, and went into the front bedroom. I was sitting on the davenport beside Betty Lou and George Stonebraker was siting opposite the bathroom door in a chair and the first thing I knew I heard a report of this gun and George said, "Oh, my God Thelma," and started crawling on his hands and knees towAr3.me. So at the time I recoVdzed what was happening and I ran and knocked the gun out of Thelma's hands and went back to the davenport and said, "My God Thelma • look what you ere doing." About that time Helen and I got into the 1�l car and came in town for the doctor. Q. (by Vx. Colthorp): Before you knocked the gun out of her hands did you hear a second shot? A. Yes, I heard two shots distinctly,, Q. Did you see her fire the second shot? A. Well, I heard the report. Q. You didn't see her fire the second shot? A. I distinctly saw her fire the first shot. Q. (Mr. Titterington): Had there been any arguments of desription prior to the shooting? A. No, not while we were there. What had l� gone before then I don't know. We just went out to visit for the evening. Every thing was going very fine. Everyone was having a nice time. Q. (Bud Nock): Were there just the four of you there? A. There was Mr. and Mrs. Lou Johnson, Jeff Bentell, he is the hired man on Gearge's ranch and Helen Barney and I. Q. (:r1r. Colthorp): Had the dinner been enjoyed before this happened? A. It was Going on. Thelma was not eating. I had just Cot up and served myself to a second helping when the report came. Q. (Mr. Clemens): George was sitting opposite the bathroom? A. Yes. Q. Was he facing Thelma? A Yes, facing Thelma. He said, 110h rq God, Thelma, " before he realized what the score was. Q. How much time elapsed between the time she fell doam and the time of the ahootine. • A. I couldn't be certain. Q. Was it a few minutes or quite a few minutes? i t_4 A. It seems as though it might be quite a few minutes. . Q. (Mr. Hood): Was she sitting on the stairway all the time she was gone? A. I don't know, I wasn't out there. All I know is what Betty said, her little daughter, that her mommie. was sitting there crying. Q. You were at the home of Mr. Stonebraker last evening? A. Yes. Q. Can you tell the jury just w%#ou saw, what happened? A. From; the time I got theta? a Q. Well, if it has to do with what took place. A. Well, I V ht out there to play the piano for the bunch than were there. And Thelma and her little girl were dreesi+p and playing. We had a few drinks and no one was drum: that I know of and I thought everything was all right. And pretty soon someone said "Where is Thelma" and Betty Lou Said "Mommie is in the basement crying. And George said "Well, shP_ is a nckood Harp," and Thelma came out of the basement and said "Well, George, you always say that I am a no -good Harp." Then she went over and sat down between Betty Lou and Chick Jensen and George said "Betty Lou, you wouldn't want of go with a no -good Harp would you" and Betty said "I want 'to: go with my mommie." I remember her saying that distincAly. Then Thelma got up and went in the bedroom. It is off the front room to the right. Pretty soon I got up, George was in the corner, my chair was like this (shows jury), and I got up and went over to the table and put my plate down and just as I turned around I eaw Thelma standing • in the door with the gun and I saw her fire the first shot and George 139 kind of threw his dish, I think, I was so excited I don't know for sure. I guess ':.f: kind of threw his dish and he started crawling toward Chick Jensen and I guess she must have shot again, I heard another shot and I went out the back door, I couldn't stand any more and I don't know how much shooting she would do. Then I started back in and Chick met me at the door and said, "I wouldn't advise you to go back in there, we will go to town and get the doctor. I don't kn Ii if George is alive or not, but we better get the doctor." We came into town we were coming awfully fast, I hate to even think about that part of it V' OINP- and we Cot into town and in the meantime thatJiiad called Dr. Heitmann and I guess we passed him on the way out and so we tuned around and went back out of the house and Mr. Gardner and Verr Thompson and some men were out there, it seemed like forty peopletj was so nervous. And Thelma was calling Orofino and every time she would Mike a call she would ran over and hug George and tell him she didn't mean to kill him, that she loved him. That is about all that I know. That she kept calling Orofir_o and trying to cold of the sheriff and she kept calling and telling them that she had killed George. I know, I saw every bit of it, it was terdible. Q. (Mr. Colthorp): You saw the first shot fired? A. Yes, I did. Q. Did you see the second shot fired? ". I can't remember, but I heard the report. But I did see the first one. I has looking directly