Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-06

her own head, during the absence of her
husband, and asked the witness whether
she had not told her husband that unless
he stayed at home more he would come
home some night and find a Green house"
She said that was absolutely false. She eX-
planned going to Gray's drug store for the
prescription, which she had prepared for
the cramps when ever the children were
stricken, by saying that she diG not care
to go to her old druggist for fear he would
question her about the case. She did not
want any one to know that she was so in
huenced b. her servant.
On redirect examination Mrs. Mussey told
about Alice Platts powers of prophecy.
She said the defendant had told her she in
herIted the power from her grandmother,
who had the gift. and who had been turned
out of church for prophesying. Mrs. Mus
sey said that one week before the children
died Alice told her she ought to have the
clhldren's pictures taken, so as to have
some remembrance should anything hap
pen to them.
Nine-year-old Minnie Brendel, a play
mate of the poisoned children, was the
next witness and she told about coming
home from school on the day they Were
poisoned. She said that up to the moment
they had gone to the bath room with Alice
Platt they seemed to be in their usual
good spirits.
Mrs. Mary NJ. Page, a neighbor. who
was afraid of Alice" was the next wit
ness. She went to the Mussey household
after the children had died and aided in
dressing them for the grave. With Mrs.
Mussey she had searched for the chill
dren's clothes unsuccessfully, but Alice
had beeG able, to find them in few mo-
ments. The clothes had all been laid out
in advance. said the witness. Mrs. Page
had been among the flrSt to suspect Alice
of doing the poisoning. Mrs. Sarah Will
! Jams corroborated Mrs. Pages testimony
concerning the clothes.
Charles F. MuSsey, father of the chill
dren, was the last witness of the day. His
testimony brought out little new in the
case. He did say that Alice pretended to
have .'fainting spell' in which she fore
I told of dire events that We're to occur:
hat =hn Ha1 oil hgrn hi, Il 1F,,1
was TO happen to his children and that
he had cautioned her to say nothing to his
wife about it. He said that he had wanted
to send her away, but Mrs. Mussey was
so attached to her that she objected He
did not put much faith in her alleged
powers of prophecy.
Did Alice ever tell YOU what was going
to happen to your children"
No; don't believe she did. The morn
ing the children died she mentioned some
thing about 1t to me and asked me il 1
was going TO be in the office in the after
noon She told me TO keep within tele-
phone CALL
she was suspected of having poisoned the
children was about o'clock the night of
the occurrence. She met him in the hall
and told him that she had been suspected,
but that Mrs. MuSsey did not believe it
and asked him if he would hold to Mrs.
Mussey's belief. He said he would not an
Swer that question The next day he told
her she would have TO go AWAY She pro-
| tested against leaving, saying that she was
WoodSon asked:
Mr.. Mussey. did you ever have any
! Strychnine in your house,"
Yes sir: / had 10 cents worth, but that
was some months before the children were
! poisoned. / used it in killing rats
Did YOU ever know of Alice Platt buy
! ing cents worth of poison?'
| Il never did"
After great many questions. Major
WOodSon asked:
! Mr.. Mussey. haven't you got fur
nished room in this city,"
| No. sir, except at my home"
| Did not you and your wife have contin-
| ued trouble over your repeated absences
| from home?'
she objected 10 my enforced absences
| the same as any wife would object to her
| husband being so often called from home
| by his business
Did not you and your wife have a diff
Guilty on the morning that Sue and Eliza
/ beth died?"
Il don't remember that We did"
| Didn't Mrs. Mussey repeatedly object to
your staying away from home. and didn't
she say that some day you would come
home to green home? -
No. sir
Didn't your wife threaten her Hfe?"
No. sir
Didn't you yourself, take box of
/ Rough on Rats away from hero
Il don't remember that 1 did"
/ Didn't you?"
No. 1 didn't"
That ended the testimony of the father
! of the children. and court took n recess
until this morning at 9 o'clock. DIR. Overall
will be called TO the stand the first thing
this morning.