The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-19
THE LAR0S MURDER TRIAL.
INTENSE EXCITEMENT OYER THE
FAMILY POISONING CASE.
The Court House Overcrow ded - Women
Called to Order-Thc Testimony of Pris-
oner's sisters, Brothers, and a Physician.

EASTON, IA, Aug. lb.-lto tnlTu uayS
proceedings In the Laros murder trial opened at
half past 8 o'clock A. M, aud notwithstanding
the early hour, so deep was the public interest
In the case that the court room was even then
crowded. The gallery was occupied exclusively
by women, who display the deepest curiosity
concerning the youthful prisoner. The jury
seem to be intelligent men. -Four OF them are
over middle aged. and the others men OF mature
years. When the prisoner was brought into
court he seemed as calm, Indifferent, and self
contained as on the day before.
After brief address to the jury bv the judge,
charging them to bring impartial minds to the
tral of the case tho prosecuting attorney
made bis opening speech, an able effort lasting
about three-quartcrs OF an hour He began with
the assumption that the very fact OF tho hideous
and unnatural character OF the crime would be
used by the defence as a means to bolster up
their plea Of the insanity OF the culprit, and pro-
ceeded to analyze the laws applying to insanity,
the extent to which legal irrosponsibity exists
through mental weakness. and the nature Of tho
evidence to be offered which would be relied
upon TO support plea OF insanity. He then TO-
lated clearly and succnctly the circumstances
OF the poisoning of the Laros family. aud stated
what the prosecution would rove.
old, dressed throughout in black, was the 1rst
witness. The prisoner did not look at her. Hts
gaze was nxed upon the door, while the Judge
closely examined her AS to her appreciation OF
the value aud sOlemnity Of an oath Then she
was sworn, ana testified;
nv father was Martin Laros he lived in Forks town.
ship, near the Delaware. Our family consisted OF my
s1.SGr 1 MARI s my o,ser: Alvin & i5,ip' m Alien Clara
,sIr6e sa,ir ttsn,pired; Allsn vas also there: Hs
was IN tne ncld when Allen c.me home. got tne sup,
apd ws fss 0qS' S 5s pss sS sS ps Is-' T
coffee poi: poi vheH n got from the sHDOos5d There ".
old .,ouads N &C. saw no!hsg unusual In the coffee
4 toe |s Hs ss rom on ss sss N ss .U S.
o %h. GSs ,a s rSs % not 10 & ps a e a s ss i%s $
toe sitenea @ he vas sOoS. there h.If an an hour after
clara S took @ the The SSass pc, on he stove and
s .St SsG @ sn. 4 anG s cs
dr.l Sc, il the stove Thea II dark Drown now
ii s'a sn Of %
a,5 1S G the wee sss very dsrs as We al .Sd %
down 10 ;soe sosS,ssH' drank q ;as ssass
saa AWE. 'TIi"'d ali draS. Of tie Coffee il tssted
RSPs o.rs oq9s ar! e: d ao9sH' s1s Ike rtppsr
! drark two swallows Of II. Father drank sooui a
Then We all sgi sick. lent tell vhieh s,ken sick
,a ,bs ~ osT.s HonS a ps4p sgp4sf sn oyer
me IN my throat ara wA.sick at my stomach al night
DO saos whe!9er hs va .axe9 .es before alter
meher sso died hat day' IN the forenoon Nose. %
ssnqs died on Frday. Il va. Wsdhs.dsy evening
Clara Laros-a thin, plain featured. and low
voiced girl. twelve years old, and tall for her
age-next testified:
s1.s from S' a sr ns 'ofs. .9 SSS1 ssf9s 'g
iSsa shd u dt.SS q {; Sc%ssd nciaas rIoas y
rssner and mother each drank ssp ana No.s. scass
Ss s ad wa e 70 n' dd the sa evening" esnia l. ii
had 70 90 r,'n se,,l.s the coffee ready fOT
@ 20 noticed s .hiIs %,. 1 looked Il %ilt
sssn sPq''a
toy r so 4 d sesa 1 fS Esa
and Alice. l ddnt,ee whether Allen took any o. not;
g .ssss: :. IS ! p
sSuse ~snt out because fe b, so 9ss into tse yt
throat All lhe fes were .ies kIf,n, va. Sex viii
came while We we're sick.
