The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-19
TESTIMONY OF THE MORNING.
Mrs. bergman, the Defendants Sister,
Among the Witnesses.


The Annie Wagner trial was resumed in
the Criminal Court room yesterday with
the usual large attendance. At the begin
ming OF the proceedings Mr.. Spaan, OF
counsel for the defense. announced that
the defense would probably have all their
evidence in at the hour for adjournment
yesterday evening, but they didn't.
Charles A. Gresnstreet was the first wit
ness called. and testified that he was once
employed at Kingan & Co.'S place. and
that he was now a manufacturing chemist.
He said he was a graduate of Ann Arbor.
and also OF Munich and Berlin. He said
he knew the balances that were used at
Kingan's and had used them for a year.
They were kept In the laboratory and had
become gummed up by escaping steam and
oils. He said he knew the requirements OF
scales for analytical purposes. and that the
scales at Kingan & Co.'S place were not
fit for such work in last June.
On cross-eSsmination the witness said
he quit work at Kingan's last June; that
he saw their scales every two weeks and
used them TO weigh proportions of oils,
fats and dye stufts which do not require a
high degree OF e~xactness. The witness said
he was the analytical chemist at Kingan's.
The scales there were used by DIR. Eisen-
beiss in weighing the poison derived from
the analyses of the stomachs in the Koest-
ers cases.
QUARRELED OVER THE WILL.
Charles Baden was the next witness
called. He said that In the fall of 1892 one
OF the Koesters came to his house about
u:3O y. m. and wanted him TO write a will
for Frank l.. Koesters. and the witness went
To the house and found the old Mr.. Koest-
ers very low. He said Mrs. Koesters, Frank
and Charley were there, and they all said
the old man was very low. The witness
said lie tried to write the will, but it took
him two hours 10 do so.
By Mr.. Spaan-what occasioned this de-
lay?
This question was objected to by the
State as being Irrelevant. Counsel for the
defense argued that they wished to show
the existence OF a motive on tho part of
another than this defendant for killing the
Did man. These brothers mad an interest
IN the property to be disposed of by the
WILL The court overruled the objection
OF the state 10 the question, and the wit
ness answered Ii. He said both the BROTH
ers were present at the bedside of their
sick father and quarreled over the distribu-
ton OF the property. They went into an
adjoining room, where they remained some
time, and when they returned they We're
agreed. and the Will was drawn. ON cross
examination the witness said each of the
brothers recounted wherein he had spent
money for the old man and his wife and
each wanted to be reimbursed. Frank
claimed he had paid out money TO care for
s Zoo old people IN his house and wanted
Tense. and testified that she came from East
Prussia. She said she had known the de-
PENDANT for nearly fifteen years. In the
Old country the witness resided near the
defendant. Annie Wagner lived on a farm;
rather was a farmer. At the mention OF
the father both the defendant and her sis
Ter. MIS-. bergman hRpqn IN cry The wit
ness said the defendants reputation for
peace and quiet in the neighbOrhOod In
ination she said she had been in this coun-
try five years. and left Germany when she
WAS twenty.one years OF age;
fled that he had known the defendant for
about two and one-half years. and thar her
reputation for peace and quiet was good
The next witness called To the stand by
the defense was John Bergman. a brother
in-Iaw OF the defendant. Since the time of
her arrest Mr.. Bergman has been CONSTANT
~ in attendance upon the defendant. seek
ing In every possible way to make her suf-
fering as light as possible. and every day
since the trial began has sat beside her I'm
the court room. and never left her from
the time she was brought from the jail I'M
III she was returned. Mr.. Bergman said
III had resided in this city about ten or
eleven years. and for the past seven years
had driven q team for Banweg AZ Co. and
was driving for them when ne was injured.
He said just before last Christmas the de
PENDANT came 10 his house. bringing with
her a hat which had been gnawed by mice
or rats. The defendant inquired OF the wit
ness's wife for rat poison. and took 10 away
with her when she left the house. He said
that while the defendant was employed at
KOesters's she had given him (witness)
shirts, collars and cuffs several times, and
gave his wife several pieces OF dress goods.
ON cr0ss-eXamination the witness said
his wife got the poison In the spring be-
fore she gave II 10 the defendant. The wit
ness said he did not examine the box; II
was on the table when he came home; II
~ n "a FO1nH UFnAHan 100 liz = IL IA
told him she had been troubled with rats.