Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-22
PLEADS NOT GUILTY
Miss Horlocker Arraigned Before the County
Judge at Hastings
FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND is GIVEN
Accused Taken to Her Home After the Bond
Is Duly Signed.
TRIAL is SET FOR SEVENTEENTH OF MAY
Prisoner Very Weak and Nervous When She
Arrives in Hastings,
CARRIED FROM THE TRAIN TO A CARRIAGE
Attended in the Court Room by Her
sister Zorn, who Prompts Her
when Called Upon to
Plead.
Prisoner Very Weak and Nervous When She
Arrives in Hastings,
CARRIED FROM THE TRAIN TO A CARRIAGE

Plead.
| HASTINGS, Neb., April 2l.-CSpecial
! TelegramJ THE great excitement that has
prevailed here for nearly two weeks over
the murierous attempt to poison Mrs. c.
+. Morey by sending her bon bons contain
ing arsenic has commenced to wane since
/ the accused, Miss Viola Horocker, was
( brought back to Hastings this morning by
Sherif Smmering, who had her arrested
Tuesday afternoon at Sheldon. Ia where she
and her mother had been in hiding for
I over a week,
Miss Horlocker was taken before the
county judge this morning. Her attorneys
moved for continuance Of hearing and II
was granted. She was placed under a
s. ooO- bond and permitted TO 90 home.
When Miss Horlocker arrived in Hastings
there was large and eager crowd at the
depot to witness her Homecoming, as a scene
was looked for, but nothing OF this kind
occurred The girl was apparently very
weak and almost compelled her attorneys.
John Stevens and William X. Burton. to
carry her from the car to the cab, which
! was in waiting about eighty feet away.
While going this short distance she was
I forced to rest five different times and at
each interval she sobbed and moaned in
] supuutu luues. Upon entering the cab she
seemed about to faint, but soon rallied. Her
mother showed no signs of being grief
! stricken or agitated, but wore a stern look
! OF deliberation.
The sheriff accompanied the party to Miss
| Horlockers home, where the girl was per-
| mitted TO remain for two hours before being
| taken to the court house On account of a
! rumOr being circulated that Miss Horlocker
would net be arraigned until after dinner
the court room was not crowded early. but
/ was well filled soon after the arrival Of
! the accused.
/ At $50 Miss Horlocker entered the court
room, heavily veiled and leaning hard upon
! her sister Fora and her brother in law,
| George Hayes, There hardly any delay
/ in the proceedings, County Attorney Nc
Creary was present and Attorneys Burton,
Rasgr end Stevens arrived before 1G. O'Clock,
( Miss Fora Gladys Horlooker sat Close beside
her sister and supported her during the
| legal proceedings
Impressive Scene.
| As soon as It became known that all par
. ties concerned were present a deathlike ST.
lence came over the court room and the
sound OF Violas heavy breathing fell upon
/ the ear Of the most distant spectator pres
ent. The nervous stiffness was broken by
/ the county attorney asking for the warrant
. II
Horlocker. Sheriff Smmering produced the
warrant, which Mr.. McCreary read aloud.
| When the county attorney came TO the par:
| saying did willfully, unlawfully and felon-
/ iousy administer TO Anna r Morey a
tain poison called arsenic" the accused
! seemed to shiver and tremble like
! frightened bird. but soon regained herself
I and remained calm with the exception OF
an occasional dropping of the head. which
49, k,r.s
swoon away. But her sister supported her
and whispered words Of encouragement,
which once or twice were answered in mon
osyllabes mingled with sobs.
I At the conclusion OF the reading OF the
warrant the county judge asked Miss Viola
Horlocker, are you guilty or not guilty?'
All eyes were turned upon the girl. She
made an effort 20 speak, but could not. At
,orney Ragan whispered to Miss Fora and
Fora whispered to her sister.
/ Miss Viola rcgained herself and answered
in a SLOW deep-toned voice Not guilty"
The counsel for the defendant immedi-
ately fled an AFFIDAVIT asking for continue
ance for thirty days.
| Miss Horlocker was then called upon 10
( sign the AFFIDAVIT, which she did. But IL was
/ quite a time before she affixed her signature,
( as her hand trombled so that il was almost
/ impossible to keep the pSu upon the paper.
. y
gave no reason for asking for continuance
/ except for the want OF material testimony
which would be impossible 10 secure in less
than thirty days. County Attorney McCreary
said he had no disposition 10 insist upon
what would be a disadvantage TO anybody.
but he did not want The continuance to carry
( the case past the May term Of the district
court Judge Bowen fest this matter with
the attorneys 70 try and fix up, but after
" "a min he At
! failed 10 agree.
The Judge thou granted a continuance Of
twcuty-seyeu days and fixed Wednesday,
! May II, at Q O'Clock a. m. for the time Of
the preliminary hearing
bond il Fixed.
! Attorney Ragan for the defendant said they
/ were prepared 10 furnish bond for Miss Hor-
! lockers appearance on May II. The judge
fixed the bond a. $1,000 As the bond had
been prepared Viola Horlocker william
Kerr, George Hayes and John NJ Ragan
signed tho document and it was accepted.
County Judge Bowen hen declared the case
continued until May L.
After the crowd had left the court
room Miss Horlockor bowed her head as II
ia tears and was then assisted 70 her car
/ riage and driven home.
q The result today n Miss Horlocker's case
was what naturally might have been OK
pec,ed, a continuance which will doubtless
, take the case over 10 the winter term q
court which convenes December ls as the
next term Of The dlstric, court commences
here May J. and there viii be no jury term
after that until December. The chan es are
that the May term will not last over two
weeks at the most, go the case IS almost
4 certain 10 be prolonged This Is q decided
advantage for the defendant, az this case
, eight months from now VIII have been al
most forgotten, and an the excitement,
rumors and prejudices will have died out
and the case will have an entirely Different
appearance. In this the girl Will be the
gamer.
As to the outcome OF this celebrated case