The Murder of Anna Wiese
Green Mountain, Iowa

EVENING TIMES REPUBLICAN

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 1894

HEADLINES

APRIL 10, 1894

LINKS IN THE CHAIN

Many Witnesses Testify to Mrs. Bennett's Peculiar Actions After the Murder

The Relations Between the Wiese Family and That of Defendant

Story of Hair Found In the Girl's Hand at the Last Disinterment

MONDAY AFTERNOON, CONTINUED

Dr. Devine recalled - I treated Anna Wiese in the month of April, 1893; she came to my office; never went out to see her; she was at my office twice; treated her for indigestion. She was narrow chested, stooped and round shouldered; she was strong at the time; I saw her last of April. There is a very little relaxation of muscle after death.

Cross - Muscles are contracted in violent deaths; she was quite slim and tall; I would not say she was more than ordinarily well developed; she had a stooping gait.

Maud Stover recalled - While I was in jail Mrs. Bennett threw medicine away; she took two or three doses and threw the balance away; said it did no good.

Cross - I am not trying to get a pardon; never have tried to get parties to get me out of jail. It is not with a hope of getting out that I tell what I do; have received my sentence and expect to stay it out. The medicine was in a bottle.

Mrs. Mary Wiese sworn - I am Anna Wiese's mother; Anna was 20 years old. I met Mrs. Bennett at Russie's; she kissed me; she never kissed me before; Mrs. Bennett was at our place one afternoon before Anna was killed; she wanted to know why Anna did not come and see her any more; Anna said Arthur Sherlock was mad at her; they were at our place after the murder; Mrs. Bennett talked about the murder; said she could not do the deed any more than my little girl could; gave them a lunch; this was on the 2nd day of December. I was there about two weeks after the murder; I asked what Arthur thought about it; she kind of moaned and said he was scared about it; said she could not say much, she had to go to Marshall; said Anna need not step in the snow now. We gave them some hair that we found in Anna's trunk. I have Anna's drawers and undershirt that she had on when she was killed; they were washed when they came to me (the clothes here introduced.)

Cross examination - I know that Mrs. Bennett was not a very good friend to Anna two years ago; we were friendly with Bennett's when we moved over to Gladbrook. I went to see Mrs. Bennett twice after Anna was killed; she wanted me to come in and eat, but we went over to Low's. She treated us all right. I did not tell Mrs. Ernst that Mrs. Bennett thought lots of Anna and Anna thought lots of Mrs. Bennett. I came to see Mr. and Mrs. Binford soon after Anna was murdered. I talked with them about the murder.

E. C. Foster recalled - I talked with Mrs. Bennett on Wednesday. She said she was up to Mr. Russie's and laid her out; or helped to lay her out. She talked of the terrible gashes in her throat and I told her it must take a pretty strong nerved woman to look at such a thing; she said she had the nerve to do it. On the Sunday before the murder she said Anna passed by her house and she called to her to come in, but she made no answer. When she said that the last words she heard Anna say was "good night"; it was in connection with another conversation.

Cross - Mrs. Bennett told me that when Anna went by she did not say a word to her, but passed on to Low's.

A. E. Wilbur testified - Am an undertaker; was present when the body of Anna Wiese was disinterred; it was about January 5; Caswell, Ricker and Rubie were present; I opened the casket; could see the hands when the casket was opened; there was some hair in the hands; the hands lay cross the body; there was about one quarter inches of mold on the fingers. I pulled the hair out of the fingers. I pulled the hair out of the mold. I would say the hairs came from between the fingers; there were fifteen or twenty hairs; they were put in an envelope and given either to Caswell or Prof. Ricker; Caswell was present when the hair was found. Prof. Ricker asked me to go to the grave. I took the hair personally.

Cross - I didn't think the hair could have been dropped there; part of it was in the mold and part was not; I said to Ricker "there is some hair in the hand - had we not better get it?" and he said "Yes." When I took the hair out I asked for an envelope and marked it; Pence did not come to me about the hair.

Sarah Nickerson sworn - I talked with Mrs. Bennett at the grave of Anna Wiese on day of funeral; did not know her; she said "I told Anna on Sunday she had better let Isenhart alone or he would do her some bodily injury, and Anna replied that he had never taken her about.

D. E. Waters testified - Am city marshall; was at Bennett's house soon after the murder; examined the door casing and knob; this was on Friday after the murder; looked at both doors; there was no stains on the knob or casing; saw Mrs. Bennett put both hands up to her head and fix her hat on last Saturday.

