The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-19
She Did Not Love Charles kOesters and
Never Entertained a Thought
of Marrying Him.
DID LOVE THE CHILDREN
Gave Them Presents Because He
Was Too Stingy to Do 1t,
And Bought Meat Because Koesters
Would Not Buy Enough-Quar-
rel Over the Will.

AOoSiy oANi W g Nlihl Tic utlciludnl
in the Annie Wagner trial would have to
say in her own behalf. AS the trial grew
into unusual length the speculation as to
her testimony increased. The curiosity OF
the crowds that have been gathering in the
court room every day since the trial began
was in part satiated yesterday afternoon
when the defendant was called to the stand.
There was much curiosity to hear what
this woman, who was accused of wholesale
murder with a motive that was no motive.
would say for herself. She is not a bad
looking young woman and was dressed
neatly.
AS she rose from her seat between her
brother-in-law. Mr.. Bergman, and her coun-
sci there was a sort OF half audible muir
mur from the crowd in the rear and all
eyes were strained to catch a good view
of her. She walked to the witness stand
without apparent nervousness and seated
herself in the chair. She was examined
by Mr.. Span through the interpreter, +.
j. Reinhard. She said her name was An
ME Wagner, and she was defendant in the
case on trial. She was born i'm Blumereau,
in the district of K~oenigsburg, East Prus-
STA. With her sister. Mrs. John Berg
man, she came TO this country in 1885
and came direct to this city. She said she
had no other relatives in this city besides
her sister. Her mother is living, but her
father is dead. She first heard of his
death the Saturday before her arrest. The
news was brought in a letter to her sister.
She said she went to work for Charles
Koesters two year ago last June. Previous
TO this time she was living with her sister.
At the time she went to work for him the
Koesters family consisted of Mr.. and Mrs.
Koesters and four children. Paul was two
months and five days old when she went
there. She said both Mr.. and Mrs. Koes-
ters came to see her twice before she went
to their home. Mrs. Koesters said she had
to spend a great deal Of time in the store.
She said Frank Koesters, a sixteen or nine
teen-months'-old child, died shortly after
she came there. She did all the household
work and occasionally cleaned the store.
Mrs. Koesters sewed and stayed in the
store most of the time. She attended to the
children, except when Mr.. Koesters was in
the store. He had no clerk besides his wife.
Before the death of Mrs. Koesters the de-
PENDANT performed no work as clerk in the
store.
TREATMENT OF THE CHILDREN.
She said she loved the children and never
mistreated them before the death of their
mother. Mrs. Koesters told her she treated
them too well. The defendant said before
Mrs. Koesters'S death she ate at the table
with the family. When Mrs. Koesters went
to early mass the defendant went to high
mass, and vice versa; they went to early
and high mass alternately. They both
attended the Sacred Heart Church.
Before Mrs. Koesters's death she did most
Of the mending of clothes, but the defend
ant did some of it. The defendant did the
most of the purchasing of provisions with
money supplied by Mrs. Koesters. The de-
PENDANT said she and Mrs. Koe-ers both
washed and dressed the children. The de-
PENDANT generally dressed Mamie for school.
Before Mrs. Koesters's death the defendant
gave Mamie a ring for a birthday present.
She gave $3.50 for the ring. Mrs. Koesters
said it was too stylish for the girl, as she
was too small for such a ring. She also
gave her a pair of gloves. doll, writing desk,
parasol and a muff. The first birthday she
bought the ring. gloves and the rest about
Christmas. She bought the things because
she loved the child. She said she loved all
the children. but Mamie was her favorite.
While the body of Mamie was still In the
house Mr.. Koesters told the defendant to
go and take the ring she had given the
child from her finger. she said she always
gave the children something for Christmas.
out Olu not remember Just what she had
given them. Mrs. Koesters told her she
spent too much for the children; that she
should buy only small articles. The de-
PENDANT said she bought some lace and a
pocket book for Mrs. Koesters for Christ
mas. Mrs. koesters, before her death. gave
the defendant, on her birthday, a plush box,
chiefs. The defendant and Mrs. Koesters
talked OF their personal affairs. She said
Mrs, BOOSTERS was good to her. and she
Oct. 10, 1882. nine days after the birth of
her child. The child died soon afterwards.
After the death of Mrs. Koesters, the de-
PENDANT said, Mr.. koeSterS told her to look
after the children, and the Sunday after
the death of his wife Koesters came to
like Mary (his wife), as he did not know
where they were. After the death of Mrs.
Koesters, while the body was still in the
house, and in the presence of Mr.. Koesters,
the defendant said she spoke of leaving,
and sister Diognesia persuaded her to re
main, as she was acquainted with the chill
dren.
She said that she cared for the children af-
ter the death of their mother and frequently
had them dressed and started to school be-
fore Mr.. Koesters came down in the morn
played upon the street and generally
mended their clothes. The old woman
couldn't do much because she went every
day TO church. She treated the children
kindly and BOOSTERS never complained of
her abusing them. She said she cared for
them just as well and loved them lust as
much after the death of their mother as be-
fore. After the death of Mrs. Koesters she
bought Mamie a toy piano for 81. a baby
buggy for Sl.5O and a new dress for the doll
given to the girl the Christmas before. She
paid 50 for the cloak given the girl last
Christmas. She said the girls mother had
promised her the cloak. and after her moth
ers death she cried for a cloak, saying her
cousins had new plush cloaks. The defend
ant spoke 10 Mr. Koesters about IL and he
said the girl could not have one. She told
him she would get IL because she could not
see the child cry for it. The defendant said
the child would cry and puther arms around
her (the defendants) neck and say she
wanted the cloak her mother had promise
her. She said Mr.. Koesters did not ask
the money spent. a new fascinator and
hair ribbon was given 10 the girl at the
same time. The defendant made the pres
ents because she loved the girl.
NEVER THOUGHT OF MARRYING HIM.
She said she did not do it because she
wanted to marry Koesters. She never
thought of marrying koesters. She said
she had a sister in a convent. as a sister of
the order. and she (the defendant) had been
thinking for a year about entering the con-
vent herself. She said she gave Mamie a
white dress. Mr.. Koesters gave her SIS
and the amount not being sufficient, the de-
PENDANT provided the remainder of the
FUNDS from ner cwn pocket. She said she
bought levers TO Mamie's casket while
the girls body Law In the house. She paid
81 for them. Mr. KOesters never offered to
repay the amount snd said IL was foolish 20
buy flowers Mrs. Kate and Mrs. Clara
Ohleyer and Mrs Hcenig's girl also
loughf flowers for Mamia's caQkaf