Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-03-15
STARTLING SENSATION.
Rose ZoIdoski, the innocent Victim
of a Cruel Conspiracy.

the cunning of stronger and more
evil minds, is all the more terrible
because OF their sincerity. In the
case Of Rose Zoldoskl, charged
with the murder of Ella Maly at
Richland Center, there was a guilty
man. Guilty of more crimes than
murder, and by his cunning and
careful management, suspicion was
first thrown upon Rose and then it
was intensified by whispers from
one to the other, until it eliminated
in the arrest of the poor girl. Every
little circumstance, even the care
less jokes of school girl gossip,
were made into grave and solemn
facts to the injury of the victim.
With the best the prosecution could
do, with months in which to make
up a case and a long trial they
failed to produce anything but the
fimsiest circumstantial evidence.
Even that in many cases false as it
was cruel.
When the prosecution had rest
ed this case, the attorneys Of Rose
were SO confident of an acquittal of
their client that they did not intro
duce a single witness. They
thought it impossible to convict,
and so submitted the case upon the
states own evidence. 1t was a
fatal error. When the jury re-
tired the case was evenly balanced
there being six for acquittal and
six for conviction. They were out
nearly two days and when they
returned with verdict of guilty"
no community was ever more
shocked or more indignant than
that of Lancaster, where the trial
was had.
The publisher of the Torch has
never believed the prisoner guilty,
and his opinion had been expressed
from time to time, which fact, no
doubt, accounts for a communica-
ton that was sent to this paper on
the 9th Of February, containing
new and startling revelations in the
Richland Center sensation. 1t has
been the purpose of the Torch to
keep the facts from the public, for
fear that any publicity might en-
barass our search for the writer of
the remarkable letter referred to.
1t was necessary to communicate
with the attorneys of Rose and
with others, and somehow garbled
accounts have reached the public
to such an extent that we deem it
our duty to give the facts.
The letter of Minnie Braddock,
referred to does not mention Rose
Zoldoski, nor does it give any
reason for itself except the gnaw-
ings of an over burdened con-
science.
Immediately upon the receipt Of
the letter we went to Rhine
lander and interviewed parties
mentioned in the letter. Making
arrangements with Mr.. Bishop, Of
the New North, and others to in
stitute search for Minnie Brad
dock, we returned home to await
advices from Mr.. Bancroft, of Rich
land Center attorney of Rose Zol-
doski. On the 2Ist of February,
believing that we had located the
woman, again left for Rhinelander
and at that place procured the
affidavit of Mrs. B. r. Spooner,
verifying the statements Of Minnie
Braddock as to her stay at Mrs.
Spooner's and the birth Of the
child. The woman at that time
went under the name of Isabelle
Shields. She abandoned her child
two weeks after its birth. Mrs.
Spooner read the letter, signed
Minnie Braddock, and testified, to
the best of her knowledge and be-
lief, that it was from the woman
who at her house gave the name
of Isabelle Shields. We then pro-
cured the affidavit of DR.. Daniels,
who attended the woman. He
testified as to his professional ser
vices and that the patient seemed
to be suffering under some great