Freeman Wurtemberg testified - Anna Wiese worked at my place; came the 4th of March, 1893; was there I think nine weeks; she did not prove to be very healthy while at my place; was doctoring part of the time; brought her once to see Dr. Devine; got medicine once. She was a little slow in movement; she had been at our place three or four weeks when I brought her to Marshall; I got medicine for her in about three weeks after that time; she did not feel able to lift heavy weights.

Cross - She worked but part of the time; she did not get well before she left our place; left there the fore part of May.

John Zink - I talked with Mrs. Bennett Sunday morning after the murder; she talked about the murder; went on and told how Isenhart abused the stock; she seemed to think Isenhart had committed the murder.

Ella Roberts - I saw Mrs. Bennett at E. N. Hill's soon after the murder on Wednesday; she was very excited; came very fast; I think she came from home on the run; she came in and said she believed they had Isenhart and believed they were going to hang him; said she told Arthur to go up there; she wanted him to see what young men came to that did such deeds. She did not go out of the house, said she heard some one coming down stairs on the morning of the murder, about 2 o'clock, and she thought it was Isenhart and was so scared that she fell on her knees; said she didn't know what made her feel so strange, as she had never done the girl any harm; she seemed very much excited. I knew Anna well; her hair was not red nor hardly auburn.

Cross - Defendant came to E. N. Hill's; could not see the place of murder; Mrs. E. N. Hill, Mrs. Arthur Hill and myself were the only person's present at the time she came. The people were excited; I don't know of anything personal to her that would cause her to be excited.

Redirect - Mrs. Bennett seemed much more excited than the others.

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 1894 Continued with the Following Headlines:

THE STATE RESTS

Evidence for the Prosecution Closed at An Early Hour This Afternoon

Concluding Testimony Largely Corroborative - Nothing Especially New Developed

Defendant Manifests No Apparent Concern In the Shifting of the Scene

Public Opinion Divided Upon the Weight of the Testimony

CLOSED THEIR CASE

The State Rests and Evidence for Defense Now Being Introduced

More rapid progress is being made in the Bennett murder case than was anticipated some days ago. The state closed shortly after the convening of court at 1:15 this afternoon, Mr. Carney, the prosecuting attorney, citing a few recognized authorities on the value of circumstantial evidence pertaining to hairs, fibers, blood stains, etc., such as are relevant to this case. The public has its opinion regarding the strength of the case made out by the state and is very free to express it. Sentiment is divided. Many assert that the evidence adduced is far from conclusive, while others declare that it looks dark for the defendant. Mrs. Bennett is the same impassive, unchangeable figure as the phase of the trial turns from aggressive to defensive as she has been throughout. There is no look of exultation, not even of confidence - nothing to indicate the feeling within. Her face is an open book, but it is as a book that is as yet to have the first word printed upon its blank pages.

The attendance is not a whit diminished, and new interest attaches to the trial, now that the turning point has been reached. Evidence submitted today is given herewith:

TUESDAY MORNING

Dr. Cottle recalled - I examined the hair of Anna Wiese to find fibers similar to those found under the finger nails, but found none.

Question by Mr. Carney - "After examining the hair from the heads of the two women, was the hair found in the hand of Anna Wiese the hair of Mrs. Bennett?"

To this question the defense objected, as being a matter for the jury to decide and not a question for an expert to testify to. The motion was sustained and the witness was not allowed to answer.

I did not notice any dissimilarity in the hair found in the hand of Anna Wiese and the hair of Mrs. Bennett. I have owned and used a microscope for thirteen years. The work of Marshall D. Ewell is considered a standard scientific work.

Cross - I know that scientists say that you can not absolutely identify hair by microscopic examination; if there was a difference in the two specimens of hair that I was examining and studying I couldn't see what it was. I could not tell from what head certain hair came unless I knew the characteristics of the head from which it came; certain heads have characteristics peculiar to themselves. Hot water will not remove blood as well as cold water.

Mr. Rowe testified - I was at the scene of the murder at about half past ten, very soon after it happened; was at home when heard it; live about half a mile away; live north of Henry Russie's. The girl's hair was partly down and partly done up; it was down on the sides. It was about a rod between the posts to which the wires were stapled; could depress the middle wire about six to eight inches.

S. W. Ruby testified - I helped to disinter the body of Anna Wiese, Jan. 4 or 5, 1894; also in October; in January Caswell, Ricker, Andy Wilbur and myself were present; the coffin was taken out of the grave.

