Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-12-08
KILLING OF MRS. CASTLE
A Neiga Dor Gives a Graphic Por-
trayai of the Murder Scene
in Court.

Eldorado, Kan, Dec. An the Jes-
sic Morrison murder trial today, Pearl
Beards,ey, a delivery boy, who entered
the house with a package of meat, said
he had helped Mrs. Spangler to raise
Miss Morrison. The latter said: She
tried to Kill me-; | had to do It,
Beardsley said Miss Morrison had a
knife In her hand, but tried to hide 1t
under her dress.
Miss Ruby Moberly testified she saw
Miss Morrison coming out OF the house
with u knife in her hand.
Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Emma K.
Spangler, whose house adjoins that in
which Mrs Caste was killed, testified.
Mrs. Spangler said she heard some one
go into the Castle house, and then some
one spoke I'm an excited tone OF voice.
Then she heard very rapid talking ana
afterward screams and rushing and walk
Ing on the floor and talking all mingled
together. She crossed her house to the
window near the Castle house, looked Out
OF the window and saw people crossing In
front OF the window Of the Castle mouse.
She went out Of her door aud heard Il
voice say: Get Off me Jessie Morrison,
you are killing me-"
Mrs. Spangler said that she pulled on
the screen door, but said II was locked
and then she demanded admission. When
she found hat she could not get In at
the front door Of the Castle house she
ran to the back door and found the screen
door there fastened. Mrs. SpanSler said
that she then ran 20 a window. looked in
and saw one woman on the floor and one
bending over her, She heard the noise
Of feet pounding on the floor. saw her
put her hands on the one on the floor,
saw the one on the floor move her hands
and partly lift herself up. Jessie Morri-
sons back WAS turned to Mrs. Spang'er
aud the woman on the floor was lying on
her left side. Some one said: she saw
me In here; she seen us Jessie Morri-
son turned her face and saw me ana
then she looked at the other. Jessie Nor
rlson's hands were near the others head
and she drew her hands back. | can
show you how Jessie Morrison moved, y
said Mrs, Spangler.
Judge Reddeu objected, but his objec-
ton was overruled. Every one in the
court strained forward to see. Mrs.
Spangler got down on her knees on the
floor before the jury. She leaned for
ward showing how Jessie Morrison's
hands were at the throat Of the other
woman. Then Mrs. S%pangler lifted up her
head and dropped her hands, 49,.
she said. "Her hands were near the knees
OF the woman on the floor" (The razor
was found on Mrs. Castles body near
the knees).
Mrs. Spangler turned and leaned for
ward, still on her knees, and then settled
back, sitting on her feet.
This Is the way Jessie Morrison did
she said. One could almost imagine a
body lying on the floor before her, Mrs.
~Spangler's acting was so graphic. Those
IN the court room were impressed. Half
the people in the room were standing.
Mrs. Spangler then related how she en-
tered the house, found Jessie Morrison
ON the floor. sitting, took her by her
arms, lifted her and led her out OF the
house.
IL said continued Mrs. Spangler,
y" woman, wha. nave YOU doney
81 have killed Mrs. Castle she said.
And then she said: There's something in
there that belongs to me that | want and
I'm going to have it, ] told her not to
go back into the house. ] told her not to
go back and she looked at me and said:
Il want a letter that's there, it's mine
And then Jessie Morrison said TO me: I've
killed Mrs. Castle 'Who?' | asked. I
have killed Mrs. Castle she repeated. Il
cut her throat all to pieces with a IA
zor.'" Mrs. Spangler then told that she
took Jessie Morrison away, that she tried
TO pull loose and Mrs. Spanglcr held her,
Jessie said Il can go home alone; you
needn't so with me- Then she Jerked
away and ran a block before Mrs. Span
glre caught her. Then she said, "Jcs-
sic Morrison had some dark object In her
hand and she hurriedly covered It with
her hand." Jessie Morrison went TO her
home and Mrs. Spangler left her lying
on her bed