at her. I was standing at the table. THOMAS J. BE, UTEI,L Q. Your residence? A. Out there on the ranch, the Stonebraker ranch. • Q. You work for Mr. Stonebraker? A. Yes. Q. You were at the Stonebraker ranch last evening, were you? A. Yes. 140 Q. Can you tell,the Jury just what you saw, what happened? A. Yes. I was doing; the chores there, starting about 5:30 and finished about 6:15. I wap in the kitchen. They have the cream Iti separator in the kitchen, I was separating; the milk and George and t0a Johnson came home and wanted to know where the cooks were and I told them that they hadn't got there yet, that they were in town, in Cascade, and I finished the chores and set down and had a couple of drinks and George brought out two quarts of whiskey and 1 lgoked at the paper a while and about 7 or 7:30 Yxs. Stonebraker and Mrs. Johnson came and brought Chick Jensen and the other lady that is out there. (Indicating waiting room of mortuary.) So, we had, I had five drinks all evening, not arky more than that, nobody was drunk. They danced until about ten o'clock and about twenty minutes to nine I got a phone call from Boise and on that party line you can't hear, so I came into Cascade to get the message. I left Cascade about five minutes to nine and got back out there about ):`0 as near as I could tell and. everything was going along fine. They were still playing the piano and dancing and started to get some dinner and Thelma, 11rs. Stonebraker went outside and she was gone five or ten minutes and I walked out to see where she was and about that time Lou Johnson came out and Thelma was sobbing and told us that she wasn't going to let George beat up on her again. So we quieted her down the best we could and went back in. Our dinner was "ready, Mss. Johnson had dished it up, the meal, and I went cver in the corner and sat down and started in eating and I was about half way throng# "en Betty wanted to, know where her mother was so she went outside in the kitchen and came back and told her daddy that her mother was crying and George said, "well, Betty you don't want to • go with a no -6good Harp, you stay with ,Daddy." About that time Thelma. overheard George and come into the front room and Betty said that she was going to stay with her mother. So Thelma went upstairs, left 141 the hall door open, the upstairs door, and I heard a suitcase up there at the head of the stairs. She had opened it and throw it • down on the floor and came back down and sat on the davenport with Betty and Chick and she told Betty that she would take Betty with her any place that she went and she, Mrs. Stoncbraker,, got up and went in the bedroom and just as she,` Mrs. StonobTaker, came from the bedroom,.Mrs._Barney got up to take her plate over to the table and she was directly between Thelma and I didn't see her shoot, I heard it, but I didn't see her. Q. Had there been any arguments or quarrels prior to the shooting? A. I.don't know, I didn't hear them. There had been but I had not heard them. Q. How long have you been employed by Mr. Stonebraker? A. One year. Q. (Mr Colthorp)e Did you hear a second shot? A. Yes. Q. Did you see the shooting of the second shot? A. No. Q. You were in the same room;.nd after the first shot didn't you begin to wonder where the first shot came from? A. Yes, I saw Thelma, but I did not see her with the O..,n in her hand until after she had fired the second shot with the automatic. Q. Did you see a third shot or was there a third shot? A. No. Q. (Lynn Knight) how much time elapsed between the first and second shots? A. Not much time, it is hardly noticeable with an automatic. • Q. (Mr. Colthorp) Did Mr. Stonebraker fall as soon as the first shot was fired? A. No, he did not fall. No, he just kind of slid forward. He did not fall. 142 Q. Did you see him start to crawl on the floor? A. Yes, as soon as Chick Jensen knocked the gun out of Thelma's hand she s44rted out for the kitchen and I knew there were two more • guns in the kitchen And I run out there and grabbed her. Q. Had Mrs. Stonebraker,had any arguments with any other members of the party? A. No, none whatever,* Q. (Dr. Leavell) Had they been having arguments, Mr. Stonebraker and his wife, quite a while before? A. Quite a while. Q. A- couple of weeks before? A. I would say a month or two. Q. Did she make any attemp# to get another gun, do you know? A. I don't know, she was headed right where there were two. Q. (Mr. Colthorp) And you interferred, do you think she was att- empting to get another gun? A. Possibly. Q. When Mrs. Stonebraker came out with this revolver, did she threaten anyone else? A. No, she didn't say a word. Q. Mr. Feeney, do you have any questions? A. (Mr. Feeney) None, I wonder where the revolver is? (Mr. Feeney was told that Merlin Francis had it.) BE= KELLEY Q. Yuu were called to the Stonebraker