lDuring the direct examination the witness
broke down ana wept bitterly. but struggled
| courageou-ly with her emotion.l
Erwin Laros, a slender young man. OF medium
| height, with thin, straignt dark-brOwn hair f;
large, straight nose small ewes, heavy eyebrows,
and ois ears, wide at the base, was the next wit.
ness.
lie testified to having paaken at dinner. with HE IA
ther, mother. Mr. ,ehus anu Clara Of eon whlca was
alter soi home from I1e ID, on May 81 Al 1. wa.
e.roa from ins. kelen. / sas not IN The kichen
b'fore supper. We all sat down osupper together
irans ia a cupful ~ coffee taking sewers ssaows
n1 w. pS2 Pd to yoa CUES, Hfa car. ss
the nr,t iakeq sicK pon's * Snow whether Allen was
le neIt mornings .tner tnat aiternoon; ;. hug on
think, was abou So mo.ner about so.
Alvin Laros, light-headed, rather good look
! Ing boy, twin brother Of Alice, was next sworn
the, ali sex Darins lac asy hai been away S"S AZ
school about a mile and a quarter al tanl. and got
h a9G on M Ts sowsfy Sy sS5
Arn was IN he .Sop uS tney called 10 .1Sper e
At The ,ppper PEI ~, sols rsen g., In Srans no;
' . Sa q Sesgs 9, az, Srssa ana Sn,'r iea
iise II always dd- But the conee va. pepnery, aud
the Srsi to 20 os rS.n tSsaj ttsn was TOO sics
TO @ tax We nS.iee sas n,ger e "aa NJ S9hai ses Dd
sck' but had no burning feeling below my throat.
Daring all the iteration by his brothers and
! sisters OF the ghastly iacts branding HIM as ia
! assassin OF their common parents or at least
! supplying the basis for the erection OF the full
proof OF MS guilt, len e. LaToss wore an air Il
the utmost unconcern. 10 all APP earanc", he
was the most indifferent person In the court
When he was marched out from the court
room aud back TO tho j,il a thIong assembled
| between the two buildings on bDth sides Of the
/ little road on the plateau az the brow Of The
| hin. Between them walked Allen e. Laros, with
Sheriff Person and deputy, unmoyed. and in
/ deed seemingly rather proud OF the cOnspicu-
Gus pl ICE he held IN puoo interest.
The afternoon session Vas attended bv even
| greater number OF persons tnln the morning.
Hundreds were unable to gain admttance to
the court room. when tne doors of the ladies'
gallery were opened a torrent OF femnnity
poured In and swOoped down upon the seats,
sdueang chattering, Cackling, calling. scufliiuG,
pushing, and haulinr, IN very Is 1bel ~ noise
int the scanddllLcd uigulty of the Court arose
! In wrath. Inc presiding Judge hammered wi n
| his Gayel, Crier ffey shou ed "Order In that
gallery T. " silence In tnat galleryl" Keep or
der w there, or the gallery Will be cleared"
| eic., etc. but the women minded him not until
| as many OF them AS could get seats had been ac-
| comuOdated, and no more were allowed to
! enter.
Alvin Iaroa recalled on cross-eIamin when
Alien sat al the table that evening he pale, Ina
ewes wild anu nxed, turned up IN his head
show only the whites | noticed him particularly lie
Old not SEEN 10 know what was going on around him.
and sat perfectly sin.
The prosecution interposed an objection TO
| the leading questions by wnlch the defence was
! drawing out this evidence and to It's Character
| The defence contested its right to draw out
| everything respecting the soene at the supper
table, the door for which evidence had alr1ad Y
been opened by the questions OF the prOsecu-
| tion, ayowing purpose to prove that the do
fenGant was at the time Of that fatal repast
fferlng from an epileptlc SEIZURE. A lengthy
argument ensued, and the test question being
put, "Wht Was the a ipearanco OF Allen g.
Laros, your brother, while you were at tho bile
ON the night OF the 3l-t of May lastY' was ob-
jeCted to. D lection sustained, on the ground
tnat IL belonged to defence aud not to cross eX-
animation, and exception TAX n.
Que ton Were you alarmed at the appearance Of
your brother on that e, enlng at the taDep
Collected to as not proper In cross-eXamina-
ton, and Irrelevant. OOJoolon sustained and
exception taken.
| O-Was thete ANYTHING tlat had ever mann med "a