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The Murder of Anna Wiese | ||
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EVENING TIMES REPUBLICAN |
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1894 | |
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HEADLINES APRIL 11, 1894 SEEKING TO SAVE Testimony Introduced to Refute the Terrible Charge Against Mrs. Bennett Her Son, Arthur Sherlock, Subjected to a Most Rigid Cross Examination A Niece of Defendant Tells About the Waist and the Arrest TUESDAY AFTERNOON CONTINUED Cross examination of Mrs. Hooper - I have been to Mrs. Bennett's a good deal since the murder; don't know Mr. Siza (?). The tree we gathered cherries from was north of the house; gathered about a pail full of cherries; don't remember seeing Arthur Sherlock. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett were both at home when we left Saturday evening. Saw stain on Sunday on door below the knob; don't remember that the knob was stained; the spot was about as large as a half dollar. On Sunday there was no one there but Mrs. Bennett. What I noticed on the screen door was not a stain; it was a substance. I don't know that she had a doctor before the murder; I noticed the week before the murder that in picking cherries she could not reach up with her left hand and pull down the limbs. Mr. Bennett had not brought up the cows when we left Saturday evening. Redirect - When we were at Bennett's on Sunday I did not see any bloody clothes around, or blood on the house; on the day of burial I saw cuts on the front finger of Anna Wiese; I noticed the cut on the neck; it looked as though it had been cut by the point of the knife being up and handle lower. Mrs. Bennett seemed to be free to discuss the murder. John Hooper testified - Know the Bennetts; Mr. Bennett is a farmer, and threshes in the fall; Mrs. Bennett's health has been declining for a year or two; she seems to be old and feeble as she goes around the farm. I was there the Saturday of the murder; Mrs. Bennett was in the house most of the time; Mr. Bennett sat by the side of the tree and was sick; Arthur Sherlock took the team and went away. Went home about 7 o'clock and Mr. and Mrs. Bennett went into the house; I did not notice any excitability about Mrs. Bennett; saw no unnatural actions; she had on a dark and plaid dress. The grass east of the place of murder was not very tall and the weeds were not very thick nor tall; they would not hide a grown person standing up; saw persons in there a day or two after the murder and the grass and weeds come up to about the thigh. I stopped at Bennett's on Sunday as we went home; defendant seemed natural; she was not shy about talking of the murder; talked about it in a serious way. I saw no effort to secret anything; saw no blood stains anywhere about the house; at time of murder could just see the chimney peak of the roof of Arthur Hill's house from Bennett's cow yard. Cross - Sold Bennett the farm he lives on about five years ago; I have no more interest in the defendant than any other neighbor; I went to look from the cow yards towards Hill's to see how it was; have known Bennett fourteen years and this was the first time I ever saw him lying around sick; didn't see much of Mrs. Bennett that day (Saturday); Mr. Bennett didn't talk much. I meant to be understood that Mrs. Bennett seemed to be old and decrepit and that she is failing. Mrs. Hooper recalled to testify on cross examination - The tree we gathered the cherries from was very high; we drove the wagon under the tree and stood upon boards across the box; the cherries were ordinary wild cherries; some were quite ripe. Arthur Sherlock sworn - Am the only child of defendant; am 22 years old; was (?) years old when we moved on the farm; my mother was taken sick about two years ago and has been out of health since; has had rheumatism in her shoulder; she has been bothered with her right shoulder slipping out of place since I can remember; in putting on a cloak we always help her; when she does work up even with her shoulder she is bothered down low; she can work well, she does the house work and takes care of the milk; she never worked in the field with me; when she has brought out water she has pitched up hay a little. I knew Anna Wiese; she was not at home much, but worked out; she was about five feet seven, and appeared to be quite a strong girl; she used to stop at our house once in a while; while I knew her Melvin Park and Albert Isenhart waited upon her; I never was in her company alone; never went out with her; I was at No. 5 school house ; she went out before I did and I went by her; I did not nudge her; she did not call on me at our place. We had a surprise party at our house; mother had no feeling on account of that party; I went to two or three parties where Anna was; I saw her last alone the Sunday before the murder; she was at our house when I came home; got home about half past six; she was in the road south of the house talking to mother; she spoke to me; told me where she had been the day before; I was watering the horses while she was talking to me; mother was standing by; I went to meeting at No. 5 that night; Anna went away before I did; went towards Hill's. She was not in the house that evening; I never had a conversation with her in our