residence last evening? A. I was. Q. Will you tell the jury the nature of the call and just what you found? A. It was just at 10:310 Mrs. Harp was on the switchboard at the telephone office and shed called and I believe at the same time she • 143 must have had Dr. Heitmann on the wire because she was talking to someone else when I answered her and she said something terrz�l$:; had happened at Stonebrakers� and I asked her what it was and she said something terrible and to go on out and to get someone to take the switchboard over. So I stated out and I stopped at the hos- pital to see if the doctor had started and he had, so I went on out and Chick Jensen and Firs. Barney wera in Chicks car and they fol- lowed me in the lane. At the time I arrived there were Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and I can't think of Ge,%::,rge's hired man's name, Beutell, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Jeff and Thelma were there and Chick and Helen followed me into the house. And, at the time I arrived George was almost in a sitting position on the floor, his head and one arm on the davenport. He had bled considerably, and was dead.- Dr. Heitmann had slit his shirt over his shoulder where on bullet had come out. At the time I got there Thelma was in the bedroom with the baby and she came out and wanted to call various numbers. She was hysterical and didn't know udat she Was doing. In herd telephone conversations, whet zer or not she was talking to anyone, and I doubt if she was, she kept repeating, I've shot George, I shot him, killed him, but I didn't mean to do it.,, I believe that is the extent of that. Q. Did you find the gun when you got there? A. Chick Jensen said he had taken the gun away from her and he thought he had tossed the gun toward the hallway and had thOU64 it had gone out there, but he later found that it had krone under the davenport. Q. Did you examine the gun? A. I did not. • Q. You don't know how marry discharged bullets there were. 7 A. No, we found one on the floor. 10 Q. Did Oxa. Stonebraker say anything, or have anything to say to you regarding what happened? f.; A. Nothing that you could call a rational statement. No she was hysterical. Q. Has the ju:L7 any questions? Q. (Mr. Colthorp) Where are those Johnson people? Mr. Feeney explained that the Johnsons were from Walla Walla, that he was a Havolin salesman and that they knew nothing about it as they were in the kitchen at the time of the shooting occurred and that it did not seem necessary to detain theme but they would be available if necessary for the trial. 145 Accused Takes Stand as t-larder Trial Goes Into Fifth Day Cascade News June 22, 1945 Volumn XXX Number 11 Sta•ie Will Cross - Examine Mrs. Stonebraker This Afternoon - -125 Prospective dXtomen Used Before Ju4y Is Completed Thelma Stonebraker, on trial for first degree murder of her husband, George Stonebraker, will be cross- examined by the State this afternoon. The trial which started Monday, consumed nearly three days in paneling a jury. Since that time, it has moved rapidly. Prosecuting the casein Tom Feeney, Valley County prosecuting attorney, and Attorney McCarty of Lewiston. Defense attorneys are George Donart of Weiser and Fred Taylor of Boise. The first witness this feriday morning was Mrs. Jeff Beutel, who testified as to the work done by Mrs. Stonebraker on the ranch and in the trucking business. Mrs. Beutel also testified that Mr. Stonebraker was often out of sorts but that firs. Stonebraker never tallied back to him. 17le Prindle also testified this morning that on one occa^ ion,, in front of the Cascade Auto Co'., that he heard George Stonebraker that she "wasn't going to go anywhere and t ke the child or he would kill both of them." When Mrs. Stonebraker took the stand she refuted much of the testimony of Helen Barney and Chick Jensen. When asked if she ever tch Mrs. Barney "George makes me so mad that sometimes I feel like shooting him," she replied "I did not. S did not disduss my personal life with anyone." Regarding Mr. Jensen's testimony, in which he said lflxs. Stonebraker told him, while she was in the Boise jail, that she knew what she was • doing when she shot 11r. Stonebraker, she replied: 146 "Yes, I heaie that testimony." She then added that she flatly stated to Mr. Jensen that she did not wish to discuss anything re- "f. garding the incident, and told him (Jensen) when he got on the witness • stand not to perjure *himself for her or anyone else. Mrs. Stonebraker also testified that on the evening of the5hoot- ing that she was "coming back through the kitchen door and I slightly knelt over toward him (Stonebraker) and he eaidz "When everyone leaves I will beat you to death." The next I remember I was kneeling on the floor besides Mr. Stonebrakim, there was a room full of people, and Dr. Heitman was