Counsel for the state consider that they gained a valuable point from the cross examination of Prof. Irving Smith, Saturday afternoon. He testified that about all the hairs found on the shoulder of the girl (i. e. all that he examined) had the appearance of having been broken at the ends, as if pulled in two. His experiments with pulling hair in two on a straight lines, however, showed that they often presented an abrupt end, but not so smoothly defined as if cut with scissors. A dull knife, in cutting the hair, might leave the ends as if broken. The testimony of Professor Ricker today, and plates showing results of microscopical examinations, throw considerable light upon this point.

The air in the court room today was cool and conducive to drowsiness. The proceedings were prosy, as expert evidence generally is. Examinations were conducted in subdued tones and there were few interruptions. Interest lagged. Continuous reiteration of the word “hair” fell on listless ears and produced a sensation of languor. Anon a juror closed his eyes and let the upper lids rest for some time, but kept his fingers thrumming on the arms of his chair to keep from drifting away into the land of nod. Defendant herself actually slept, or appeared to. She would lean her head on her right hand; the elbow resting on the table, her eyelashes drooped, and for several minutes the lids remained closed, as if dozing.

The deposition of Sam K. Ernst was read to the jury. It did not materially differ from that of Mrs. Ollie Ernst.

Dr. Irving J. Smith sworn – (Witness is professor of pathology and histology, i. e. microscopical anatomy of plants and animals, in the State Agricultural college at Ames. His testimony was chiefly in regard to examinations of hair furnished him by Mr. Ricker, purporting to be from the heads of Anna Wiese and Mrs. Bennett.) There is no such thing as absolute identification of the hair of individuals; hair may be similar; we may determine that it is like another, but cannot say positively that it is identical. Witness scientifically described the construction of hair in its various stages and conditions, defining the causes that produce color, turning gray, etc. Can not identify the hair of individuals with the microscope. Examined hairs from different parts of Anna Wiese’s head; measured a number of the hairs with a microscopical scale, which indicates the 10- 1000th of an inch; measurements I have are relative and not absolute; took pains to select light and dark hairs, and means and extremes in size, from both heads. Found one from Anna’s hair measuring 48; largest from Mrs. Bennett’s , 47; one from the latter as low as 10 at point of the hair, and one from Anna’s measuring 17; these are ten thousands of an inch; substantially there were as large hairs in one specimen as the other. There was no material difference in the texture of hair from the two heads. Hair from almost any head varies largely in size; the extreme coarse hairs were about five times the size of the finest ones from either head; was not able to discover any great difference regarding the splits; found a good many split hairs in both specimens; found a number of irregularities existing in each of the samples, but nothing to distinguish one from the other. Could not say that I could tell Anna Wiese’s hair from that of the defendant by any irregularities or peculiarities discovered in the examinations made. Experimented critically with hairs in order to distinguish by color, by special tests; had looked at the individual groups until I was very familiar with each, and suppose I could have guessed reasonably correct, but a demonstration proved that I was in error; could not tell thirty-three hairs out of one head from a like number out of the other; as a rule long hairs are split the most. Hair found in the girl’s hand and on shoulder were also examined and minutely described; differences, if any, were not discernible, except that ends of hairs on shoulder showed more evidence of having been broken than the hair from hand. This hair resembled that said to be taken from both the head of Anna and defendant; did not succeed in finding as many split hairs from either head as are discernible in these samples from the hand and shoulder; have not found a gray hair in all my examinations. Never mixed the different specimens of hair. Was not able to discover any difference between these hairs and the ones I examined from Anna Wiese’s head. The guac test is considered pretty reliable for testing red stains, but there are other tests more reliable and absolute, such as the spectroscope and histological test.