kitchen in which was relating to her a circumstance in which she had (?) relations with a young man; my mother never spoke to me about going with Anna nor against my going with her. While Hoopers were at our house on Saturday I was hauling manure; in the evening I did my usual work. On the evening of the murder Anna was not mentioned; after doing my work I went to Green Mountain; as I started I saw father driving up the cows; I got the mail and brought it home; in coming home, as I passed Hill's, I heard voices and saw a light in the house; drove on home; put up my horse and went into the house; my father and mother were in bed, my father spoke to me when I went in; I did not see my mother or hear her speak; I went upstairs to go to bed and had not retired when the alarm came that Anna was murdered; I had been in the house but a very few minutes; heard the call twice and went down stairs; saw father standing at the door; mother was in the bedroom; my father did not have a pair of overalls on; mother said I should go and search; I went upstairs and when I came back mother was out in the room in her night clothes. I went out and got a horse and went to the place of the murder; Horace Hill went down with me; I went up to the body; Horace Hill started back and did not go up to the body right away; I then went with Horace Hill to arouse the neighbors. The hair was down on Anna's shoulder. I saw as many as twenty-five persons go across the fields (?) of the place of the murder; I went home about sun up; mother had on a wine colored dress Saturday and had on the same dress next morning. I did not see any blood around the house next day; never noticed any. I never saw or know my mother to wash any bloody clothes. I have seen the waist in evidence; haven't seen her wear that waist since last April - a year ago; I saw the metal button on there then. She had her wrist poisoned when she wore the waist; she doctored her wrist for poison; she did not wear it after last spring; don't know what became of the skirt. From the cowyard at the time of the murder you could not see the roof of Arthur Hill's house. Saw scars on the hands of Anna Wiese, noticed the wounds on the neck. I attended the funeral. Other people than my mother thought Isenhart committed the murder. I was at home on Wednesday when they were searching. We had our cattle dehorned in April, 1893; they passed through the gate west of barn and were in the yard; there were several spots on the fences and sheds around; I did not see fresh blood on the gate on the 26th of Aug. I don't remember having seen blood marks on the gate; have seen stains on it; it was a light brownish color; don't remember whether the stains were on the gate before the 26th of Aug. or not; the barn was painted last summer and other things were painted; the threshing machine was the last thing painted; also painted water tanks; the last was done in June. I was present when Barney Schultz got the hair; saw him there on a Sunday; he wanted to know what time I got home the night of the murder; he stayed about half an hour; when he came for the hair we were eating dinner; he stayed about an hour, and I went away after he got some of my hair; did not see him get hair from my mother. She has never refused to answer any questions asked her in my presence. (Witness shown the knife) That is my knife; traded for it; it was in my overalls pocket on the night of the murder; found it there the next Monday morning; it had no blood on it; I had another knife; did not have it with me the night of the murder; never knew of my mother having a knife; when she was arrested Pence and Yeager and another man came; no one made any objections to searching the house; mother was sickly at that time; she took down sick after the murder; I got medicine from Gladbrook; don't know that mother threw any of the medicine away; when she was in jail. I went for a doctor; the sheriff furnished a doctor for her; I think she was sick. Such clubs as the one found near the body can be found in nearly any grove around there. Cross - I never knew my mother to have a doctor for her arm. I have been in the kitchen with Anna a good many times; can't say whether twelve or fifteen times; may have been with her alone in the kitchen a few times for a few minutes; don't remember of Anna coming to our house on any day except Sunday; saw her nearly every Sunday evening; remember the day mother came before the grand jury; she complained the next day. It is about four miles from our place to Green Mountain; I stayed there quite awhile; can't tell what time it was when I left Green Mountain; don't know what time I got home. I looked at the gate after I heard they found stains there; found one there, an old stain; it was a brown color. After I had been outside talking to Hill I came in and my mother asked me what the matter was. Iva Bundy testified - Am a niece of Mrs. Bennett; live with her; have been there since October; my aunt was sick. I saw this waist; Mrs. Shattuck brought it down stairs with the dirty clothes; I washed it in hot water and soap; there was no blood in it; no blood came out when I washed it; it is not different now, only cleaner; Mrs. Bennett first saw I had washed it when I was going to iron it. I did not put it in the trunk. I was at Bennett's when she was arrested; they sent me out of the room; the day Mrs. Bennett was arrested this waist was hanging in a room upstairs. Cross examined - I went to Bennett's on the 13th of October; did the washing on the 17th of October; no one reminded me of the dates; I first thought of it after the arrest; I saw the waist hanging up in the room every morning when I went up to make the beds; didn't remember how many buttons there were off other garments; happened to see the buttons on this garment and noticed the metal button; they asked me about the buttons on this waist and I told them; it did not look as though it had been used recently; I can't tell how I came to remember about this garment. |