standing over him." Mrs. Stonebraker also testified that about two weeks after she had received the beating from Mro Stonebraker at the telephone office "after I had put the youngster to bed, we went into the front room, and I said "Daddy, will you tell me something'?" He said "Yes, if I can." "Miq did you beat me that night at the telephone office, and are YOU sorry?" Stonebraker's reply, according to Yxs. Stonebaaker's testimony, was that he said he was not sorry and "if I ever get mad enough at you again to beat you I will make it a, good one - -I will give you a good beating." The trial officially opened Monday morning, when on that day 60 of the 100 yohiften called for duty, were ordered to report.. This panel, however, was exhausted as were the 4,0 ordered to report on the following day. The tangle of legal gears was enhanced by the feat the sheriffs . all of his deputies and the coroner of Valley County were witnesses in the case and disqualified from summoning prospective jury panels. District Judge A. 0. Sutton surmounted that otacle Tuesday • afternoon by appointing Andy Anderson as special elisor to scour the c county for the additional 25 � LarAZLLWMen who appeared Wed<ztisday. 147 Members of the jury finally selected to hear the case were: X. J. Seamen, Frank Haverin, M. L. Points, Ed Luzzader, Tom J. Strode. Feeney and a special associa & prosecutor, Leo McCarty, of Lewiston questioned veniermen during the nearly three day attem�pt to get a ju•y and Fred Taylor of Boise, and George Donart of Weiser, both state senators, questioned them for the defendant.. A majority of the jurors repliod. "yes'u almost witi�;ut hesitation, whfin they were asked by counsel if they had formed or expressed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant in reading atzput or talking to others about the death of Stonebraker in the couple's ranch home during a dinner party. In asserting that they were biased or had formed definite op- inions which would sway their decision on a verdict, with only few exceptions the jurors told of long friendships, of social and business contracts with the Stonebrakers over a period of marry years. Several of the ben revealed thCy Inae,r Stonebraker since he first came to Valley county from Lewiston, to Co into the trutchixg and contract business and later ranching, and to indulce in his hobby of dog sled racing. Others.said that they knew the attractive defendant !'or a decade or more, since her school days in McCall and later Cascade« She has spent nearly all her life in Valley county. Prosecution counsel asked veniremen if their families included children, and inquired into their age. They also asked if the &ct that • the defendant is a woman would influence them in arriving at a verdict. Helen Barney testified at the trial Wednesday that George Stone- bralcer called his wife a no -good Harp before she left the room to Davis, Cheste Stevens Ralph McDougal, Cecili,iCross, Matt Koskella, Jams Hockaday, John Jasper and Chs. R. Howe, Alternate is George Strode. Feeney and a special associa & prosecutor, Leo McCarty, of Lewiston questioned veniermen during the nearly three day attem�pt to get a ju•y and Fred Taylor of Boise, and George Donart of Weiser, both state senators, questioned them for the defendant.. A majority of the jurors repliod. "yes'u almost witi�;ut hesitation, whfin they were asked by counsel if they had formed or expressed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant in reading atzput or talking to others about the death of Stonebraker in the couple's ranch home during a dinner party. In asserting that they were biased or had formed definite op- inions which would sway their decision on a verdict, with only few exceptions the jurors told of long friendships, of social and business contracts with the Stonebrakers over a period of marry years. Several of the ben revealed thCy Inae,r Stonebraker since he first came to Valley county from Lewiston, to Co into the trutchixg and contract business and later ranching, and to indulce in his hobby of dog sled racing. Others.said that they knew the attractive defendant !'or a decade or more, since her school days in McCall and later Cascade« She has spent nearly all her life in Valley county. Prosecution counsel asked veniremen if their families included children, and inquired into their age. They also asked if the &ct that • the defendant is a woman would influence them in arriving at a verdict. Helen Barney testified at the trial Wednesday that George Stone- bralcer called his wife a no -good Harp before she left the room to 148 return with the gun. She also said that earlier Mrs.. Stone braker rad said "George mares me so mad that sometimes I feel like shooting him." • Another witness, Verne Thopsont who arrived later, said Mrs.: Stonebraker exclaimed, "Whycki.d I: kill him