The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-05
DYING WOMAN'S STORY
DEaTH-BED STATEMENT OF MRS.
CASTLE READ IN CURT.
Jessie Morrison UnmOved as Her
Crime Was Dramatically Depicted
by One of the Witnesses.

ELDORADO. KAN, Dec. 4-To-day in the
Jessie Morrison murder trial the time was
spent in an effort on the part of the prose-
cution TO prove the authenticity of a death-
bed statement of Mrs. Castle, which they
had desired TO introduce as evidence. TWO
physicians, Mrs. Castles pastor, Rev. Mr.
Wharton. his wife's daughter n Austin
Brumback, brother of the prosecuting at
torney in the case. depicted the scene at
the bedside of the dying woman They told
how she, Unable 10 speak. because OF the
wounds in her throat, nodded assent as
questions pertaining to the affair with
Miss Morrison were put to her. n how,
finally, she signed her name to the state
ment and wrote the words: "By my God,
it is true"
The statement tells how Jessie Morrison
called on Mrs. Castle on the morning OF the
assault and how they discussed Miss Nor
rison's relations with Castle. Miss Morrison
had a letter and asked If Mrs. Castle had
written it. Mrs. Castle said no. The state
ment goes on: Jessie at first denied all
that / told her, but finding that ii was OF
no use she confessed ii all and then she
said: We'll, you may read the letter. As
she said this she arose from the lounge,
passing in front of me and to my right,
and, looking out of the door. she asked me
if there was any one about the house. i saw
the letter in her left hand when she arose
from the lounge. The next thing L knew
Jessie Morrison struck me across the throat
with a razor which she had in her right
hand. / do not know where she took the
razor from. 1 tried TO defend myself the
best / could from the blows. i cut my
fingers in trying to get the razor from her.
/ also screamed all l could. She was on top
of me. She cut herself in the throat and
arms. | saw her do it. Jessie cut me or
struck me with the razor a great number OF
times"
A thrilling scene occurred during the
cross-examination of Brumback. He had
been requested to tell what question he had
asked and what answers he had received
while he was taking Mrs. Castles state
ment. To answer the question, Brumback
related the statements made by the
wounded woman; described the approach
OF Jessie Morrison to Mrs. Castles home,
and told of the preliminary conversation
between the two young women. AS Brum-
back proceeded his voice grew loud and
his speech emphatic. His right arm went
out in decisive gestures until he reached
the point where he said that Jessie Morri-
son handed Mrs. Castle a letter to read
and that while the latter perused il the
prisoner took out her razor and cut her
throat. As he said this BrumDack SpranS
to his feet and dramatically passed his
land through the air as if he clutched a
razor.
Mrs. Wiley, mother of the murdered wom-
an, put ner handkerchief over her face.
as If TO hide the picture; DIN Castles
mother covered her eyes with her hand;
but Jessie Morrison never fiinched. She
looked straight in front of her, and aside
from the fact that her cheeks grew a little
whittier and she closed her eyes for a minute
as Brumback concluded, her expression
did not change. Olin Castle was not in the
courtroom.
The crosS-examination of DR.. Ambrose
was directed against seven lines of the dy-
ing statement that had been written by DR..
Ambrose himself and added to the other
by Brumback. The lines I'm question were
these: 81 had just finished sweeping when
| first saw Jessie at the gate. Before sweep
ing L took the rugs to the board walk,
where / cleaned and left them. / do not
know who fastened the screen, but i pre-
sumo i did, as | usually kept il closed. /
make this as my dying statement" Mrs.
Castle had lot said these words to him.
witness admitted. but she had given the
information to others and she assented to
it before she signed the statement.
AT the afternoon session Austin Brum-
back, Miss Edna Wharton and Rev. Mr..
Wharton testified, corroborating AM
brose's testimony that Mrs. Castle had not
expected to get we'll and that she believed
she was making her dying statement.
AT the session tonight the argument of
the attorneys as to whether the statement
should be admitted in evidence began.
When court adjourned the argument were
not finished.