Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-18

81 SlgOurney, Dec. l3.-(SpeQal)-
The court room here yesterday was
crowded. The doors were closed at 2
O'clock and no more permitted to en-
ter the room. The building has been
condemned and the judge was fearful
of collapse and repeatedly cautioned
the crowd not to all make a move
rnent toward the door at once at there
was danger of the old building giving
way under the tremendous strain.
Sixteen witnesses for the state were
examined today. The defendant,
Sarah Kuhn, listened to the sickening
details of the autopsy on the body of
her husband, Chas. Kuhn with child
ishlinterest and betrayed no feeling of
horror as the expert witness for the
state, DR.. j. U. Johnson, described the
condition of the brain. heart, lungs
and stomach of the deceased. She lis
tened to the most damaging evidence
brought out by the state without
movement of muscle or tremor of
an eyelid. She looks each witness in
the face with a steady trustful sort
OF gaze that is rather disconcerting.
The rehashing OF her own testimony
at the inquest held on the body of her
husband by the coroner, j. M. Adams,
perhaps the strongest link in the long
chain Of circumstantial evidence. fail
ed to change the expression of serene
hopefulness on the fair defendants
face.
y Wesley Snider is considered the
states main witness. People from all
anxious to hear something of the trial.
Tho o. fothnr 20
defendant are In the court room con.
stantly. The defendant said to re-
porter: Il feel more sorry for moth
er than for myself +" 1t brings tears
to many eyes to see the way in which
& that mother looks from counsel to
daughter and to witness in a vain
search for encouragement.
Damaging Evidence.
A lot of star witnesses for the state
were examined yesterday afternoon,
including Wesley Snider, to whom
Kuhn accused his wife of poisoning
him.
The evidence given still brings in
the mysterious Andy Smith, but just
at this time it would not do to say
that he Is the man" Ia the case which
is the theory the state is working on.
TO connect up the poison theory,
which can hardly be said to be a
theory, evidence was introduced from
the man who sold the fatal bologna
and the chemist who examined the
dead mans stomach for traces Of
strychnine.
Mrs. Ella keister.
Mrs. Ella KeiSter testified that she
was acquainted with Charles Kuhn in
his life time and that she was ac-
quainted with the defendant; that she
was acquainted with Andy Smith;
that she had seen the defendant and
Andy Smith in conversation together,
that she was going thru the yard Of
Hiram Smith, father of Andy Smith,
and saw them, the defendant and An
sdy Smith, talking at the back door of
Smiths house.
Nelson Reed.
Nelson Reed testified that he was
acquainted with Charles Kuhn in his
life time and with the defendant,
Sarah Kuhn; that he at one time saw
the defendant and Andy Smith en-
gagged in conversation in an alley near
the defendants home in the town of
Delta.
DR.. J. U. johnson.
DR.. J. U. Johnson was called to the
stand and stated that he was acauaint-
ed with Charles Kuhn in his life time:
that he saw him on the night of Sep
TENDER 4, 1900, and that he was dead
at the time he examined him.
Doubtless this witness will be re-
called for further examination.
Prof. r. S. Macy.
Prof. r. S. Macy, of Des Moines,
testified in regard to receiving the
express package and as to the tags
on the name and that the box was
sealed up when received by him; that
the box contained two beer bottles,
one small bottle and a jar, each seal
ed with the United States seal 1,151.
!; e. e. Dunn.
e. e. Dunn testified that he was sta.
ton agent and express agent in the
town OF Delta; that he received from
]. ]. Mcdonald a package addressed
to Prof. lockwood, of Iowa City, and
described the package.
Prof. lockwood.
Prof. lockwood, of Iowa City, q
chemist in the state university, teSti
1ed to remembering something in ref
erence to package from Delta being
sent to him for chemical analysis;
that to his recollection he never saw
the package; that he had been con
suited By telephone in regard to Z
package which was being sent to him
for analysis and he not having time te
attend to it recommended Prof Macy
OF Des Moines; that he went to the ex
press office at Iowa City and gave
them the address of Prof. Macy ane
asked that this package SO sent tc
him be forwarded to said Macy; that
to his recollection he never saw the
package, he simply wrote the address
to which he wished 1t sent and In
structed them to forward the package
to that address; that he never opened
the package.
Philip Geneva. 81