when I love him so? I 4ppe I hang for it." Mrs. Stonebraker, 31, wept several time during the testimony and when prosecutor Thomas Feeney introduced Stonebraker's clothing and bu,*It- shattered wrist watch she broke down completely... She is accused of first degree murder. District Judge A. 0. Sutton orered a 10- minute recess then at the request of Defense Attorney Fred Taylor of Boise. When Firs. Stonebraker re- entered the court room she was calm but her face was drawn and white. Mrs. Barney said that Mrs. Stonebraker asked her to come-to the Stonebraker ranch home the evening of April 2 to play the piano for dancing. A jury was completed early in the afternoon of the third day of the trial after 125 veniremen were examined. Mrs. Barney gave this pictu-re of the tragic shooting which climaxed the party: "Thelma staggered and was about to fall when one of the guests helped her." "Then George said, 'Let her fall she's a no -good Harp..' Thelma cried and said, 'Ytnx always say that.' "Later on someone asked where Thelmaiwas and Betty Lou (the Stonebraker's six- year -old daughter) said, 'Mamma's down in';;the basement crying.' • Thelma came back and said she was going to leave.- Then Betty Lou 149 started crying. George said Thelm wouldn't leave and tole. Betty Loup 'You don't want to go with that no good Harp.' Thelma, was up stairs packing while .this was going on. "Then Thelma came down the stairs. She had a gun and she walked about four feet into the living room. She held it up and shot George. UNIT GET THE BEST E 150 ' Mrs. Stonebraker Acquitted of Murder Cascade News June 299 1945 Volumn XXX Number 12 After deliberating one hour and 45 minutes, a jury of 12 men acquitted Thelma. Stonebraker Saturday evening of the murder of her husband, George Stonebraker. Mrs. Stonebraker immediately burst into tears, crying to the jurors, D10h thank you; thank you." She had been accused of shooting her husband to death at the Stonebraker ranch home last April 2, before a group of guests at a dinner. The defense plea was based entirely on the contention that she was temporarily insane at the time, a condition the defense maid was brought on by Mrs. Stonebraker's prolonged fear of her husband. A first degree murder conviction could have meant death by hanging in the old Idaho penitentiary at Boise, or it could have meant life imprisonment. Prosecutor Thomas Feeney did not state to the jury in his closing argument whether he recommended the death penalty in the event of a first degree conviction. "I hop >^ you don't free her," he told the jury. "I think she is guilty beyound a reasonable doubt." District Judge A. 0. Sutton presented his instructions to the jury and it retired at 3:50 pe i4. He told the jurors that fear alone on the part of rIrs. Stonebraker was not a valid reason for acquital. Judge Sutton said the jury had five posaible verdicts returnable. They were first degree murder, second degree murder punishable by imprisonment of from 10 years to life, and voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, either of which is punishable by imprisonment for a maximum of 10 years, or it could acquit. r: 0 i L.. � 4 e Members of the jury were M. J. Seaaman, F=& Haverin, M. L. Points, Ed Luzzader, Tom J. Davis, Chester Stevens, Ralph McDougal., Cecil Cross, Matt Koskella, James Hockadayr, John Jasper arzd Chas P. Howe. Alternate was George Strode. • 151 152 Woman Attempts Suicide Cascade News August 9, 1916 Volumn XXX • Number 12 Attractive 32 -year -old Thelma Stonebraker Harrington who was acquitted of the murder of her 52 -year -old husband# George Stonebraker, at Cascade last year is in a Council hospital suffering from what Sheriff Ray Phipps said was a self -- inflicted bullet wound. Mrs. Harrington was shot in the left shoulder with a .22 caliber pistol. Her condition is not serious and she is expected to be released from the hospital in a few days. Phipps said Mrs. Harringrton's 28- year -old husband of six months, Afton Harrington, told him that Mrs. Harrington shot herself Tuesday night but gave no reason. Mrs: Harrington was charged with murder by Valley county auth- orities after her husband, George Stonebraker, was shot to death before guests at a dinner and dancing party at their ranch home near Cascade April 29 1945. Abused, Her Defense Stonebraker, well -to -do trucker and cattleman, was accused by defense attorneys of being a domineering; and brutal husband." Mrs. Harrington's defense was based.on the contention her mind went "teporarily blank" during the shooting as a result of threats and beatings by her husband. Tile defense made no attempt to deny the actual shooting. The Stonebrakers had a seven- year -old daughter, Betty Lou, who Phipps said was living with her.,mother and Harrington, a truck driver. Phipps said they moved to Council about three month ago.