The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-18
THE HEARING OF TESTIMONY
THREE YOUNG GIRLS WHO SAW NAL
LADY STRIKE MRS. WILHELM.
Prosecutor RuckeIshaus Thinks the
Case VIII Be Concluded by
Thursday Night.


inal Court yesterday morning. Frank
Hedges. and John Wilhelm, husband of
the murdered woman, were arrested with
Mallady charged with being implicated
in the crime. but Wilhelm was released.
having proved an alibi. Hedges is still in
Jail and will be tried later. The evidence
against the men is circumstantial. Mallady
is the older of the two and upon him
viii the State attempt to fasten the guilt
of being the prime factor in the tragedy.
Mrs. Wilhelm was found murdered on
the banks OF White river, near the Wash
ington-street bridge, about 4:S0 o'clock
Thursday morning, Oct. 25. Much mystery
surrounded the tragedy. The body gave
signs of extreme violence and the motive
appeared to have been robbery. The Will
helms ran a truck garden at 1915 West
Tenth street, Of which Mrs. Wilhelm acted
as manager. She kept most of the money
and often paid her husbands fines when
he was arrested for drunkenness and dis
orderly conduct. She left home on the
morning Of Oct. "a, driving their horse and
wagon. Failing to return, Wilhelm and his
son began searching for her, about 2 a.
m. on the morning she was found muir
dered. She was found in the sane and
weeds near the edge Of the water by the
night Waterman at a sand pumping sta
ton. who reported 1t to the police.
A special venire from which to select a
jury was exhausted at noon yesterday and
Bailiff M~endenhall was sent out on the
street by Judge Afford to get extra men.
BY 2:3O o'clock twelve men satisfactory
TO both the States and defendants at
torneys had been selected. and the jury
was impaneled. In examining the jury
men 1t seemed that the attorneys for the
State were trying to get men living in
the country and Mallady's attorneys sought
men living in the city. The jury, as it is
now made w, is composed of five city men
and seven farmers. They are: Harry
Foltz, Wayne township; Abraham States
man, Decatur township; Z. B. Jackson,
city; John Hamlin. Franklin township; w.
A. Askren, Warren township; Silas Seas
ley. Wayne township; Fred Sturn, city;
Benjamin Gresh, city; Willis c. Davis,
Lawrence township: Harry Thomas, city;
William Guian, Washington township;
John O.. Sloan, city. In questioning the
men Prosecutor Reckelshaus asked each
one if he was opposed to capital punish
ment- Those who replied in the affirmative
were excused.
THE FIRST WITNESS.
John Wilhelm. fourteen years old. son
of the murdered woman, was the first
witness on the stand for the State. He
testified that he and his father went in
search of his mother about 2 o'clock in
the morning, about two hours and one-half
before the body Of the dead woman was
found. They visited several saloons and
a livery stable to see if they could find the
horse and wagon driven by Mrs. Wilhelm.
called at the home of Mrs. Long on South
California street, thence to the police sta
ton, from there to Kentucky avenue and
then took a car home. He said they feared
she had raised a racket and been ar
rested. In cross examination, Attorney
Hendricks sought to show that the wom-
ans husband had quarreled with her over
ness said his mother took five silver dol
lars from a cupboard Wednesday morning,
the morning before she was found muir
was to the effect that his father wanted
some money, ten cents to buy beer and
twenty-five cents to attend a political rally.
the Twenty-Five cents but bought ten cents
worth of beer. He quoted his father as
saying I'll get money some place." but
denied that his father said I'll get some
of that money all right enough" as stated
in the attorneys question relating to a
conversation the boy is said TO nav had
with Ida Kline.
Attorney Hendricks then asked the wit
ness a series OF questions TO show that
John Wilhelm, sr., had money when they
boy said his father gave him money to buy
beer and his breakfast, making a total of
forty cents. He said 1T was a common Gus
tom for his father to hide money and he
supposed he must nave procured Ii from
some hidden place
SALOON KEEPER HEARD.
John Gunter. saloon keeper at 493 West
Washington street, was the next witness.
Gunter said Mallady was a frequenter Of
his place and that he, in company with
Wilhelm, was in his saloon Wednesday
morning. Mrs. Wilhelm was in his place
about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. he said.
looking for her husband. but did not re-
turn after that. He said she was sober
and did not buy a drink.
Drury Warren, who works in Gunter's
saloon, said Mallady and Wilhelm were
in the saloon about 2:30 in the afternoon.
| He testified to Mrs. Wilhelm being in the
saloon between 6 and z o'clock looking
for her husband. He said she was alone.
Sam Gunter, son of the saloon keeper,
| testified to having seen Mallady and Will
helm in the saloon drinking together, be-
| tween 2 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
May Finley, CIT West Market street, said
she had known Mrs. Wilhelm nine years.
She is employed at the cotton mills and
on her way home shortly after 6 o'clock
| Wednesday evening. said she saw Mallady
and Mrs. Wilhelm standing at the corner
of Blackford and Washington streets. On
| cross-examination she said she was ac-
quainted with Mallady and pointed him
| cut at the police station after his arrest,
| identifying him as the man she saw in
| company with Mrs. Wilhelm the night be-
fore she was murdered.
John G.. Myers. who works in Louis
| Browns barrel house at 437 West Wash
ington street, said Mallady and Wilhelm
were I'm the place during the day. About
Z o'clock in the evening. witness said, Mrs.
/ Wilhelm came TO the saloon looking for
her husband. and that Mallady joined her
there. He said Mallady wanted her to
treat. She refused and he was persistent.
Afterward he said they did drink, but he
was unable TO say who paid for the
liquor.
A GIRL OF SIXTEEN.
Mary Duran. sixteen years old, one OF the
three girls who are proving valuable wit
nesses for the State. said she was acquaint-
ed with Mrs. Wilhelm. and knew Mallady
by sight. She testified TO having seen NAL
lady and Mrs. Wilhelm standing on the
west side of White river bridge about S
o'clock and that they were talking in a
loud manne
Did you see Malady strike or make as
IL TO strike Mrs. Wilhelm?' Prosecutor
Ruckelshaus asked.
Il saw him raise his hand as IL to strike