The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-14
JOHN MOORE'S DEFENSE
WHAT HIS ATTORNEYS WILL SEEK
TO SHOW THIS MORNING.
Claim They Can Break Down Testi-
mOny of futile and Others--Ab-
sence of Motive.

Before tonight the attorneys for John o.
Moore. now accused of wife murder, expect
to prove an alibi for their client. This will
consist, they say, of no less a sensation
than the refutation of the statements of all
the police witnesses including Herman G.
Futile and the street-car conductor and
motorman, to the time when Moore
boarded the Illinois-street car at Twenty
first street, Friday afternoon. They will
seek TO establish their position by the testi-
mony of five reputable witnesses, who have
not until to-day, figured in the case be-
fore the public and who will. it is claimed
establish Moores alibi in an incontestable
manner.
Messrs. Harding & Hovey stated yester-
day to reporter that their plan is more
far-reaching than even the submission of
the above testimony and will, in brief, en-
brace evidence going 10 show, in their opin-
ion, an utter lack OF motive on Moore S
part. In support of this theory Mr. Hard
ing stated that he is personally prepared
to show with the aid of Mr.. Hovey, that
before the last DE Ruiter divorce proceed
1ngs were instituted. Mrs. De Ruiter came
to his office and had her will drawn up, in
which her own real estate was made over
in case of her death, to her father, Henry
Post. during the period of his life, and at
his death was to revert to Mrs Moore in
fee simple. The property consisted of three
small tenement houses in the north end,
which were valued at about $4,000 All of
the houses were rented, and yielded an in
come of about $50 a month. In this property
De Ruiter had no interest. it being the es-
tate of Mrs. De Ruters first husband.
The attorneys will also prove, they say,
the relations nf Moore wi on
Thursday the day before the murder, were
OF the most cordial sort On this point Mr..
Harding Will testify personally. 1t will be
shown that the 800 in Mrs. Moores pos
session the day of the murder was part of
$500 which had been saved by Mrs. De Rui-
ter for some time past in rents from her
property.
The defense believes, so the attorneys say,
that they can prove conclusiYely by direct
testimony that the motive for murder was
lacking in Moore's case, and that his best
interests were served by having his wife
allVe. Mr.. Harding says he will show that
IN the event of Mrs. De Ruiter's death her
property would go to Post, and eventually
to Mrs. Moore, a fact perfectly well-known
TO Moore, who was one of the witnesses at
testing the document. Common sense will,
he thinks, demand that the law look be-
yPnd Moore, who had nothing to gain by
ms wires death, but much to lose.
The police utterly ignore the statement
of l.. l.. Beade, the barber at Illinois street
and McLa1n place, as to seeing Moore pass
ms place on his way down town. and say
he is a wOuld-be amateur detective who
wants to get in the case, at least in print.
Yesterday morning, when Mrs. De Ruiter
was told that her sister, Mrs. Moore, had
been murdered and had not died of heart
failure, and that John Moore was charged
with the crime. she said emphatically that
he did not do the deed and remained posi-
tive in that statement.