Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-30
JACKsoN's SLAYER WILL BE FREE
MAN TODAY.
MRS. JACKSON UNDER ARREST.
CHARGED WITH BEING AN ACCOM-
PLICE IN THE MURDER.
Startling and Unexpected Develop
ments I'm a Remarkable and SEN
satiOnaI Case - JacksOn's
Brother Charges At
tempted Bribery.

Fred J. Jackson, VIII be allowed MS II iee-O4ii
to-day. having been admitted TO $4,000 bail
by Judge wofford of the criminal court'yes-
terday, after hearing a portion Of the evil
dence. The proceeding is a very unusual
one. and there has been but one case OF lts
kind in the history of this county, exclusive
Of the Watt Reed case, which came from
Platte county. and was passed upon by
Judge Wofford The state law and the con-
stitution provide that all offenses are bail
able except capital offenses where the proof
IS evident and the presumption great. That
is. a man may be indicted fer murder in the
first degree and yet admitted TO bail II, on
hearing OF the evidence. the court shall
fnL that the proof against him is not evil
dent and the presumption Of guilt is not
great.
The surprise among lawyers yesterday
and there was great surprise everywhere
when Judge wofford's decision admitting
DIR. Goddard 10 bail was announced, was
not as to any usurpation of power on the
part Of the judge but that on the evidence
in the case, so far as it has been made pub
lie. and especially so far as it was given in
court yesterday, Judge Wofford should have
admitted the prisoner to bail
On the heels OF this news came the an
nouncement that Mrs. Jackson, the widow
Of the murdered man, had been arrested as
an accessory before the fact to the murder
That she would be arrested was foreshad-
owed In the Journal yesterday. Then came
charges of bribery to get witnesses out of
the way, made by a brother of the dead
man. It was a day Of very sensational de-
velopments in Z decidedly sensational case.
For several weeks the air has been hlled
with rumors and at last the foundations for
some OF them were revealed.
The evidence in the case brought out be-
fore Judge Wofford. showed that there was
a quarrel between the two men at the ho-
tel where they had met that Jackson up
braided Goddard for robbing him of his
home and money, that during the quarrel
Jackson's revolver was taken from him;
that Goddard shot the half-blind man and
claimed he had TO do 1t to get out; that
jackson fell within twelve feet OF the door
of his wife's room, but that she did not
even open the door to see whether she
could do anything for him or not. The evil
dence further showed that Marie jackson,
the daughter, had sat in DR.. Goddard's lap
after the killing and told him not to cry
about the murder, that they would say her
father drew a revolver first and Il would
all come out all right.
This was the substance of the evidence
given by Coroner Bedford; ], W. Wolf, pro-
prietor of the hote.; DR.. E. NJ. Hethering-
ton; Marie Jackson and George Wright
Then the Judge fixed DR.. Goddard's bond
at $4,000
The evidence Of George Wright who is
a nephew of Mrs. Jackson, was in direct
contradiction to a signed statement which
he made to Prosecutor Lowe. Wright swore
on the stand that Jackson could see across
the street. and that he had sworn to kill
Goddard on a number Of occasions. In his
statement made to the prosecutor he had
said that he never heard Jackson threaten
Goddard, and that Jackson could not see
at all when his glasses were on. Prosecut-
or Lowe was very indignant yesterday and
said that II there was any way Of reaching
Wright, he would have him arrested for
Charges of Bribery.
George H. Jackson. brother OF the mur-
dered man, is highly indignant at the turn
affairs have taken.
''It looks mighty funny" he said last
night. There is something wrong some
where. My brother went to that house that
night with no more intention or expecta-
tion of having trouble than have now.
He had in his possession paid checks from
local banks showing that Mrs. Jackson had
given Goddard $4,000. My brother was
about TO bring suit TO have the property
decided back TO him. and L believe that fur
nlshed the only correct motive in the case.
They saw ruin and exposure staring them
in the face.
Since the shooting Mrs. jackson has
done everything in her power for God
dard About four weeks ago she made me
a proposition TO see Major Woodson and
offer him whatever he wanted to withdraw
from the case as assistant counsel for the
state. She wanted me to see Prosecutor
Lowe and see how much he would take 10
go easy in the prosecution. She offered
me Sl009 to go away and not be a witness
in the case. ! never accepted any Of these
propositions but l know that she is mov-
Ing heaven and earth in Goddard's behalf"
Mrs. jackson Arrested.
Mrs. Elizabeth jackson, the widow Of the
murdered man, was arrested yesterday
afternoon by Deputy Marshal Cassmlr
We!ch, at her rooms over the laundry near
the corner OF Independence and Locust.
She was arrested on a warrant sworn out
before Justice Kruger, by George H. Jack
son, charging her with being accessory be-
fore the fact TO the murder of her husband.
Mrs. Jackson took her arrest very coolly.
as II she had expected II. She did not
make any scene whatever or betray any
emotion, going quietly 10 the office Of the
justice, after she had telephoned for her
lawyer, Henry Smith. Mr.. Smith met his
client at the Justices office and took
Charge Of her case. She pleaded not guilty
and her bond was fixed at $4,000, which
7. Jones' Henry Smith and Erastus Smith
are the suretteS. Her preliminary hearing
was set for July at 2 p. m.
Mrs. jackson was dressed with extreme
plainness and simplicity when she ap-
peared before the justice, wearing a very
common black hat, cheap shirtwaist of
small black and white stripes and plain
black skirt. She looked more like a fairly
weli-to-do farmers wife, rather than one
OF the central figures in distressing trag-
edy.
States Case Not Disclosed.
Professional ethics prevented LAWYERS
yesterday from criticising the action of
Judge Wofford. but there was a manifest
feeling of surprise among attorneys that
Goddard should have been admitted 10 bail
The general opinion among the public was
one OF indignation. As one prominent at
torney pointed out the action Of the court
I'm admitting Goddard TO bail will have n
very strong influence on jury. being the
deliberate opinion Of the trial court. II
Is shrewdly suspected that the proceedings
were had for just about this purpose
Under the evidence that was given"
said Prosecutor Lowe. there was moth
ing TO do but admit Goddard 20 bail and I
have no complaint 10 make. But we did
not show our case at all. We did not 20
into the motives behind the shooting. and
We expect 10 make out a very strong case
when we go TO trial. We thought II would
be better 10 let Goddard get out on bail
than give him two months to work on our
witnesses. For that reason we did not
show our hand and the chief object of
the defense was defeated"
wofford Says They Can't Convict.
Judge wofford said last night that It
was all ignorance to suppose that this was
q very unusual proceeding.
why I did Il in the Reed case and in