The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-08

A-OlQ Lu6 Su0Tln 0F0E d1yLQlQR
to you about your guilt?
Ayes. he said he believed I was
guilty and was going to do all he could
to convict me-
Q-You told the officers a lot of stuff
in January, did you not, about ROSS"
and "Poker Dick" did you not? State if
any part of those stories were true?
A-No, they were all false.
Q-Tell this court how you came to
tell those stories?
Al was prosecuted into it-forced
into it.
Q-What do you mean by that?
Al mean that l had several talks
with Mr.. Wilkerson in which he tried
to get me to tell something about the
murder. l was put in the sweat box by
his orders. Finally he got mad and
made his talk so strong that I concluded
he would convict me, guilty or innocent.
I merely tried to comply with his re-
quest.
Q-Then those "clues" you gave him
were all false?
A-They were so far as I know.
Q-Were you connected in any way
with the murder of this woman?
Al was not
Q-Were you in any conspiracy to get
any papers of hers?
Al was not.
Odd you know of any such conspir-
acy at the time?
Al did not.
Q-What is your present financial con-
dition?
Avery embarrassing. (Laughterl
Q-Had you any money to fight this
case?
A-Not a cent
Q-Have any friends helped you out?
A-None that know of.
Q-Have your father or your wife as
sisted you any?
A-No sir; they couldn't
Q-State your fathers financial condi-
ton, if you know?
Al believe it is pretty much the
same az mine.
Ole is common day laborer, is he
not?
Ale is.
Novels Cross-Examined.
County Attorney Stafford here began
the cross examination of Novels, and
started by inquiring into Novels past,
which showed that he was born in Texas,
26 years ago It was shown also that
since he left Texas when he was II years
old he has worked at various trades in
Guiding baking and printing in Oswego,
Chetopa, Wellington, Winfield, junction
| City and half a dozen other Kansas
towns before coming to Topeka He had
also gone to school at Cincinnati at two
different times.
Novels was startled when, without the
| slightest warning, County Attorney SAT-
| ford blurted out with the question:
''Were you ever arrested for murder
before?"
A-No
Q-Were you not arrested for the muir.
der of man named Van Cleve in Cow
| ley county several years ago?
Al was arrested as a witness in the
case.
Gas matter of fact were you not
tried by jury for that murder?
Ayes; l guess was.
Q-What was the case against your
A-They Thought the gun that the
man was shot with belonged to me.
Q-What was the result of the trial?
A-They couldn't prove anything
against me, SO I was acquitted.
Q-How many times have you been
arrested for burglary?
| A-Can | explain that?
Q-Answer it by yes or no.
A-No
Q-Is it not a fact that you were ar
rested at Wellington for burglary, aud
went free by turning states evidence?
Al won't admit that | was arrested
as decoy in order to catch some other
people l was released on a "straw
bond" and never came to trial (The
state expects to disprove this in rebuttal
by the man who was sheriff at Yelling
ton at the time)
Q-Have you been arrested any other
times?
Al don't know of any others.
Q-Do you know a woman who is gen
orally called Josie Novels?
A-Yes.
Q-Were you married to her?
A-No.
Odd you live together as man and
wife?
Ayes.
Q-How long?
About year and a half
Q-Do you know Elsie Novels?
A-Yes
Q-How long did you live with herf
Anime or ten months.
Q-How long after you shook Josie
was it until you went to to live will
Elsie?
Question objected to and sustained)
81 simply wanted to show that the de
PENDANT was pretty well married." Mr.
Stafford said.
Q-You knew that Mrs. Matson wa
in the habit of collecting her own rents!
Al don't know anything about any
one Eents, SIX, eACopt NY OWn'
Q-She always collected yours, didn'
she?
Ayes.
Q-You knew she had considerabl,
property?
Al had heard so.
Q-You knew she always had lots @
money in her house?
Al don't know.
Q-Why did you tell your wife 20
we're going to Texas instead of Winfield
Al would rather not answer tha
question. Do have to?
The County Attorney-Answer tn
question.
A-Because l used to live with anothe
woman a. Winfield, and was afraid if sh
knew l went there she would get sui
picious.
Odd your wife know you used