Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-01-23

limb on the log.
Philip Ritter says he resides in OF
tumwa, keeps a boarding house. /
recognize the body before the jury as
that of Geo. Dewitt. who boarded
with me about week--last | saw of
him being yesterday about seven
O'Clock in the evening, did not no.
tice anything wrong with him yester.
day. lie did not pay me anything for
board, said he had no money; was
generally reading when in the house.
He told me that he married not long
ago, and after living with his wife
about month, found that she had an
other husband
John S, Wood says he resides in OF
tumwa, age 40 years, is Deputy Mar
shall. recognize the body before the
Jury as that OF man who gave his
name to me MS Geo. Dewitt. l saw
him first on the 9th of JAN, at HuIder-
mans saloon; saw him the next day.
arrested him and committed him to
Jail. saw him again yesterday even
ing on Main street. When / arrested
him he had about dollar and half in
money. thought he was not sound
in mind lie told me he was going to
Burlington. This morning | took
boot from the body and searched for
track to correspond with ii but could
not find any. took the rope that was
around the neck Of deceased and found
rope like it at Mr.. Riter's, from which
piece like this had been cut.
o. d. Tisdale testifcs that he resides
in Wapello county last night between
Z and s o'clock / crossed the river
bridge in sleigh, and after getting on
the dyke, | saw three men dragging
man l stopped and asked what was
the matter, a man answered '.nothing
the matters" they were coming to-
wards the river. am not certain it
was man they We're drag ging but it
looked about the size of man.
s. A. Swiggett says that he resides
in Ottumwa, age 80, am county Sheriff
Was notified this morning about eight
that there wac man hanging to a suag
on the river. | found the body before
the jury hanging by a rope from log,
on the opposite bank of the river: his
feet were touching the ice; there was
no appearance of struggling on the
ice; had his cap pulled down over his
cars. ordered him to be taken
down, and conveyed to the Mayors
office. The snow looked as though
a body had lain on il just above the
log the legs were crossed and the
arms bent. The rope was not tied by
a knot, but wrapped around the log,
and the end tucked under.
S. b. Thrall, sworn. says he is ply
stefan and surgeon; has examined the
body before the jury and finds no mark
of Injury on the body except around
the neck there is deep indentation.
apparently such as would be made by
rope, and such as must have been made
while the person was alive, and such
as would cause death by strangulation.
L. L, Lathrop, sworn. says he resides
in Ottumwa, and is q physician and
surgeon have examined the body be-
fore the jury; found marks of rope
around the neck which must have been
made while the body was living or
warm the body is now frozen. al
so.found an emission of semen which
always accompanies death by strangu-
lation.
A. j. Burkett says he resides in OF
tumwa, occupation a saddler. | re-
cognize the body before the jury as
that of a man who ate supper with me
at my boarding house last evening;
he seemed nervous like a man that had
been drinking: said, in answer to a
question, that he would be Off tonight.
John j. Larkin, sworn, says he is
employed on the B. IL Nj. railroad. l
recognize the body before the jury as
that OF man that saw in Smiths sa-
loon, on the day before New Years.
! saw him yesterday, and he said he
was going to Burlington
STATE OF Iowa, &C
Wapello Co. -
An inquisition at Ottumwa, Center
Township, Wapello County, on the 18th
day of JAN, 1878, before j. G. Hinsey,
Coroner of the said county, upon the
body of George Dewitt, there lying
dead: by the jurors whose names are
hereto subscribed. The said Jurors.
upon their oath do say, that the said de-
ceased came to his death by voluntary
hanging by his own hands.
In testimony whereof the said Jurors
have subscribed their names the day
and year before written.
II. p. GRAVES.
JoHN S. WOLF.
NJ. c. JENNIsoN.
Attest. j. C.. HiSsPy