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1894 Continued with the Following Headlines: SPRANG A SURPRISE A Witness Put on the Stand by Defense That Few Knew Of He is Dr. Taylor, Chief Microscopist of the United States Government Supports the Expert Testimony of Mr. Ricker, Examined This Forenoon What Microscopial Examinations of Various Samples of Hair Revealed EXPERTS ON THE STAND Maurice Ricker Tells of His Microscopial Investigations of Hair - A Distinguished Witness Testifies. Expert evidence was the order of the day in the Bennett murder trial today. Maurice Ricker, instructor in the science department of the Marshalltown schools, and as bright and clean a young man as ever occupied the witness box in a court room, was on the stand all forenoon. He is one of the principal witnesses for the defense. He became interested in the case several months since and was employed some time ago by the defense. His investigations have been pursued with scrupulous care and exactness and are supposed to be of much value. The cross examination of Mr. Ricker was rigid and exhaustive, consuming a large portion of the day. During the past week spectators have observed an aged gentleman sitting in the east part of the bar enclosure, quietly but closely watching the progress of the trial. He is a large man, with a short, rather grizzly beard, wears glasses and is 73 years old. Many have wondered who he is and what he is here for. The gentleman referred to is Dr. Thomas Taylor, chief microscopist of the United States government, and government expert in hairs and fibers in counterfeit notes for the treasury. He is a Scotsman by birth and has been in the employ of the government for thirty-three years. (Through the microfilm process, the first column starting here has again been slightly cut off, but we will do our best to fill in the words according to content if possible) He became interested in the Bennett-Wiese case through correspondence that Mr. Ricker had with department of microscopy, of which he is chief, and came here to assist in the investigation, voluntarily taking the time out of his regular annual furlough of thirty days, and has been subpoenaed as a witness for the defense. Dr. Taylor has had hair of the principals in this case for many months and has subjected it to careful microscopial examination, and brought a great many drawings and illustrations with him. His testimony is expected to support that of Mr. Ricker and form an important factor in the defense of Mrs. Bennett. He has also made tests for blood on the gate and on the waist introduced in evidence by the state. Dr. Taylor was put on the witness stand shortly after 2 o'clock this afternoon, and his testimony, while being replete with technical and scientific terms, was clear and terse. He is evidently a man that thoroughly understands what he is talking about and there is no fear of his becoming rattled or mixed up. When the fact of his identity and the distinguished position he occupies became known it created a good deal of surprise, and it is quite evident that the defense has scored a material point in the information furnished by this witness. There is no abatement of interest in the trial, and the court room is densely crowded at every session. The idea of holding night sessions has been abandoned. As it was not considered practical. The evidence submitted today is appended:
WEDNESDAY MORNING Prof. Maurice Ricker testified - Am a teacher in the Marshalltown high school; have used microscope for years; have had some experience in examining hair; have never examined human hair until within the last four months; have made an extended examination of authors on the question. I understand the tests for blood and the ingredients of blood; have examined the hair said to have been found in the hand and on the breast of Anna Wiese; have examined hair of Anna Wiese that came to me from Dr. Cottle and said to have come from the head of Anna Wiese; also hair that I took from the head of Anna Wiese myself. It is not possible in the present stage of science to identify hair as coming from the head of any one person. I cannot tell whether the hair is human or whether it is from an animal. I cannot identify hair because I know of no man who would identify it; the color is made up of the various colors constituting the hair; it all varies in size, even one hair does; all that has been cut loses its pointed ends, splits and frays; split hairs are found in heads of males as well as females. My observation is that hair will pull out by the roots and not break off. The hair adduced in evidence found in hand and on breast