The Murder of Anna Wiese
Green Mountain, Iowa

EVENING TIMES REPUBLICAN

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1894

 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1894

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1894

HEADLINES

SEPTEMBER 1, 1894

THE BENNETT MURDER CASE

The greatest unsolved murder mystery in central Iowa - the Bennett-Wiese case - comes on for a second trial in Marshalltown in a few days. The former trial last spring was peculiarly unsatisfactory in that a long and expensive controversy ended in a hung jury and no verdict. In a case of such unusual expense that result was exceptionally disappointing to the taxpayers and also to the people who wanted to see a decided result reached one way or the other.

Doubtless Mr. Carney, county attorney, and Mr. Boardman, special counsel, would have been glad to dismiss this case if justified in doing so. No one appreciates more than they the hardship on taxpayers of trying expensive case without result. They would not plunge the county into a second trial if they had not some new evidence or did not feel that justice requires the submission of this matter to another jury. It is quite apparent also that the defense is not satisfied to have Mrs. Bennett remain unacquitted but is confident that she is entitled to an absolute acquittal and determined if possible she shall get it.

In this aspect of affairs there is nothing to be done with the Bennett case but to try it again, cost what it may. Expense must not stand in the way of justice, whether it shall take the form of acquittal or conviction. No community can afford to count the cost of enforcing the law against great crimes and allowing them to pass when the enforcement become expensive. Nor can it afford to bring grave charges against individuals and let the doubt and uncertainty of a trial ending in a hung jury hang over a defendant who may be entitled to a verdict of not guilty. There is every reason to believe this second trial will determine the very right of the matter and end in a positive decision for or against Emily Bennett, as the proofs may require.

THE BENNETT CASE

That most mysterious and baffling of Iowa murders - the Bennett case - comes up for retrial in Marshalltown Sept. 6. While no one can say just what the facts are it seems likely that important new testimony will be introduced by both the state and the defense. Everything indicates that the second trial will be fully as hard fought as the previous one, and will very likely surpass it in the sensational surprises and interest shown.

Will the great mystery of the murder of Annie Wiese be cleared up? Will a decisive and satisfactory verdict be reached at last, demonstrating Emily Bennett to be unquestionably guilty or innocent? These are the questions heard everywhere and in seeking to answer them at the earliest possible day the TIMES-REPUBLICAN assures its readers they shall have a full, faithful, unbiased report of the proceedings from day to day.

HEADLINES

SEPTEMBER 4, 1894

DISTRICT COURT

No Jury Cases Yet - Motion for Introduction of New Witness in Bennett Case, Etc.

Judge Weaver arrived from the north at 7 o'clock last evening and commenced court an hour later. A few probate cases were disposed of and court was adjourned until this morning. Members of the petit jury presented themselves for duty yesterday morning, but as the court was elsewhere and it was Labor Day, they put in the time looking around and observing how rapidly Marshalltown is growing. The grand jury went out and inspected the poor farm Saturday, finding everything in first class condition. A few unimportant cases were disposed of this forenoon and no jury cases called. Members of the jury were excused until Thursday.

Motion was argued this afternoon on behalf of the state relative to the introduction of new witnesses in the Bennett murder case, which, if allowed, will furnish the defense cause for a continuance if they desire it. It is understood that the grand jury has about finished its investigation of cases submitted and will make final report this evening.

HEADLINES

SEPTEMBER 6, 1894

BENNETT CASE BEGUN

The Second Trial of This Celebrated Case Commenced Today

Work of Examining and Empanelling a Jury New In Progress

Not So Difficult As Anticipated - Brief History of the Case

THE BENNETT MURDER CASE

Work of Empanelling a Jury Begins this Morning - Good Progress Made

A jury will be secured and testimony will be introduced in the Bennett murder case yet this week. It is possible that the jury box will be filled before court adjourns this evening. That is the prediction of Judge Weaver himself. Mrs. Bennett, her husband and he saw Arthur Sherlock with a few friends, were promptly on hand when court convened this morning. The accused occupied her old position at a table in the east part of the bar enclosure. There is nothing stoical in her demeanor. She appears perfectly calm and more than ordinarily confident. Her counsel have been materially strengthened by the addition of Mr. J. L. Meeker, who takes the place of Mr. O. L. Binford, the condition of the latter's health preventing him from taking an active part in the case at this time. Mr. Meeker's abilities as a lawyer are too well known to require any extended comment. He has practiced law very successfully for the past thirty years, having been admitted to the bar in Chicago in 1864. For over a quarter of a century he has resided in Marshalltown, having a large practice during that time. He is in the vigor of life and goes into the case to win.

Up to 3 o'clock this afternoon twenty-nine of the special venire of sixty-five jurymen had been examined and nearly half of them were excused. The defense had at that time exhausted four of the ten peremptory challenges allowed, and the state the same number. The court room was fairly filled with spectators during the day, but the jam that characterized the former trial throughout is lacking. It is quite probable, however, that the crowds will be largely augmented after introduction of testimony.

