The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-07

l.
the letters said to Clara: I know
you had a bitter feeling and 1 often
said that / was going to see your
mother Then she said: It's good you
did not: she'd have. taken the hide off
you' rose to go. She said: Don't
go yet Olin is coming in a minute
said, Isn't he here now? and she said,
It's too bad for you TO run after tnaL
poor boy I told her that he was the
one who had caused her to be so bitter
to me. She said, I know better. You
tried to separate u.s. ! said l had not,
and she said, 'YoH are a liar 1 said,
Dent call me a liar Then we both
raised up together Jessie Morrison
VIVA What was done?" asked Judge
Redden.
stopped to pick it up. Then she jumped
up, moved quickly in the same direction
and then she cut me with the razor"
you had no razor, knife nor wea-
pon?"
mo, sir''
'.Then what happened?"
ssShe cut me twice with the razor
across my throat" said Miss Morrison.
s'I grabbed at her and screamed. Then
Clara and I rushed together and she
threw me and raised my knees to pro-
tect myself and she kept striking at me
all the time. she fell oyer on me ana
then we both folled off the lounge. We
both struggled and got the razor away
from her After that we rolled over on
the foor''
Jessie Morrison stopped again in her
recital The spectators were agap. All
leaned forward and all watched the wit
ness closely She told her story in a
clear steady voice, speaking without hes
itation. When she paused at threshold
and Of the most bloody part of it, the
jury looked alternately from the witness
"Then what did you do?" asked Judge
Redden.
conversational tone
DO you know how many times?"
mo, sir
DO you know what became of the
razor?''
s'She may have knocked it from my
hand or I may have dropped it"
Then Miss Morrison told of Mrs. Mo
berley and Mrs Spangler entering the
house.
She denied much of the evidence given
by these two women.
Captain Waters then began the cross
examination of Miss Morrison.
Witness denied that she had ever been
engaged to marry Castle.
Captain Waters had Miss Morrison de-
tail again the events of the fight with
Clara Castle.
When court adjourned at noon, Miss
Morrison climbed down from her chair
and was helped to walk to her cell by
her brother. She had not WINGED once
under the cross examination, which it
break down and had displayed remark
able GOODNESS, nerve and self-control.
At the opening of court Thursday af-
ternoon, Jessie Morrison gave Judge
Shinn a bouquet from the box of roses
which she received from Kansas City.
The judge accepted the flowers and
placed them on his desk.
Judge Morrison, father of the defend
ant, gave the most Important testimony
for her during the day.
He said that he came to Kansas from
West Virginia, in 1882, and settled in
Butler county, on a farm. In 1892 ne
was elected probate judge and moved to
town, where he has since lived. The
judge is 63 years old, a well respected
citizen and a member of the official
bord of the Methodist church He be-
gan:
It was home on the morning of June
%. Jessie was around the house early
and did the work. She acted the same
as usual 1 didn't see her when she left
of the tragedy was given me by my lit
tie grandson, Albert. 1 went into the
house and found Jessie lying on the bed.
Several people were around her. AS
went in, Jessie looked at me and said:
.Oh, papa, papa, why did she call me
in?"
AS the judge said this, the tears trick.
led down his cheeks. Jessie also wept
What else did she say?
g I'm afraid I have killed her."
did she say, I murdered Clara?'"
Did she say in substance anything
like that?"
''She did not"
The witness concluded: 'Jessie said
she was in pain. and her actions indi-
Gated it,
He identified her clothing.
Mrs. M. H. Morrison, stepmother of
the defendant, said that Jessie got up
on the morning of the tragedy and got
breakfast, then did the dishes and all
the housework and prepared some pota-
toes and prunes for dinner.
3'She said she wanted to get q collar
pattern and that she would go to Mrs.
Davis for it and soon return con-
tinued the witness. tfShe went away. In
a. short time she returned. I saw her
in her room. She was bleeding. I asked
her what was the matter I put nysarrn
around her and assisted her to the bed.
Mrs. Spangler was there at the time.
Jessie was suffering with pain and she
rolled around considerably
The witness then described how Jessie
was dressed and told about the women
her. She identified a pair
of low black walking shoes and said
that Jessie wore them on the morning
of the tragedy.
Are you sure she didn't wear high
shoes p,
T am. know she wore those low
shoes"
The jury examined the shoes and they
We're made an exhibit. The theory of
the state is that she wore high shoes
and concealed razor in one Mrs. Nor
rison was shown the waist which Jessie
wore that day. 1t was red, stained with
blood and was cut into ribbons. She
was also shown the skirt, bloody collar,
belt and necktie. She identified all of
them.
Mrs. Henry Ehlers, sister of the de-
fendant, testified:
Jessie Morrison made her home with
me in 1899. while she was employed at
the Racket store. Olin Castle wasf a
s.~s4
to see Jessie. He called once or twice a
week. In the fall he was there as high
as three times a week He took Jessie
riding about a half dozen times during
that period. Olin never drove our horse.
He used a livery rig. He came there
once or twice to see Jessie when she
was not at home Jessie had his pho
tograph in her room