The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-22
AN ALLEGED MURDERESS
JESSIE MORRISON ON TRIAL FOR
KILLING MRS. OLIN CASTLE.
Girl Who Was in Love with Her VIC
TINS Observation-Disclosures to
he Her Plea.

ELDORADO, Kan, Nov 21.-Miss Jessie
Morrison, charged with killing Mrs. olin
Castle, last June, by cutting her throat
with a razor, was placed on trial here
to-day. The case is one of the most re-
markable in the history of Kansas crimes.
Miss Morrison's alleged motive for the muir
der was jealousy, she having been for
mer sweetheart of Castle. who is a clerk in
store. Miss Morrison, who is twenty-six
years old, is the daughter of former Pro-
bate Judge NJ. II. Morrison, and the fam
lily has been prominent in Eldorado So
ciety for years. Mrs. Castle. who was
Miss Mary Wiley, was the same age as
her alleged murderer. Her family also
was well to do. a short time before Cas-
ties marriage to Miss Wiley. Miss Morri-
son, who had formerly been employed in
the same store with him. is said to have
threatened Castle. One afternoon. few
weeks after the wedding, neighbors, at
tracted' by Mrs. Castles screams, broke
into her house. They found her lying in
a pool of blood from several ugly gashes
I'm her throat, and with Miss Morrison,
razor In hand, standing over the pros
trate woman. Miss Morrison. too. was
bleeding from several cuts. Mrs. Castle
lived for eighteen days Before she died
she made a statement declaring that Miss
Morrison had attacked ner without provo
cation, and sent word forgiving her.
The prosecution will contend that the
defendant deliberately planned the muir
der going to the Castle home armed with
a razor purchased for the purpose, and
that after accomplishing her mission she
turned the blade upon herself.
Miss Morrison will plead self-defense.
Her side of the story is that Mrs. Castle
had called her into the house and, after
starting a quarrel, attacked her with a
razor, which she took from a bureau
drawer in the room. In the struggle that
followed, Miss Morrison declared, she
wrenched the weapon from her adversary
after receiving several cuts and, defending
herself, inflicted several gashes in the VIC
TINS throat.
At the preliminary hearing, last sum-
mer, Miss Morrison was held without bail.
Much of her time in jail since then has
been spent In reading the Bible. The trial
will doubtless become legal battle. as
eminent lawyers have been engaged on
each side. The defense won a point re-
Gently, when IL received a copy of Mrs
Castles dying statement. which was re-
fused them at the preliminary hearing
Olin E. Castle, the man i'm the case, is
younger than either of the women con-
cerned.
When Judge ]. w Shinn announced the
case the courtroom was crowded with spec
tators. Among them were a dozen clerks
ir the store where Castle and Miss Nor
rison had worked. Judge Morrison the
aged father of the prisoner, and Castle
A few minutes later. Miss Morrison. slen-
der and frail-looking. was escorted TO a
seat beside the judges desk. The prisoner
sat quietly through the proceedings. Her
five months confinement in the county jail
has plainly told on her physical appear
ance.
Yesterday Miss Morrison's attorneys filed
a plea in abatement, asserting that the pre-
limnary hearing had not been regular
and that the prisoner, therefore, could not
he. trio On he oh nf r1r1ar IL. 81,
first degree. The States attorney moved
that the plea be amended. and asked
that the case proceed. Considerable argu-
ment from counsel followed.
The afternoon was spent I'm arguments of
counsel on both sides Miss Morrison and
DIN Castle sat a few feet from each other
during the afternoon session, but neither
even glanced at the other.