Prof. Maurice Ricker sworn – Teacher of science in the Marshalltown high school. Have made microscopic and other critical examination of hair from the heads of Anna Wiese and Mrs. Bennett. Works on medical jurisprudence consider it an impossibility to identify hair as belonging to an individual head. (A scientific description of the hair here followed.) Witness cut hair from the head of Mrs. Bennett, also from the head of Anna Wiese. Noticed no difference between the hair furnished by Dr. Cottle and that which was furnished by Mr. Binford or secured by myself. (Samples here displayed.) This hair has never been mixed with any other, and has never been doctored, only washed with warm water; 1,000 hairs from the murdered girl’s head averaged 1-270 of an inch; from Mrs. Bennett’s 1-310 of an inch, showing the latter to be slightly finer than the former; found a greater variation in size of hair from all the heads I examined; one hair might be five times as long as the one growing next to it; size varies in different parts of the head; color is not uniform in the same head, but varies in shade, in fact varies in all heads; found as much difference in the size and color of hair taken from the head of Anna Wiese as is shown by the place in evidence; could find no apparent difference in the splits in hairs from the two heads; found splits along the shaft of hairs from each head, and there is nothing definite in that which I could discover (state showing splits in hair of Anna Wiese, magnified to 150 diameters, and offered in evidence); would say that one-third of the hair of Anna Wiese in general show splits in some character; some had splits of half an inch; have found as great or greater difference in the size of hair taken from the girl’s head as is shown in these plates; hair in a mass will show composite color more plainly than spread out or divided; in taking hair from Anna’s head sought to get representative hair, therefore took it from all parts of the head; could see no difference in the splits, as a rule, on the hairs from the two heads; one did have a peculiarity or characteristic distinguishing it from the other. Have examined hairs cut off with a sharp instrument and hairs broken off. (Drawings showing hairs thus treated offered in evidence. These were of hair purporting to be from the shoulder and hand of Anna Wiese. Other plates showing her hair cut in two with a razor and with an ordinary pocket knife over cloth, and also with a very dull knife, were offered and shown the jury. Photographs introduced on the former trial were then brought in and compared with these latter drawings.) These drawings correctly represent the appearance of the hair under the microscope. Found nothing in the hair from half a dozen different heads possessing distinguishing features, that would enable me to identify it. Would not consider hair splits in certain hair any indication that it came from the head of Anna Weise. Cannot tell from the size of the hair, at least from the thirty-three hairs examined, from which head it came. Constrictions were common in the hair from both heads; found nothing to distinguish one from the other in this respect.

Counsel then passed to the examination of Mr. Ricker regarding the blood tests. Witness said the spectroscope test was the most valuable, standing alone, the microscope or histalogical test next, the guacum or chemical test third; perfectly fresh blood can be determined quite readily by this test, but if not fresh it is not reliable; many other substances will produce like results. Found something in the fiber of cloth taken from the waist in evidence that showed some substance, but did not discover any blood; examined half or dozen or more places. Hot water will set blood in the cloth so it can not be washed out.

Reverting to the hair question a card containing three bunches of hair taken from the head of Anna Wiese, showing different shades, or colors was here introduced.

Cross – Am 25 years old; graduated from Drake University two years ago. Had special instruction in college for one year daily with the microscope. Had no special instruction regarding the examination of human hair. First got hair for examination from Mr. Binford about Dec. 4, 1893; got hair during holidays following from Anna Wiese’s head. (Hair said to have been found in the dead girl’s hand at the disinterment of the body by Caswell, and taken by Any Wilbur in the winter following the murder, was here introduced and some contention ensued relative to its admission.) Don’t know that the organism of a person determines the color of hair. Can generally tell fine from course hair with the naked eye. Taking the head as a whole, I think there would generally be sign marks or distinguishing characteristics. Spliting of hair is generally caused by mechanical abrasion; think hair will not split from want of nourishment. Shaft does not receive nourishment from the scalp. Found splits in hair and frayed ends from all points of Anna’s head. Hair from Mrs. Bennett’s head was cut from various portions, and same distance from scalp as that of Anna Wiese. Hair from Anna’s head was only cleaned with water; there was blood among it; authorities say hair will not materially change in color in the grave; cow hair looked different from human hair. Cannot say that two hairs looking just alike came from the same head; can say they resemble each other, but cannot absolutely identify them.

Cross examination of Prof. Ricker continued – Found splits in hair taken from sides of Anna’s head; sunlight tends to lighten the color of the hair; don’t think it will regain its original color by being kept in a darkened place. Call Mrs. Bennett’s hair a brown or auburn; would also call Anna Wiese’s hair brown, with some difference in shade. Made examination of hair from hand and from shoulder, relative to cut or broken ends. In my judgment those hairs were cut. I cut some hair lying on cotton cloth with a knife. Cut some with a razor, with a reasonably sharp knife and also a very dull scalpel; this was Anna Wiese’s hair, perhaps three or four hundred; did not cut any of Mrs. Bennett’s. So far as my observations go all diminuations are merely twists in the hair. Cut hairs are beveled because the hairs are not all parallel; broken hairs present square ends because pulled in two. The three strands of hair submitted for inspection, showing several different shades, are from the same lock of hair taken from the back part of the head. Guacum test is not considered reliable alone; nothing compares so readily with the blue sapphire test as blood when it is fresh, but would not declare it was blood because it readily responded.