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CHARLES kRNST KILLING OF JU[.IUS RFBERK
Cascade News ----
Killing on Sheep Creek
Vol. III January 18, 1918 #43
Peliminary Hearing of Char1.7s Ernst
Vol. III January 25, 1918 #14L4
Sheriff Coes to Florida 1t
Vol. V April 18, 1919 #4
Murdey Trial Set for Thursday, July 31
Vol. V July 25. 1919 #18
Charles Ernst Trial is Set for Monday
Vol. V Ault 1, 1919 #19
Trial of Charles Ernst
Vol. V August 8, 1919 #20
Second Degree MUrder
Vol. V August 15, 1919 #21
Ernst Case Appealed
Vol. V October 10, 1919 #29
Ernst Asks for Review of His Case
Vol. VI May 21, 1920 #9
Frances Ernst Makes Another Confession
Vol. VIII April 15, 1921 #4
Frances Ernst Pardoned
Vol. X April 11, 1924 #3
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Killing on Sheep Creek
Cascade News
January 18, 1918
Volumn III
Number 43
otik
Charles Ernest Held at Salmon Cit for Shoot �� be
y ing Julius Burben-Valley
County Sheriff Goes After Prisoner.
fee4thJuliusen was killed by Charles Ernest on Sheep Creek, in
Valley county, about 80 miles northeast of Cascade near the Lemhi
county line, some time in December. Ernest is now in jail at Salmon
City, awaiting the arrival of Sheriff P. C. Sherrill of Valley county,
who started for Salmon City Tuesday morning to bring the prisoner to
Cascade where his preliminary hearing will be held.
The telegram, which was received by the authorites at this place
Sunday evening, did not give any of the particulars of the tragedy,
not even the date upon which the killing took place,
It is not expected that the sheriff will be able to make the
trip to Salmon City and back much short of ten days.
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Preliminary Hearing of Charles Earnest.
Cascade News
January 25, 1918
Volumn III
Number 44
Sheriff P. C. Sherrill returned Monday evening froia Salmon City,
county seat of Lemhi county, with Charles Earnest, charged with the
killing Julius Reberk, by shooting, at Reberk's residence on Sheep
Creek in Valley county on the 18th of December.
Earnest is having his preliminary hearing before Probate Judge
Kimball at this place today. At the hour of putting this number of the
News on they press, the divorced wife of the prisoner, who was the
first witness called for the State, had not concluded hrer teatinmony.
There are several witnesses yet to be examined.
The prison?r, a man of about 31 years of age, was accompanied to
Cascade by his 4-year old son. He was divorced from his wife last
November and the killing is claimed to have been the sequel of.family
troubles.
It is said that the divorced wife of Earnest testified against
him at the coroner's inquest, furnishing the principal evidence upon
which the answer to the charge of murder.
106
Sheriff Goes to Florida.
Cascade News
April 18, 1919
Volumn V
Number 4
Sheriff Edward A. Smith took his departure Wednesday morning
for Ybor City, Florida, to bring back to Valley county Mrs.. Earnat,
who was principal witness for the State at the preliminary trial of
Charles Earnst, her divorced husband, charged with the killing of
Julius Reberk, on Sheep Creek in the extreme eastern portion of Valley
county on Dec. 18, 1917. The cars° is expected to come to trial at
the next texas of the district court.
Craig Smith is acting as deputy sheriff during the sheriff's
absence from the county.
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107
Murder Trial Set for Thursday, July 31.
Cascade News
July 25, 1919
Volumn V
Number 18
Judge Charles F. Reddoch will convene an adjouned session of .
district court for Valley county on Tuesday next, July 29th..
The trial of Charles Ernst, charged with the killing of Julius
Reberk, on Sheep Creek, in the extreme eastern portion of this county
on December 18ih, 1917, has been set for trial on Thursday, July 31st.
Frances Cooper, the divorced wife of Ernst, who was the principal
witness for the State at the preliminary trial, and who is now also
being hold to answer a similar charge to that against her former
husband, will be placed on triad immediately following the conclusion
of the case against Charles Ernst.
Prosecuting Attorney R. B. Ayers returned home last Saturday
from Lamhi county where he spent several days investigating the
evidence in connection with the cases.
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108
Charles Ernst Trial is Set for Monday
Cascade News
August 1 1919
Volumn 9
Number 19
Judge Charles F. Reddoch and Irving Smith, official court
stenographer, arrived Sunday evening from Boise and district court
was convened Menday morning.
