The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-08
TOWN MEETING COURT
MRS. Gerhard SUBJECTED TO ALL
SORTS OF INQUIRIES.
A bloody Sheet Sensation That Fell
Flat-Examinatfon Of Dunba
and Wyatt.

NotA " tllt ana 4ktttas
Wyatt. charged with being accessories 10
a crime in the case of the Ida Gerhard
murder. was commenced in Justice Herig's
court yesterday afternoon. 1t did not sp-
pear by the evidence given that Dunbar
and Wyatt were on trial, for the
ton assumed the nature of a court OF In
quiry and Mr.. and Mrs. Gebhard were put
through q long course OF questions regard
ing the disappearance of their child. their
thoughts at the time and whysihey acted
as they did. They had no attorney present
TO call attention to the fact that they were
not upon trial. merely being as
witnesses in the case against Dunbar and
Wyatt. The attorneys, private detectives,
policemen and citizens who have had sus-
picions had the satisfaction of hearing the
mother and father examined and cross-ex-
amined upon matters which have furnished
material for town gossip. The court room
was crowded with men women and chill
dren who listened to each word spoken A
deaf mute was one of the most attentive
Of the crowd. it being said that he was
there representing an afternoon paper.
The order of the court room was not the
best. There was no disturbance, but some
Of the evidence could not keep the women
from whispering to one another. The room
was very warm and the way the spectators
were packed in II made the heat oppressive.
The man Mike" who was alleged to have
seen Dunbar's white horse and Dun
bars knees at an unholy hour
of the morning following the day Of
the child's disappearance. was seized with
stage fright when sworn and his evidence
boiled down amounted to a white horse, but
he did not know to whom 1t belonged. Mrs.
afternoon by saying that Dunbar intimated
TO her that IL would be well fer her to
change her statements regarding the posi-
body was found. Mrs. Copeland spurned the
Another link in the chain welded together
by the expIsnation OF Dunbar and the Geb-
hard's letting the water from the Gerhard
cistern. 1t was not known just where the
nounced important. a friend OF Mr.. GeS-
hard's testified to dropping. three silver dol
iars in the e:stern and. Of course. he was
Mrs. Gerhard. with her babe in her arms.
was on the stand FOL, more than an hour.
she didn't know a thing regarding Dun
ing her child Ida when lost. he was
composed and mutilated body of her child,
didn't ask of the neighbors for the child
when first lost and a score OF other ques-
tons. On the table lay q folded sheet, which
ment, disclosing some brown spots on 1t.
He asked rather sharply:
Mrs. Gebhard. can you explain those
There was a ripple of excitement in the
room and everybody was on tiptoe. Some
not confused a bit and she ooolly replied:
That Is not blood: that is rust"
The sheet was a surprise, Ii having been
found in the Gerhard home and kept secret
for inst such an Occa sion. but The result
was not as expected by some Tor Mrs. Geb-
hard did not ever change color. She said
The women present all agreed with her by
mods of the head. for they say the. have
learned by experience that rust will. not
them If there was blood on the sheet why
would 1t. be left there to be found. Never
theless the prosecution smiled as II a bit Of
M Sh%ae GeSahard Was Suestioned regarding the
whipping of her child. Mr.. Gerhard was
questioned. and there was an intimation
question asked. 1t was such an elegant OPP
portunity for the detectives and officers
who have been Itching to ask questions to
prompted frequently. The result OF The town
Inquiry was that the cases of Dunbar and
dsy' Mr. ws sna e Nnsi GeSh nnsh w nsst so Mes az be
back as there are more questions to be
asked them. 1t was the prosecution that
asked for the continuance AS the crowd
he @What difference does 1t make If little
Ida was whipped. 1 wallop my four-year-old
II gave my boy a licking before I came
here" said another.
,, ,ff yea sI, 70 bow my t hens to you a post n IN s Rs
back yard to keep him from running OF
and I whipped him before tying him." re-
The murder Of little Ida is as great a mys-
terry as ever.