The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-03-12

and myscli Mrs. Nichols was there week or
10 before the murder. In the evening my cousin,
Mrs. Nettie Rood, wife OF Rufus Rood, was there
Visiting Father came home from up town
about Q O'clock, and locked the front hall door.
When he came In he remarked that he had lock
ed Mrs. Rood in llibble Ia shown key, which
she Identifies ~ the key to the front door!
About fifteen minutes after father locked The
door Mrs Rood left for home. ] went 10 The
door with her. | unlocked the front door and
let her out, and locked II again. |, locked very
easily. could scarcely hear the key turning, 1t
worked so loosely. Mrs. Nichols had retired
before father got home. Father went TO bed be
fore Mrs. Rood left, and pat his coat on lounge
In the sitting room. went 70 the stting'room
TO read a book. Father aud mother were both
lin bed while / was reading al table near
south windows. Witness Identifies location OF
things in the rooms according to plat shown
lher. Papa soon asked me il 1t wasn't time to
60 to bed | said it was, and took lamp and
went to my room up stairs, where finished my
story and went TO bed, and got asleep about hall
past 10 OF IL. My room is over the sittng.room.
Il was awakened BY sounds as .! some one
pounding on the floor. Ny door was shut. |
sprang from my bed and started down stairs AS
| got about half way down the stairs ! saw man
coming out Of the sitting.room He turned TO.
ward that room ana said: "Ho,s you got hi" :
| II yoa hare got him, ,hy don't yov come along'
| said; "Oh, Mr., Smitht What's the matter! Who
is IL What's the nidtterS The man stopped and
then looked at me. ! was just opposite him
He then turned and went out Immediately an.
other man passed along and went out OF doors.
There was n stove burning hard coal in the
sitting room and called "lnvincible." II was a
starlight, clear. bright, frosty night. There WAS
no moon As the last man passed out passed
down stairs and shut the front door, which was
wide open The first man seemed to have on an
unbuttoned overcoat a cap, and WAS rather
small man. | was extremely frightened. The
second was larger man; square shoulders;
don't think he had 6 cap or hat on, but couldn't
say Didn't notice last one so carefully A. the
first II was not very light in the hall. Lad q
good view Of the first mans face. II he had
whiskers they were very light; he had nothing
but a mustsche. I remember the voice II hd'
man, md haus since hea'd Il, and KNOW IT MAS
THE VOICE or WILLIAM THOMAS
The prisoner, Thomas, seemed wonderfully
lagltated at this statement and II WAS very OBJ
servable.
After came down stairs mamma called for a
light. I went up stairs and got one and put it
on the stand on the south side of the sitting
room, and started for another. then saw papa
lying there.
| IAt this point the witness could not proceed
for time, being overcome by her emotions.
while Mr.. Van Buren,, OF defendants counsel,
commenced whistlingD
Papa lay on his face in the bedroom, his head
Just inside of the door, and feet toward the head
of the bed. When l went uD stairs got my
| dress; had no shoes on. After seeing father
started to go to the dining room. BY that time
Mrs. Nichols had got down stairs, and while
WAS gone to the neghoors they had lit the other
lamp. ! saw pas pants and vest under him.
| HIS coat was on the floor, near the door. have
known Thomas by sight since we lived in Sand
wich Don't know whether would have known
then or not II | saw Thomas In the hall saw
him at Sycamore Jail. Whipple and lloicomo
were present at Sycamore. They took me IN a
bee. room TO see If ] would recognize their
voices Mr.. Hocomb brought FIRST Thomas,
then Emmons and then Woodruff, Reiienbcrg
and der. was very much overcome at the
sound of the first voice. II WAS Nov, 5, 1850, Oh
Wednesday The uoiccr heard in the jail and haR,
and Os appearance Of The fadn, ,rdS one ana the
same ,pdimdsol, and Il certainly aras WILLIAM
THOMAS
| Cross Examined: ! first heard heavy noises
| like pounding or like q pistol We never had
any fire arms at home, and ! couldn't tell what
| IL was II was q very unusual noise and vas
very much frightened. When came to the stars
| | had no light; no one was with the. / had got
down stairs about half way when l said, Ion,
Mr. smith" spoke first name that came in my
mind Don't know why said Mr.. Smith. Man
heard WAS talking TO his partner, suppose,
He spoke as II frightened excited had shrill,
somewhat feminine voice, 80 loud it sounded
through the house. Man in hall had cap on.
The first had rot got ont Of the house when sec.
ond came, and both went right out. was half
way down stairs when l heard the voice The
other man did not speak. Don't wheth
er second man haa on cap or not. remember
testifyng before the inquest that maa about
the size Of the small man in the hall called once
at our house. He did not come In and was
card writer. Don't know rs anything has oc-
Cured to change the opinion had then tea
tify that the man | saw and heard in the hall to
be William Thomas, from his sire, form, general
appearance and his voice. Think was before
the inquest but once; it was in our house. Have
talked about 1t some. Have read Coroner kuter's
statement OF Thomas's appearance at the inquest
since have been in Geneva. First heard Thorn
as suspected when arrest was made. ! went 20
Sycamore on o dispatch from MIR. Whipple In
Chicago. My cousin, Mrs. Sanborn, went with
me- While there saw prisoners through crack
of door near hinges. Whippe and Thomas shook
hands and talked. Thomas talked some while
standing. Can't remember any OF the converse.