Stephan Spring
Cincinnati Daily Times, Wednesday, 16 September 1874, page 2
Yesterday in our report of the shooting of Stephen Spring, we unintentionally made a mistake in regard to bail. We were led to the error from information we supposed correct and not having time to investigate the matter, being of the opion that after the death of Spring had occurred, a larger amount would be required.
We have since been made acquainted with our error and hasten to correct it. Mr. Glenn was not required to give more than the bail he first gave, $3000, and had be been required to do so, would easily have given any amount. After the death of Spring, he came of his own accord and asked if more bail was required. His attorney, Oliver W Root, informed him by authority, that it was not.
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Cincinnati Daily Gazette, Wednesday, 16 September 1874, page 4
Yesterday morning about 5 am young Spring died at the house of his parents, where he had been conveyed. The house is a humble frame cottage, standing high up off the street, and is approached by a flight of about ten dangerous wooden steps. His parents are plain and poor and are of English orgin. Our reporter inquired of them if their son had made a statement of the unfortunate affair before he died. The mother said that he had given no detailed account of it but one of his companions, Michael Welsh, who was with him when he was shot, was in a back room, and he could tell all about it.
Walsh made the following statement, which is certainly very "thin" and at variance with the facts as they are set forth by others;
"Monday morning, between 10 and 11 am, Steve Spring and myself were coming down the Alexandria pike toward the city and to make a short cut, thereby avoiding the dusty pike, we started through the grounds of Mr. Glenn. We had been in there only a few moments when we were hailed by Mr. Glenn, who ordered us to leave his place. We told him what we were doing and Spring told him that he would not stay in the 'damned place' any longer than he could help. At this remark Mr. Glenn turned and ran up the hill into the house, and a few moments later came running back with a pistol in one hand and a cane in the other.
We were by this time at the fence and climbed into the adjoining field, not Mr. Glenn's. He said something about our not coming back. We were then some distance from him and Spring went back to explain how we had started through his grounds. When he got clear to him, he (Glenn) reached over the fence and struck him on the head with the cane three times, then took aim and fired at him.
Spring turned and ran toward me, about 300 feet, then fell, exclaiming, 'I'm shot.' Mr. Glenn then came to him and asked him, 'You ain't hurt, are you?" I answered for him and said 'Yes, he is and you shot him, you know you did.' He then began to excuse himself by saying that he had done it in self-defense, and showed me some rocks lying near by and claimed that Spring had thrown them at him. He ordered his wagon and helped me put Steve in it. I held Steve's head and he drown down to his home. He died this morning at 5 am.
Our reporter question his mother before leaving, as to the character her son had borne. She said his character had been an inviable one and that a better son could nowhere be found.
In yesterday's issue we said that these same two with two companions, Tom Manague and Joe Gallagher, one of the notorious band of so called "Forty Thieves" had been annoying and insulting peaceful and inoffensive farmers within houses and other on the pike. This statement was stoutly denied by Welsh and also that they had bottles with him. Our reporter called upon the party to whom we referred, Mr. John Dietrick, a German farmer, living several yards in the rear of Mr. Glenn's residence.
He having gone to the city to consult a doctor and have his wounds dressed, our reporter interviewed his wife.
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Cincinnati Enquirer, Thursday 17 September 1874, page 7
The wounds inflicted upon the leg of the farmer, John Dietrick by young Spring and his associates, Monday morning, are of no special seriousness.
The Grand Jury of Campbell County accuse James M Glenn of the crime of manslaughter committed as follows: The said James M Glenn on the -- day of September 1874, did willfully kill Stephen Spring, by shooting him with a pistol loaded with powder and ball and discharge the body of said Stephen Spring, inflicting thereby upon him a mortal wound of which, he died, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. W W Cleary-Attorney for the Commonwealth. Witnesses_Thomas Monague, James Gallagher, Mike Walsh, Dr. Thornton.
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Cincinnati Daily Times, Friday, 18 September 1874, page 1
In the Criminal Court yesteday, James N Glenn, indicted for manslaughter killing Stephen Spring, gave bail in the sum of $3000 for his appearance before the next term of said Court.