The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-23
HISTORY OF THE DEFENDANTS
Charged With Committing Most Afro
cIons Grime In Iowa.

Adolph Niese and Hattie Niese are
natives of Germany. Adolph Nfese
came to America in 1880, first locating
i'm Chicago. In 1882 he married Miss
Geisel and shortly thereafter moved to
Ottumwa, Iowa, where he secured EN-
ployment with firm engaged in the
hide and tallow business.
In 1890 at Ottumwa his first wife died,
leaving three children-Harry, aged Z,
Minnie, aged 5, and Adolph, aged 2
years-the fruit of this union.
Niese by industry and economy, bor-
dering upon parsimony, had at the
time of his first wife's death accumu-
lated a small fortune. being the owner
of fine residence and other property
in Ottumwa-
Within six months after the death of
his first wife he married Martha Volz,
the sister of his present wife. Niese
and his second wife apparently lived
happily together until 1892, when his
present wife came into their home.
His present wife had been in Ottumwa
but a short time when she began to
make frequent visits at her sisters
home, Niese invariably escorting her
home after night, much against the
protestations of his wife. The chill
dren, though young, sympathized with
their then stepmother, and viewed
their fathers relations with his pres
ent wife with much suspicion.
In the meantime Niese persuaded his
wife to insure her life for $1,000, he be-
ing the beneficiary.
From the day his present wife cross
ed the threshold of her sisters home
Niese began to neglect his wife and
treat her and the children cruelty;
finally this estrangement between man
and wife eliminated in what is gener-
ally belived by the people of Ottumwa
to be conspiracy between Niese and
his present wife to get rid of her sis
ter.
At about l O'Clock on the night of
Feb. 81, 1898, the residence of Niese
was totally destroyed by fire. Niese
came home that fatal night at about
10 p. m, going to bed with his little
daughter Minnie, his two sons, Harry
and Adolph, occupying a bed in the
same room, his wife and babe months
old sleeping in an adjoining room.
When the fire was discovered the
father with the three children went to
a neighbours house about one block
away and returned before making any
effort to rescue his wife and babe On
the following day an inquest was held.
the coroner's jury finding that his
wife was burned to death by her hus-
band. His arrest followed Immediate
ly and so incensed were the people of
ottumwa that the sheriff took his
prisoner to an adjoining county for
safety. In the meantime his present
wife was arrested as a conspirator
In course of time Niese stood trial in
Ottumwa for numbering his wife. and
after trial lasting several weeks, was
acquitted. In the course of this trial
it was contended that the skull of the
wife had been crushed in before the
fire, that in fact she and her infant
babe had been murdered and that the
torch had been applied by the murder
err to conceal his crime. 1t was also
claimed that prior to this fire Niese
was very careful TO store several trunks
full of the most valuable household
effects i'm his smoke house, and il was
especially noticeable that while his
wife and babe were being devoured by
the flames he did not forget to take
with him a tin box containing the life
insurance policy on his wife, the fire
insurance policy on his house and other
valuable papers.
His acquitaal was regarded as a
travesty on justice. and so outraged
were the feelings of the people that the
Jailer clandestinely helped Niese out of
town the same night of his acquittal
going to the country some FIVE miles.
In short time Neise returned TO
Chicago. followed by his present wife
and the three children.
Within six months after Neise's seq
ond wife had burned to death he mar
ried his present wife. They lived in
Chicago until April of last year when
they came to Stevens county.
AT THE TRIAL AT COLVILLE.
The little boy. Harry, testified 10 the
many acts OF cruelty OF Hattie Niese
rs s;epmother. toward the child
Adolph, she frequently knocking him
down and bouncing upon him with her
knees and feet, striking him with a
poker. coal shovel. or anything in
reach. This course of treatment was
continued after their arrival here.
About three weeks before the death
% the child Hattie Niese had punished
the boy. Adolph. numerically with a
club or some weapon, tearing his finger
and thumb nails loose. brussing the
back Of his hand. blackening one OF
his eyes and otherwise maltreating
him. From this beating the child He'd
70 the neigabOrs. telling them Of the
outrageous acts Of this immature. wo-
man