The first day was devoted to the hearing of motions andr demrrere,
and the dismissal of what was commonly known as the Donnelly-Roaeberry
"Dag Case," which was settled by agreement.rof parties, the defendant
paying the costs.
The case State vs. Charles Ernst, charged with murder, was set
for Monday owing to the fact that defendant's attorney and witnesses had
not arrived from Lemhi county. The jurors in attendance were excused
until Monday and the court ordered 47 additional jurors to be drawn
and Fred Driggs was appointed by Ju gat Reddoch as special deputy to
summon the jurors, as both the sheriff and coroner were disqualified
by having been indorsed on the information by the State as witnesses
in the case. It is believed the trial will consume most of the week.
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109
Trial of Charles Ernst
Cascade News
August 8, 1919
Number 20
Volumn V
Absorbing Interest of Community- - -Will Not be Concluded Before Monday
or Tuesday of Next Week.
Frances Cooper Testifies for the State Against Her Former Husband
Defendant Placed on the Witness Stand in Own Behalf.
The trial of Charles Ernst who was charted with the murder of
Julius Reberk in Valley county on December, 1917, is now in progress
and will probably not be concluded before Monday or Tuesday of next
week.
The state is represented by Prosecuting Attorney R. B. Ayers
of Valley county, and the defendant by L. E. Glennon of Salmon City
and T. S. Risser of Boise.
A jury for the trial of the casewas secured just before the noon
adjounment of court on Tuesday, after the examination of about seventy
men who had been summoned.
The jury is as follows: J-.es Darkwood, Fxd Hall, F. H. Wallace,
B, E. Himler, Thomas Moore, P. G. Hanson, William Barker, Edwara. Cole,
W. A. Spickelmf.re, Douglas Yenson, Shelby Connor, W. A. Bean.
There has been in attendance thirty witnesses for the State and six
for the defense, most of them from Lemhi county.
Frances Cooper, divorced wife of Charles Ernst and against whom
a charge of murder is also pending, was the principal witness for
the state. She related in a thrilling recital the circumstances of
the killing of Reberk by the defendant, the burial of the body at
night and subsequent developments that resulted in Ernst being arrested
for the crime. Upon cross examination, a letter written by the
witness while in Florida, in which she confessed that she, instead
of Ernst, fired the fatal shot that ended Reberk's life, was intro-
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duced by the defense.
The evidence on the part of the prosecution closed at noon
Wednesday.
Counsel for the'defenee placed Ernst on the stand Wednesday after-
noon, who has testified that Frances Cooper, his former wife, shot
Reberk, relating at length his presence at the Reberk place at the
time of the t•yagedy and his subsequent determination and efforts to
shield the woman from the consequences of her crime because she was
the mother of his child.
Ernst is under cross-examination at the time this brief account
of the trial is being put in type.
The attendance at the trial has been so large every day that the
seating capacity of the small room which court is being held will
but little morethan accommodate the ladies preset.
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111
Second Degree Murder
Cascade News
August 15, 1919
Volumn V
Number 21
Verdict of Jury in the Charles Ernst Trial--- Frances Ernst Pleads
Guilty to Charge of Manslaughter.
Charles Ernst Sentenced to Serve from 10 to 25 Years in State Pen-
itentiary and His Former Wife Given 5 to 10 Years.
In the gray dawn of Tuesday morning, when the jury filed :!.nto the
court room and delivered a verdict of murder in the second degree,
against Charles Ernst, charged with killing Julius Reberk in this
county on the 18th day of December, 1917, there ended one of the most
remarkable murder trials that has ever been held in Idlho.
The hearing of the evidence was concluded Saturday. Arguments
by County Attorney Ayers for the prosecution and L. E. Glennon of
Salmon City, and I. S. Risser of Boise, representing the defendant,
occupied the day Monday. Judge Charles F.-Reddoch finished reading
the instructions of the court to the jury a little after eight o'clock
Monday evening and the twelve men upon whose verdict depended the
future of Charles Ernst, retired for their deliberations.
The jury having arrived at a verdict at 4 o'clock Tuesday
morning, at 4 o'clock Tuesday morning, Judge Reddoch was called
from his bed and going to the court room ordered the jury brought in,
when the following verdict was delivered by F. H. Wallace, foreman
and read by the clerk:
"We the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the
second degree."
There,were only present when the verdict of the jury was re-
ceived, the emit officers, counsel in the case and the defendant_.