The witness was excused and not examined further on account of objections to the line of questions.

Ed Beebe - Live near Russie; I received a button from Philip Russie and gave it to Alva Nicholson. (Recognizes button)

Mrs. Low testified - Am the wife of T. P. Low; was with my husband the evening of the murder; spent the evening at Jackson's; met Anna on the road as we went between 7 and 8 o'clock; came back by Russie's at about 10 o'clock p.m.; was notified of the murder about 11 o'clock. As we went up we met Anna in the road; saw Henry Russie at his home and saw the Knight boys; as we came back saw Anna at Hill's; I could recognize her.

Cross examination - As we passed the place of the murder could have seen a person standing if there had been any one; even the horse did not shy or scare; I did not see any one in the field; I got out of buggy south of the house; went into the house; my husband came in before I retired; I retired in about ten minutes after my husband came in; went up stairs first and my husband soon joined me, and we retired.

B. F. Glass sworn - I hauled cream last summer; hauled from Bennett's; went there three times a week; the cans I hauled in I had in the wagon; parties would keep the storage cans; have seen defendant handle cans of cream that would hold about four gallons, and would weigh 45 pounds; have seen her take them out of barrels of water; the cans had bales to them; she would take hold of the bale with both hands and lifted the can clear of the barrel, which was about three feet high; in warm weather I went there three times a week; she would sometimes have one can and sometimes two.

Cross - The barrels were set up on a platform.

Mrs. Jennie Hill - I had known Anna Wiese two years; she was not very strong and was doctoring; she lived with us about seven months; she became acquainted with Isenhart while at our place; he visited her two or three times.

Geo. W. Sprecker, recalled - I saw Mr. Bennett the morning after the murder; saw a scratch on his face; it was on the nose; it was a light scratch; on the point part of the nose; it was near an inch and a half long; it was a recent scratch.

Cross - Mr. Bennet was feeding a threshing machine the day before.

Bessie McKarrol - I knew Anna Wiese; I know Mrs. Bennett; talked with Mrs. Bennett at her house nearly a year before the murder about Anna. Said she did not like Anna very well; she was too hot after the boys; I talked several times; called at her home about two weeks after the murder; she said she could not see who could be so cruel as to kill that poor, innocent girl.

Cross - She didn't express any personal animosity; I don't know what she meant by the remark; when they met they seemed to be friendly towards each other.

Mrs. Eliza McKarrel - I have talked with Mrs. Bennett about the stains found on her waist; she said there were no stains on the waist, except red paint; told me this at her house about a month after her arrest; she said it was the waist that had been taken from her.

Cross - She did not tell me she had kept it with her soiled clothing and that it might have been stained from them.

James Boulds - Live in Grundy county; was at place of murder the following Sunday morning; saw Philip Russie find a button; we were following a trail through the grass; went east to first cross fence and then turned south and we lost it near the fence, on line north of Bennett's farm; saw two pond holes on the trail; they were dry; the trail went between the pond holes; the trail was an opening through the grass; there were some weeds; the weeds would hide a person at a distance. The trail was where some one had gone through the grass; all we could see was the grass parted; when we came to Bennett's field it was a pasture and the grass was so short we could not follow it; lost the trail near the line fence; it was early in the morning. I did not see any one in the field before we went there.

J. R. Knight sworn - I went north on the road between sundown and dark; met Anna just north of the culvert, south of Henry Russie's house.

Mrs. Laura Hill testified - Am the wife of Arthur Hill; Anna was at our house on the night of the murder; she left about fifteen or twenty minutes after Low passed; there was no one about the house but myself and husband; she went north. My husband was notified of the murder; he was upstairs; he went to the spot of the murder; he locked the door; called to me when he came back and I unlocked the door. Anna had been gone about ten or fifteen minutes when Perry Grigg came. I saw Mrs. Bennett at the funeral; saw her on Wednesday; she was at Father Hill's; she appeared very much excited; she wanted some one to go with her on top of the hill north of the house; said there was a lot of men over there; that they had Bert Isenhart over there; she wanted to see them put up the poles; wanted to see him hung; said she wanted her son to go and see it and take warning; she went home in about fifteen minutes; she went very fast. Mrs. Bennett told me she wouldn't have Anna in the house; said Anna asked her at one time what she should do about her health, as it was not right; told me that while she was at S. K. Ernst's she was pregnant; it was more than a year before the murder she told me this; said she was a girl of bad character; said she wouldn't have her at her house on account of Arthur Sherlock, her son. I saw her go through a wire fence on Wednesday after the murder; she laid down and rolled under; I saw her one time go through a wire fence by picking up her skirts and stepping through between the wires.

