Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-19
A CARD FROM A. A. HURD.
New Evidence Favorable to frankie
Morris Obtained.
TOPEKA Aug. u.

TOPEKA, Aug. 10.
To the Editor of the Commonwealth.
| learned yesterday for the first
time that in a recent issue of the Com
monwealth you published an article
mentioning NV name in connection
with the recent trial of the case OF the
state VS.. frankie Norris, in NeoshO
county. in such q manner as to con-
vey erroneous and unjust impressions
TO the minds of those persons who
might read the same. and especially TO
the minds Of persons who have no ac-
auaintance with me. | wish, there
fore, in Justice TO me, that you would
publish the following facts:
The defendant, frankie Morris, was
nv wife from February, 1875, until
September, 1885, at which time We
were divorced. We had one child,
boy now 6 years old. After the d.
vorce Mrs. NJ went to Cherryvalc to
live with her mother, taking the boy
with her, i'm month or six weeks |
went down one Sunday TO see the
child. | then learned that the board
ers were fast spelling the boy, and re-
uuested Mrs. NJ. to rent a house and
i've tlsCN uttt, anu "ouiu tiit
extra expenses, and she consented and
selected house i'll North Topeka and
moved there One Sunday morningl
went to North Topeka to see the
child and Mrs. NJ. told me that her
mother desired 20 take out some life
insurance for her benefit in
case of death, and asked me
what was the best company. told
her that there were several equally
good and that the New York Mutual
was as good as any. She requested
me to gst blank applications for her
and did so, and they were sent to
Cherryvale and filed out and returned
and given to me and handed them
TO the agent. Mr.. Clugston, who for
warded them to the company, ard
they were returned so as TO have the
company's own physician make the
examination. Mr.. Clugston then cop
led the application on TO another
blank all but the physicians examina-
| ton. and gave it TO me with the name
and address of the company's doctor
and | sent il TO him. During this
time Mrs Morris had gone to New
Mexico for her health, and afterwards
returned and settled in Newton, and
from Newton sent me the application
las. referred to and requested me TO
give it to the agent and pay the first
premium out of money then due her
as alimony, which did.
This is my entire connection with
the insurance of MI S. POinsetter, as |
never heard of the policy in the Equit-
Il. L. ,,ntit of tho danth M
Mrs. Poinsetter. When Mrs. Morris
was arrested Senator Hackney, of
Winfield, telegraphed me the fact and
believing her to be innocent, and
knowing that she had but little money
| considered myself under obligations
for the child's sake to aid her, and
wrote TO senator Hackney to defend
her and would see him paid.
In the trial of the case the insurance
company employed Fred Hutchins to
prosecute. and for the purpose of
predjudicing the jury against the de-
PENDANT and her witnesses he stated in
opening the case he expected TO prove
conspiracy between the defendant
and others, naming every important
witness for the defense, myself among
the UliftlDtT. anu tHsu ud0 lie DIOliiSt
or cousin. Frank ID. Hutchins, there TO
report to the ST. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat. the Kansas City Times and the
Kansas City Journal, and il is under
these circumstances that my name has
been mentioned in connection with
the case. rs there was not one word of
testimony offered excepting that of
Mr.. Clugston and myself, which gave
the facts as briefly set forth above.
| write this for the benefit of those
who have heard my name connected
with the matter, and are not
acquainted with me. As those who
know me need no explanation, conf
dent that everyone will say that |
have nearly done my duty To my
child and his mother. should hate
To have any one think me so devoid
of human sympathy and dead To all
sense of right and justice rs TO aban-
don the mother of my boy when i'll
trouble as long as believe her limo
cent.
am confident of her innocence and
final acquittal, and her attorneys in
form me that they have nowdiscovered
evidence which will convince the
minds of every one.
Yours respectfully,
A. A. HURD.