Upon dismissal of the jury, Judge Reddoch announced that a
recess would be taken until four o'clock in the afternoon
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Upon the xe convening of court Tuesday afternoon, the defendants
attorneys waived their right of further procedure in thefcase, where-
upon the court pronounced sentence upon Charles Ikennt, committing him
to the state penitentiary for not less than 10 nor more than 25 years*
Following immediately upon the singeof- aentenee upon: e/varles----
Ernst, her formerhusband, against whoa she had testified as principal
witness for the State, Frances Ernst, was arraigned upon a complaint
filed within the previous hour by the prosecuting attorney, charging
her with the crime of 'manslaughter."
Being informed by the court of her right to be xepresented, by cauhi
sel and statutory time ale might demand, the defendant promptly %mimed_ -.
such right and expressed a desire to plead to the charge filed Meet
her. The complaint then being read by the clerk, the defendant
entered & plea of guilty.
Prosecuting Attorney Ayers then addressed the court briefly,
calling attnetion to the fact that the State had depended upon the
evidence of Frances Ernst of secure a convfiion of Charles Ernst,
referring the court to the usual practice, as he understood it, of
courts in such cases.
The judgment of the court was then pronounced upon the defend-
ant, Frances Ernst, that she be sentenced to the state penitentiary
for a period of not less than fivey nor more than ten years.
The prisoners were taken by Sheriff Smith to Boise on Wednesday
morning's train, to been serving their sentences..
The crime for which Charles Ernst and his former wife Frances
Ernst are now paying the penalty, was committed at, the Reberk ranch
in the far eastern Feet of Valley county on the morning of the 18th
day of December, 1917. Frances Ernst, known as Frances Cooper, from
whom Charles Ernst had, obtained a divorce only a few weeks before,
was living with Reberk in his isolated cabin,,on Sheep creek where the
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killing took place. It was not until almost a month later that an
investigation of the sudden disappearance of Reberk from the community
resulted in a confession from the woman that Charles Ernst had commit-
ted the murder and that the dead man had been buried at night in a
nearby field. She subsequently told where the body had been buried
and related the gruesome pariculars of the tragedy in detail.
The crest of Charles Ernst followed at Challis, Idaho, a few
drays later. He was turned over to the sheriff of Valley county and
had his prliminary hearing before Probate Judge L. S. Kimball at this
place on the 25th of January, 1918, which resulted in his being held
for trial on the charge of murder. During more than two years foll-
owing he was practically at liberty, working in the lfging camps
at this place and McCall, reporting to the sheriff from time to time.
He contracted a second marriage during the past winter. His present
wife has a son about the same age as the son of his former marriage,
who is now five years old.
Frances Ernst, whose evidence, strongly supported by corrobor-
ative testimony, resulted in the conviction of Charles Ernst, left
the state shortly after the preliminary trial, going to the home of
her parents at Tampa, Florida. During the past winter she wrote
letters to P. M. Kerby, former prosecuting attorney, revealing her
place of residence, making a confession that it was she, instead of
her former husband, killed Reberk, and offering to return.to Idaho
and accept the consequences of the crime, if a railroad ticket and
money for other traveling expenses should be sent of her. At that
time she repudiated the truth of these statements and testified along
the same lines as.at the first examination more than two years ago,
when her evidence resulted in Ernst being held for the crime. Some
time later Sheriff Smith was given expense money by the commissioners
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of Valley county and brought the woman back.
When placed on the witness etand in his own defense Ernst admitted
that he was present and witnessed the killing of Reberk, said he was
covering the man with a revolver in defense of his own person, when
the woman fired the shot that ended Reberk's life.. He admitted that
he remained at the cabin with the woman two day and nights after the
killing and -said he had afterwards tried to shield her because she
had been his wife and was the mother of his child..
The prosecution based its case largely upon the theory that a
cores piracy existed between the man and woman against the life and
property of Reberk, introducing code letters that passed between them
and other circumstantial evidence in support of that contention.
The State used 14 witnesses, those .from Lemhi haveing traveled
nearly 600 miles coming and going. The cost of the trial to Valley
county will be approximately $5,000..
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115
Ernst Case Appealed.
Cascade News
October 10, 1919
Volumn V
Number 29
Notice has been served on Prosecuting Attorney Ayers of Valley
county, that an appeal has been taken to the Supreme Court, in the
matter of Charles Ernst, who wn.s convicted at the August term of
District Court of the murder of Julius Reberk.
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116
Ernst Asks for Review of His Case.
