The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-05
vile Williamson and A. E. Helm is rep

/ line QT.Sl W1lOeSS CdIl6Q was M M III
Collister, coroner OF the county. There
was nothing in his evidence that has not
been published heretofore in the Eagle
He simply recited THE story of how ne
was notified of the death Of Henry ID.
| Leonard, how ne found the body, the
coalition it was in, the marks OF violence,
the location of the house where the muir
der was committed, certain bloodstalns
| therein, which has been described
| thoroughly heretofore, and his opinions
| of the weapon used, which he thought
| was a. Ratchet.
When It came to the point where he
described the bloodstains he was asked
to bring the clothing of the murdered
man into court, which he did. He ex-
| hFbSted the various articles Of clothing
before the court, lawyers and audience
He held UP the shirt of the murdered
| man in rather a dramatic manner II
| was bIoodstained all over and when the
eyes Of Williamson and his former wife
| rested upon it, their countenance did
not change in the least The young
! man did not look at It at all scarcely.
That shirt in itself, regardless of the
| crime connected with il, is horrible
| sight.
Mr.. Helm cross-examined Mr.. McCol-
| lister very thoroughly and from that on
it would seem that the policy of Mr..
Helm was to shift the principal re-
| sponssbAlty for the crime onto Mrs,
Leonard, while Mr. Amidon wanted 20
| shift it onto Marion Williamson. Each
objected to the questions of the either
| side and the county attorney smiled.
He seemed to think that if the lawyers
| for the defense kept up their tactics he
| would not have very much work TO do
IN locating the guilt. Mr.. Helm seemed
| to be anxious to prove by McCollister
THAT Leonard was murdered with a
| hatchet while Mr.. Amidon wanted to
prove that he was killed with a gas
pipe. The reason for these tactics was
that the gas pipe has always been as
sociated with the Theory that William
son is the murderer, while the Ratchet
has been connected with the theory
THAT Mrs. Leonard and her boy killed
Leonard.
After dinner the lawyers for the de-
Tense were more harmonious in their
methods.
DR.. Hoffman was the next witness
called after Mr.. McCollister. His testi-
mony was short and included only a
description of the wounds and that they
were sufficient to produce death.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The first witness put on the stand in
the afternoon was Mrs. Rosa McTaT-
get Her evidence was the same as
given al the coroner's inquest and stat
ing II briefly was that she saw William
son on the corner of Market and Lewis
streets the Friday or Saturday. before
the murder, looking in the direction of
Deonard's house.
George H. States was next sworn
He testified that he saw Williamson
and his former wife out buggy riding
on the Afternoon preceding the murder.
That they turned off the road on Seneca
street IL miles south Of the railroad
track and that Williamson was reading
document which he said during the
Leonard told him was the insurance
policy on her husbands life. He was
not oss-examined.
Austin Adams, the engineer at the
Carey, was examined and he testified
exactly as he did ait the coroner's in
quest. There was nothing material in
his Testimony. Mr.. Helm tried TO prove
an alibi by him in opposition to the EVIL
dence of States but Mr. Adams did not
remember of seeing Williamson during
the time he was supposed to be out bug
gy riding with his former wife.
Mrs. Baker of 20S South Lawrence
avenue was the next witness and her
testimony was important in as much as
1t proved THAT Williamson was on init
matte terms with his wife after she had
procured a divorce from him and had
married Henry H. Leonard. She testi-
fed that she had saw Williamson and
his former wife walking together on
South Lawrence avenue during the lat
ter part of October. She also testified
that she saw them and their son Or
Vile together on Douglas avenue on
Nov 4. and after walking some dis
lance they stepped into the doorway Of
Wallace's implement house and held a
private conversation there. She gave
additional testimony that she saw VIII
hanson and his son together about four
hours before THE murder was commit
ed.
Mr.. Amidon became excited over Mrs
Bakers Testimony and cross-examined
her very sharp. He tried hard to "trip
her UP in her Testimony but Mrs. Baker
was equal to the occasion and after a
twenty minutes cross fire of words the
hionors were about even between them.
Colonel Amidon met an opponent wor-
thy of his steel, or rather of his tongue.
The next witness was the chief of po-
lice and the lawyers for the defense
squared themselves for a hand fight
with HIM. When THE chief went on the
stand he had two bundles of bloody
clothing under his arms. One bundle
contained the wrapper and apron that
Irene Leonard wore when she was ar
rested, and which are marked with
blood STAINS. The other bundle con-
tained THE Sunday clothing of William
son on which the state claims there are
blood stains. but which the defense
claims is red paint. These gruesome
garments were exhibited in court and
examined by the justice, attorneys and
reporters. The testimony of the chief
of police was exactly the same as that
given at the coroner's inquest and did
not vary much, if any, from the state
ment he made TO reporter for the Ea-
gle on THE day Leonard's body was
found. There was nothing deba table
about II until County Attorney Davis
asked him TO repeat the statement
made TO him by Norvflle Williamson.
At this point objections came thick and
fast and vigorous from the opposition
attorneys Justice Jones kept cool and
over ruled them in an easy and grace
ful manner.
Mr. Amhdon didn't want any confes-
sions second handed from the chief Of
police. He said that they were obtained
by promises of immunity and the courts
had decided against such methods
Mr.. Helm objected 10 statements or
alleged confessions made by young VII
hanson on the grounds that his client,
Marion Wiiiia nlSou. was not present
Mr.. Aulid0n and Mr. Helm tried hard
10 make the chief say that he offered
iniucem enes TO NorviIle Williamson 20
make confession but the chief insisted