ARTICLE :
BURKITTSVILLE MAN CRITICALLY WOUNDED
A 33-year-old Burkittsville women is being held in Frederick County Jail in connection with the shooting of her step-father-in-law outside of his Burkittsville home.

State police arrested Mrs. Evelyn Jeanette Eakle after she allegedly shot GEORGE EDWARD WISE, 66, in the abdomen with a .22 caliber revolver.

Wise is listed in critical condition at Frederick Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Eakle is being held on $10,000 bond in the Frederick County Jail on charges of assault with intent to kill and firearms violations.

State Police said an argument developed inside the Wise residence around 8 p.m. They said Wise ejected Mrs. Eakle, but the fighting continued outside the home.

State Police said that Mrs. Eakle took the revolver from her car and shot Wise once in the abdomen while he stood in the street in front of his home.

Source : The Morning Herald Newspaper - Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland - Wednesday, January 10, 1973


ARTICLE :
BURKITTSVILLE GUNSHOT VICTIM DIES THURSDAY
State Police said Thursday they were waiting autopsy bresults before deciding whether to press other charges against a 36-year old Burkittsville woman accused of shooting her step-father-in-law Jan. 9.

GEORGE E. WISE, 66, of Burkittsville, died early Thursday at Frederick Memorial Hospital. He spent a week in the hospital's intensive care until after having been shot in the abdomen outside his home.

State police arrested Mrs. Evelyn J. Eakle immediately after the shooting. She was charged with assault with intent to kill and released on $10,000 bond.

Police said Mrs. Eakle shot Wise once in the abdomen with a .22 caliber pistol after a lengthy argument in his home. They said Mrs. Eakle obtained the pistol from the glove compartment of her car.

Source : The Morning Herald Newspaper - Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland - Friday, January 19, 1973


ARTICLE :
FREDERICK WOMEN FOUND GUILTY IN SHOOTING DEATH OF FATHER-IN-LAW
After deliberating throughout the afternoon a Circuit Court jury Wednesday convicted Evelyn J. Eakle of manslaughter for shooting to death her step-father-in-law in January.

County State's Attorney Robert S. Rothenhufer had asked the jury to return a verdict of first degree murder against Mrs. Eakle, who had admitted shooting 66 - year - old GEORGE WISE in the doorway of his Burkittsville home.

Judge Samuel W. Barrick postponed sentencing Mrs. Eakle, 33, until a presentencing investigation is complete.

Mrs. Eakle admitted shooting Wise when she took the stand in her own defense Tuesday. She said Wise had cused and beaten both her and her 12 - year- old son, Walter.

Mrs. Eakle said she shot Wise with a .22 calibre target pistol she had in the front seat of her car.

"I was two or three feet away from him and he was part way through the door and it looked like he was choking Walter when I shot him," Mrs. Eakle told the jurors.

Mrs. Eakle testified she went to the Wise home to tell him that his wife's uncle had died.

The boy had earlier testified that Wise had beaten both he and his mother and had followed her to the car after pushing her from his home.

Walter Eakle said Wise returned to the house and began cursing and choking him. "I screamed for my mother," young Eakle said. "He took me out of the house hitting me. He had a hold of me and at the screen door I jerked away from him and the gun went off."

Charles W. Eakle, husband of the defendant and a step-son of the victim, testified he had forgotten to take the gun from the car after he had returned from hunting foxes.

Eakle also said that his step-son had red marks around his shoulders when he returned to his home from the Wise residence.

Several defense witnesses testified that Wise had a reputation for having a violent temper.

Prosecution wiotness Mrs. Hattie Wise, the 77 year - old wife of the victim, testified Tuesday that her husband had not beaten his grandson and had only pushed Mrs. Wise out of the door.

Mrs. Wise testified that Mrs. Eakle told Wise, "I did not come here to shooy you.

Mrs. Wise contradicted earlier testimony by the defendant that Wise had been drinking the night of the shooting.

She also testified that she couldn't offer a motive for the shooting and said she had not been aware of any "bad blood" between her husband and the defendant.

State Trooper Victor E. Wolfe testified that Mrs. Eakle told him she shot Wise from her car and had said, "I meant to kill him. He can beat on me, but not on my kids.

Source : The Morning Herald Newspaper - Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland - Wednesday, March 1, 1973


OBITUARY :
GEORGE E. WISE, 66, husband of Hattie Rohrback Wise, died at the Frederick Memorial Hospital Wednesday.

He was born in Middletown, the son of the late George and Edith Long Wise.

He was a veteran of World War II and a member of the American Legion of Brunswick.

Besides his wife, he is survived by three step-daughters, Mrs. Hilda Dean of Braddock, Mrs. Geraldine Webber of Cumberland and Mrs. Frances Foster of Burkittsville; two step-sons, Charles Eakle and Ralph Smith, both of Burkittsville; five sisters, Mrs. Naomi Cameron of Middletown, Mrs. Helen Desenberg of York, Pa., Mrs. Dorothy Plunkert and Mrs. Eleanor Welty, both of Frederick and Mrs. Madelyn Strickler of Dover, Pa.; four brothers, Milburn Wise and Charles Wise , both of Middletown, Calvin Wise and Oscar Wise, both of Frederick; 20 step-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at the Gladhill Funeral Home in Middletown on Sunday at 2 p.m. with the Rev. James Painter officiating.

Burial will be in the Boonsboro Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 7 to 9 tonight and Saturday.

Source : The Morning Herald Newspaper - Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland - Friday, January 19, 1973