Cross - I have no personal feeling in this matter. Horace Hill is a relative of mine by marriage; Smelser is a nephew; my brother and Smelser are in Cass county. I was before the grand jury; did not swear there that Mrs. Bennett could see Anna sitting in our house from her cow yard that night; did not swear that Mrs. Bennett could hear Anna talk at our house from her house. We went down to Father Hill's and stayed, because he was at Marshalltown on the grand jury. I have not tried to throw suspicion off our street. I did not charge this upon the Hill boys and say they could not control their passions; I did not hold secret consultations with Horace and my husband in the grove, and did not avoid people. John Zink worked for Father Hill in October. Mrs. Bennett told me about Anna, about her condition when at Ernst's; said it was told to her by Anna's mother.

E. N. Hill sworn - Live near the scene of the murder; heard of it quickly after it was done; I was abed and asleep; did not go out after supper; Arthur and Horace did the chores as usual. I did not know Smelser was at our place; I went to bed about 9 o'clock. One of the boys told me Anna Wiese was murdered; saw the body.

Frank Knight testified - Went along the road the night of the murder; met Anna; saw a man in Bennett's pasture; he was on horseback; I saw him southeast of the scene of murder; from my observation I would say it was Mr. Bennett.

Mrs. Sarah Hill called - Am the wife of E. N. Hill; know Mrs. Bennett; saw her Wednesday after the murder, at our house; she was very much excited; she came over to our house to have us go with her; she said they had got the wretch and she wanted to see the poles go up and see him hung. Two years ago I heard Mrs. Bennett say she would not have Anna in her house.

The state offered the work of M. D. Ewell, medical jurisprudence, and also Taylor's medical jurisprudence, in evidence. Extracts were read to show that scientific investigation had established the fact that hair and fibers examined by microscope constituted important testimony and that it was a conceded scientific fact that hair could be traced to individual persons.

At this point, 1:20 p.m., the state rested the case.

Evidence for Defense - TUESDAY AFTERNOON

 Anna C. Hooper testified - I live 1-1/2 miles from Bennett's, southeast; lived there five years; have known defendant four years; have neighbored with her and am well acquainted with her; know her disposition and health. I knew Anna Wiese when I saw her; she was about the build of myself and two or three inches taller; I would say she was heavier built; she would weigh about 135 or 140 pounds; saw her in the winter before the murder; she looked healthy at that time; I am five feet and five inches tall; I had to look up to her to talk to her; I was at Bennett's the evening of the murder; went there between 3 and 4 o'clock and remained until sundown; we were picking wild cherries; Mrs. Bennett helped us some, but was in the house most of the time. Bennett did nothing; he was sick; when we came away they went into supper; she had on a wine colored dress. She did not have on the waist in evidence here; Arthur Sherlock was about the premises, I think, but could not say where he was; I was not in the house; Mrs. Bennett went back and forth from the trees to the house; she picked cherries; they stained our hands; the stain was a dark red; I was there the next day; defendant was there; she had on the same dress as on the day before; there was no blood on her dress; I saw on the screen door something below the knob, something that I took to be cherry butter; if there had been a spot of blood there I don't know as I would have seen it. Mrs. Bennett did not seem more excited than others. I went to the scene of the murder; did not see the body; there were a good many people at Mr. Russie's house; went to place of murder about 1 o'clock. I know Mrs. Sprecker; she was at my house a few days before; was called to the grand jury and she asked me if Mrs. Bennett told me that Anna did not go into the house on the Sunday before the murder; I told her that I inferred from her telling me that she refused to take tea with her that she did. I have noticed Mrs. Bennett has been poorly for two years; she did not use her left arm well; I would say she was failing fast in health; at the time of and just before murder she was sick and complaining; she did not work in the field; at the time of the murder you could see from the cowyard at Bennett's only one side of the roof and cornice of Arthur Hill's house; could not see a person in the yard at Arthur Hill's. The grass in the field east of the place of murder was one and a half to two feet tall and very scattering. I saw Mrs. Bennett at the jail; she was not well the day I saw her; I could not be mistaken. I would say that Anna Wiese was an ordinarily strong girl.