SYNOPSIS OF THE CRIME

Most readers have long been familiar with the known facts in connection with the Bennett-Wiese murder case. In order, however, that new readers of this paper may have a clear understanding of this remarkable case, and that the minds of all may be refreshed upon the principal facts and features, a brief synopsis of the crime is herewith given:

Anna Wiese was the unmarried daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wiese, residing near Gladbrook, in Marshall county. Her age was about 22. Her parents are Germans, but Anna was American born. The family was in but moderate circumstances but respectable, and stood well in the estimation of the neighbors. For some time prior to her death, Anna had been employed in the family of Henry Russie, whose wife is an invalid. Russie lives about four and a half miles north of Green Mountain, in Vienna township, Marshall county. About half a mile south of Russie's place is the home of Arthur Hill. On the evening of Saturday, Aug. 26, 1893, Anna Wiese went over to Hill's about dusk and remained until 10 o'clock, when she started to return. She was alone. The moon was at the full and shone with a radiance that made the highway and surroundings appear almost as distinct as in daylight. At about two-thirds of the distance between the houses of Arthur Hill and Henry Russie a broad, flat-slough crosses the road at right angles. It is some twenty rods wide and on the east side of the highway was grown up at the time with tall grass and weeds. The latter also abounded on either side of the road, the weeds being as high as a man's head. Anna had proceeded about one-third of the distance across the slough when some person or persons, who had evidently been lying in wait by the roadside, suddenly sprang out upon her. Henry Russie was doctoring a sick horse that night and he and his hired boy, Perry Griggs, heard several piercing screams from the direction of the slough. They at once surmised that it was the voice of Anna and hastened to her assistance. When they reached the spot she was dead and her assailant had disappeared. The neighborhood was at once aroused and the remainder of the night and several subsequent days and nights were spent in an exhaustive but vain search for the murderer.

The crime was one of the most fiendish and at the same time most mysterious ever committed in the state. The poor girl was literally butchered. Her head and arms had first been beaten and battered with a maple club, then she had been repeatedly stabbed in the breast and back with a knife and finally her throat cut from ear to ear, the head being nearly severed from the body. The community was thrown into a frenzy of excitement by the bloody tragedy, and hundreds of armed men scoured the country bent on wreaking summary vengeance upon the assassin if he could be found. It was not known that the murdered girl had an enemy. She had a lover, however, in the person of Albert Isenhart, a young barber of Gladbrook. The report was soon circulated that the pair had quarreled and that Isenhart had uttered threats against the girl. This was deemed sufficient evidence of his guilt and had he been found any time within twenty-four hours of the murder he would have been shot down in his tracks. But fortunately for the young man he was at Rolfe, Pocahontas county, as the time the crime was committed, and easily proved an alibi. He was subsequently arrested but was soon afterward released. Large rewards were offered for the apprehension and conviction of the murderer, and Governor Boies took an active interest in ferreting out the criminal. An amateur detective named Hutchins subsequently enlisted the aid of Sam K. Ernst and caused the arrest and incarceration of Arthur Hill, for the murder, but without sanction or warrant from the officials. Hill was discharged, afterward filed information against Hutchins and Ernst for kidnapping, false imprisonment and slander, and Hutchins was convicted on the former charge and served a six month sentence in the state's prison.

In the meantime the case began to assume a different phrase. Suspicion was directed against the family of Silas Bennett who live about a mile directly southeast of the scene of the murder. Mrs. Emily Bennett was strongly suspected of having committed the foul deed through jealousy. She has a son, by a former marriage, Arthur Sherlock, by name. He is a young man about 22 years. It is claimed that Mrs. Bennett feared there was too close an intimacy existing between Arthur and Anna, and also between the latter and her husband. The desire or determination to end this intimacy is alleged as the motive for putting Anna Wiese out of the way. Many circumstances seemed to point towards Mrs. Bennett as the murderess. Tell tale bloodstains were discovered upon the Bennett premises, and other apparent evidences that all was not right. The one particular point, however, upon which the case seemed to hinge, was the fact that a few hairs were found grasped in the dead girl's hand. These hairs resembled the hair of Mrs. Bennett. They have been the nucleus or central factor around which all the circumstances of this remarkable case have clustered. A waist from which a button was missing, a similar button being found near the place of murder, was picked up also in Mrs. Bennett's house - there were stains of blood on this garment and it has figured largely in the testimony adduced. Eminent experts on hair and blood have testified at great length and in minute detail in the case and about 150 witnesses were examined at the former trial. Mrs. Bennett was indicted for murder in the first degree by the Grand Jury at the October term of court last fall. She was arrested on the 9th of November and lodged in the county jail. Her bond for appearance at the January term of court was fixed at $10,000, which she gave after being in jail a few days. Twenty-two of the neighbors of the accused were sureties on her bond. When the case was called for trial the defense filed a motion for a continuance to the March term, claiming they were not ready for trial. This was granted. Upon learning that the case had been put over half of Mrs. Bennett's sureties withdrew from the bond, which of course made it invalid. Another bond was speedily furnished, however, most of the signers being those who qualified on the original bond. The case was tried at the spring term of court, occupying nearly three weeks. Every inch of ground was stubbornly contested by able counsel on both sides and it was certainly an exhaustive trial. County Attorney J. L. Carney and H. E. J. Boardman were then as they are now counsel for the state while Messrs. O. L. and Ernest Binford and Obed Caswell conducted the case for the defense. The trial ended in disagreement, after the jury had been out nearly three days. They stood seven for acquittal and five for conviction nearly all through their deliberations. Finding it impossible to agree the jury were discharged and the case was continued till the present term of court.