of the victim shows one root and the color varies from a Vandyke brown to a light color; the large hairs are (?); the hairs found on the shoulder gauge larger than those in the hand. I am not able to tell how many colors are in the samples; each hair varies in color; I did not find any red hairs among (?) (?) do not understand there being any such thing as red hairs - there are brown in different shades; what is (?) called red I call some shade of brown. I did not find any characteristics common with the hairs found on the breast or in the hand and those of Anna Wiese; there is a difference in the average diameter of the hairs found on the breast and in the hand and the hair of Anna Wiese. The hairs on Mrs. Bennett's head are smaller than those found in the hand and on the shoulder of the girl; I cannot by measurement determine whether the hairs came from the head of Anna Wiese or Mrs. Bennett. (Beginning second column of article now and can see it in full) I found nothing in the hair of Mrs. Bennett and Anna Wiese as to splitting, etc., that are characteristic of either hair; the hairs found in the hand and on the breast were cut and not broken off. I found no characteristic as to construction in the hair of Mrs. Bennett or Anna Wiese. I examined many thousand hairs from the head of Anna Wiese; I found them split; out of 243 hairs examined I found 140 split; found them split back half an inch. I examined a great deal of Mrs. Bennett's hair and it is split and frayed; the splits were about half an inch; I could not find any difference in the fraying and splitting of hair from Mrs. Bennett and those of Anna Wiese. I know of no characteristics that are distinguishing in any of the hair. A spectroscopic test is reliable in discovering blood; microscopic and Guac tests are not considered reliable alone; the Guac test will bring up a blue test immediately if there is blood; the value of the test is determined by the time in which the test will respond. I tested the waist and am not able to say it contained blood. I examined it under the microscope. Found no corpusles or hematin crystals. If the garment was washed with hot water and soap it would have set the blood, had there been any upon it, and it could have been discovered by the microscope; it should have been visible to the naked eyes. The Guac test would not be reliable under the circumstances above stated as to the garment. I examined the board in the gate and could not tell what the stain was; if they were blood stains they were not recent; can't say whether they were as recent as Aug. 26, 1893. I found on other boards what looked like this stain; could not discover any difference by chemical action. I found in the cow yard a great many stains that had the appearance of recent blood. Where there is flour, starch or gluten in the article tested the Guac test will produce the blue immediately and will intensify; blood will do the same. (A number of photographs of the hair of Anna Wiese were here introduced.) Hair on different parts of the same head vary in color and the same hairs are different in color and lighter at the outer ends. Cross - I have taught chemistry two years; am 24 years old; do not claim the title of professor; have made no special study of human hair until this case; could not swear to the color of the hair; Anna Wiese's hair is brown, so is Mrs. Bennett's; I can't say whether they are of the same shade; I examined several thousand hairs from each head and can not tell any difference in color; saw no constrictions in the hair of Mrs. Bennett; do not know whether hair tapers from the head out or tapers the other way; there was not much difference in the diameter of the hair of Anna Wiese and that of Mrs. Bennett. The hairs I examined from the head of Anna Wiese came principally from the coil; in this I found the split hairs; I cannot identify hair by color; the color cannot be as well discovered by a microscope as by the naked eye; you can't identify hair by splits - no two hairs are split alike; color is a characteristic, while splitting is not characteristic. I don't know whether constriction is characteristic, I have not examined the hair found in hand and on breast only through the glass plates that inclose them. In every case where the same peculiarities existed in the hair in the hand and that of Mrs. Bennett I would not say it was characteristic. I didn't examine the fuz and fibers in the hem of the garment; I wouldn't say but that Dr. Cottle found blood in the fuz and fibers. I spent about two hours examining the waist. I cut out four to six pieces from the waist to make the Guac test; it revealed the blue color; I can tell very little about the age of a blood stain. Hematin is not soluble; blood corpuscles are a yellow color; when viewed in a body they have a red tinge, they give the blood its red color; after about ten days it is impossible to tell the ages of a blood stain. Redirect - A hand dampened with blood will dry inside of five minutes so it will not stain. Mr. Wilbur called my attention to some hair on the hands of Anna Wiese at the time her body was exhumed and we took it out and put it in an envelope. I told Caswell of the incident as we came home, and so far as I know that was the first he knew of it.
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