The age-herald., 1900-12-01
4 SENSATIONAL
 TRIAL IN KANSAS Miss Jessie Morrison Charged
 With Murder MRS. CASTLE WAS KILLED State Says Defendant Acted In Heat of Passion, Brought On By Jealousy.
 Plea of seIf-Defense-The xH IltsA Testimony. .-..,ss1@s

Fl Dorado, Kas., November 90.-The trial of Miss Jessie Morrison, charged with the murder of Mrs. Olin Castle, began in earn est this morning, when, at the opening of the court, Prosecuting Attorney Brumback stated the case for the State. The courtroom waS filled with spectators, the majority of whom were women.
 The Morrison and Wiley families were all present.
 The prisoner was conducted to her seat by her father, and he and two married sis ters and brother sat near her. During Attorney Brumbacks recital of the case, the prisoner watched him closely with her fingers to her lips, while Roland Wiley, father of Mrs. Castle, covered his eyes wfth his hand and wept. Olin Castle stood, close ly listening to the attorney.
 Attorney Brumbaek stated that the pros ecution expected to show that Jessie Nor rison went by circuitous route to MT. CaStle's house prepared to murder Clara Wiley Castle They would show, he said, that the prisoner went armed with two razorS or razor and a knife and that she attacked Mrs Catlle, in1icting eighteen wounds.
 The crime, it would be shown, was com mftted through passion, jealousy and anger, malice and hatred against Mrs. Castle and her husband, and the State would ask for d verdict of murder in the first degree. A. T. Kramer stated that the defense would show that Miss Morrison had cut Mrs. Castle in defense after the latter had attacked her Then he would show, he said, that Olin Castle continued to pay Miss Morrison attention after he became engaged to Miss Wiley and that he con- tinued to make her presents and send her love letters. The evidence would show that Castle showed all of defendants love let ters and notes to Miss Wiley, and that she became extremely jealous and unfriendly towards Miss Morrison; that after Miss Wiley had become Mrs. Castle she called Miss Morrison into her house. and after ac- cusing her of being too intimate with Cas- tie attacked her with a razor. After that Miss Morrison cut Mrs. Castle in self-de- fense.
 What she did," said Attorney Kramer, twas done because she thought it was necessary to save her own life."
 It was announced that the state and de- fense would present total of 115 witnesses to be examined. The testimony was then begun, the State calling Mrs. Bettie Mo berly, the first person to enter the Castle home in response to Mrs. Castles cries for help.
 Mrs Moberly told of entering the house and finding Mrs. Castle lying on the floor with her throat cut, and Jessie Morrison bending over her. She pushed Jessie Nor rison back, she said, and as she did so the latter tried to get something from her shoe She held Miss Morrison so she could not move and demanded an explanation.
 ''She tried to kill me-" said Miss Morri- son.
 Mrs. Moberly testified having seen a black handled razor lying on the body of Mrs Castle as Miss Morrison stood over her When a bloodstained razor that had been found in the Castle home was eXhibit- ed. witness said she thought it was the same one. She and another neighbor led Jessie out of the house. Jessie wanted to go back for a letter that she had left on the floor near Mrs. Castle. This letter, bloodstained, was shown to the witness and identified by her. The letter, according to the prosecution, was taken out of the post office by Miss Morrison on the morning of the murder and was handed by her to the murdered woman so she might have an op portunity for attack as Mrs. Castle read it.
 Mrs. Moberly described Mrs Castles ex- pression as she lay on the floor.
 Her face was all drawn, her eyes had wild expression in them and her lips were drawn from her teeth," said the witness. She told of Mrs Castle, unable to speak, writing a note. There was a fight over the admission of the note, which read:
 Jessie Morrison killed me-"
 Mrs. Castle afterward wrote long statement.
 Mrs. Emma R. Spangler, another neigh bor of the Castles, testified to hearing screams from the Castle home and hearing a voice say:
 "Get off me- Jessie Morrison; you are killing me-"
 The house was locked and she looked through the window. Miss Morrison stood over the prostrate woman with her hands near Mrs. Castles head. Jessie saw witness at the window and heightened up can show how Jessie Morrison moved" said witness, and Mrs. Spangler, getting upon her knees on the floor before the jury de- picted dramatically Jessie Morrison plac- ing her hands at the throat of the other woman then turning her head and drop ping her hands at her side Witness said that when Jessiearose her hands were near Mrs. Castles knees (the razor was found on Mrs. Castles body near the knees). When Mrs Spangler entered the room Miss Morrison exclaimed: "I have killed Mrs. Castle. I cut her throat all to pieces with a "a n