Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-12-20
District Court.
The Grand Jury Reports.

In the case Of state VS.. A. E. Coppock
commenced Friday, after proceeding
with the testimony motion was made
by the defendants attorney to quash
the Indictment and was sustained 1t
seems the otfense, il any, was committed
in Carroll county where he sold the note.
A general agent of the company was
here and testified that it was their COM
mon practice to take the note in favor
Of the agent. So Coppock went free.
Monday the Weighton W.. Weber case
was resumed. Last evening the evidence
was all in and today the arguments to
the jury are being made. 1t is likely
the case will GO to the jury sometime
this afternoon. b l. Salinger and his
partner, Mr.. Korte, and Mr.. Boylan have
cond ucted the case for the plaintiff and
F. H. Blume and H. U. Funk for the
defense.
Many OF the same witnesses we're ex-
amined in this case that we're examined
in the Stafford case last spring and much
the same ground was gone over. The
prosecution seems to have shown that
the east part of the barn was first on
fire, thus endeavoring to show it did not
catch from the office part. To fact the
office part was never entirely burned.
Sophia Ballman was an important
witness again. She testified again that
when she was working at Mrs. Poulsons
hotel Mrs. Poulson offered to pay her
| So. 90 if she would burn the barn and
s. 90 after she had completed the burn
ing. She said she was at home the
night of the fire and on being awakened
she said she didn't want to get mp as she
nearly knew it was Weighton's barn and
she would know all about it the next
day. On being asked il che said these
| things because she dsliked Mrs. Poul-
son she said they never had aoy trouble
only when she spoke to Ed. Ruff when
Mrs. Poulson would get mad. The de-
Tense tried hard to break down Sophia's
testimony, producing several witnesses
who said that her reputation for truth
and veracity was bad. In return the
prosecution produced several who as
solemnly said it was good, so that be-
came one of the disputed questions Of
the trial.
The letters that appeared in the for
mer trial appeared again here, the one
to Mrs. DeCamp to be type written
which was threat against Mr.. Weigh
ton that the barn would be burned il he
did not discharge Ruff. Mrs. Mark
hams testimony again told Of the find
ing of those letters in Mrs. Weber's
satchel, which was the strongest evidence
connecting her with the matter. Evil
dence was also introduced showing she
was a regular caller at the Poulson
house and that she and Mrs. Poulson
we're intimate. Some evidence was also
produced that Mrs. Weber and Mr..
Stafford were seen talking along about
that time.
The defense introduced some evidence
to show there was drinking and poker
playing in the barn when it was in Rufus
care, that many nights several were
there, that Ruff himself went back to
the east part of the barn with lighted
cigar, and some evidence that here were
persons there playing cards the night
the barn burned. Ruff denied this.
There is much of question as to the
reliability of some of the witnesses and
| the action Of the jury is uncertain.
Court will likely adjourn before next
Tuesday which is Christmas. The
grand jury reported at IL o'clock today
Their findings are not made public.
| However, we learn that Mrs. Poulson
was at once put under arrest charged
with keeping a house of III fame and
Mrs Weber was arrested charged with
prostitution. Smith and Heater, Of
Viola township. will likely be tried this
term charged with stealing Boylan is
their attorney.