Cascade News
May 21, 1920
Volumn VI
Number 9
Attorneys for Charles Ernst filed transcripts Saturday in the
tvpreme court asking that body to make a review of the case. Ernst
was convicted by a jury in the district court of Valley county,
Judge Charles B. Reddoch presiding, of murder in the second degree, on
August 12, 1919, having been charged with killing Julius Reberk
on December 18, 1917. &mst is :now serving a sentence of 10 to 25
years in the state penitentiary.
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117
Frances Ernst Melees Another Confession
Cascade News
April 15, 1921
Volumn VIII
Number 4
Now Says that She Fired the Shot That Killed Reberk. Stories of
Ei,fats Materially Differ.
The state board of pardons Tuesday refused to grant pardons
to Charles and Frances Ernst, formerly husband and wife, who are
serving time in the Idaho penitentiary for the murder of Julius
Reberk in the extreme eastern part of Valley county in December,
1917. Both applications are to be held over by the board until the
July meeting. The decision of the board followed an all -day meeting
in which varying confessions concerning the killing were:taken
from Mr. and Mrs. Ernst.
Mr. Ernst was sent to the penitentiary from Valley county in
August, 1919 on the testimony of his former wife, who said that her
husband was guilty of the killing.
Mrs. Ernst was incarcerated in the penitentiary on her own
plea of guilty to a charge of manslaughter and appeared before the
board but refused to tell her story in the absence of the governor.
Subsequently during the session Wednesday morning in the gov-
ernorls office Mrs. Ernst confessed that she had done the killing
and that her testimony to a Valley county jury to the effect that
her husband was the guilty one was not true.
Mt. Ernst appeared before the board at the penitentiary in
the afternoon but refrained from talking much because his attorney
was not present. The story that he told, however, to members of
the board about certain events is at variance with what his wife told
concerning the same incidents. He asked that he be allowed to fully
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present his case at the duly meeting of the board.
T. S. Risser, a Boise attorney, who defended Charles Ernst in
is trial, also made a statement before the board when it was in
session in the governor's office. He referred to two letters written
by Mrs. Ernst from Florida, where she went :after the preliminary
hearing of the ease against Charles &sl t was held at this place.
These letters were addressed to F. M. ,Kerby of Cascade who had
formerly been prosecuting attorney of Valley county. In each of
these, according to Mr. Risser's statement, she said she killed
Reberk and in the second she gave all the details.
"Mr. Lisser also mentioned a fact," says the Statesman's
report, "which in the opinion of the pardon board, is the key to
the whole difficulty. When Mrs. Ernst caws, back from Floriia to
participate in the trial of her husband, it it alleged that a certain
officer influenced her to try to 'stick' her husband so she would
get off lightly."
In her confession before the pardon board Ers. Ernst gave an
accont of herself and husband homesteading in a wild and almost
inaccessible part of Lemhi county. She described her life there as a
"prison." Reberk finally came along and after becoming acquainted
with Mrs. Ernst told her that if' she would divorce her husband he
would marry her. This, she said, she did and went toil live with
Reberk, who refused to marry her. rrnst beard where his former wife
was and went to Reberk's cabin, arriving on the day that Reberk and
Mrs. Ernst were having a quarrel.
At this point the story as told by the two inmates of the peni-
tentiary varies. Mrs. Ernst says that.:Reberk went out of the cabin,
saw Ernst outside and same back threatening to kill her for telling
her former husband where she was. He reached for a rifle from the
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wall and .a scuffle ensued in which she took the weapon away from him and
the two scuffled outs the door together into the yard. Here, according
to Mrs. Ernst, she feed herself from Reberk and in a stooping position
fired at him without placing the rifle to her shoulder.
Her husband's story of this incident is entirely differiit. He
confessed to the pardon board that he gave his wife a rifle after
she and Reberk came from the house. He stated, however, that he
thought he took all the cartridges from the magazine but carelessly
must have overlthoked one. He says that the shot from which Reberk
died was fired from behind him as he was advancing toward Reberk.
Charles Ernst will be represented at his hearing before the state p
pardon board in July by Attorney D. 14. Cox of Cascade, who has been
retained in the case.
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"Frances Ernst Pardoned"
Cascade News
April 11, 1924
Volumn X
Number 3
At the April meeting of the State pardon board. Frances
Ernst, who plead guilty to manslaughter in galley county in
August 1919, was granted a pardon.
She wishes to marry and leave the country.
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