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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.