The Iola register., 1901-11-29
THE LAMUNYANS CLEARED
Evidence ut the Trial Failed to Con-
meet Them With the Infant
Found in Il Field

ship was held before Justice Woodard
az Moran at O'Clock Thursday.aftcr-
noon, The time was set for II o'clock
yesterday morning but on account OF
the most important witness Tor the
State, w. II. Black, not arriving on
time the trial was postponed. the law
yers for the defense ubiecting to the
State giving indirect evidence Rhefore
the direct evidence had been heard.
County Attorney Goshorn and Major
Foust were for the State sand Chris
Ritter for the defense. The court
ruled that no evidence was given to
| show the parties in any manner guilty.
and dismissed the case as soon as the
evidence was in.
w. II. Black, who lives lone-fourth
mile south oi Huffman's, swore that
he found an infant child only a few
hours old lying in one of Huiman's
fields about noon on the Bird of
October. The child was lying near u
hedge and was under loose garment
which had been thrown over it. He
made the discovery while returning
from the Huffman we'll to his own field
where he had been working. He ibid
not touch the child but only uncuv-
cred it. Couldn't tell whether it was
a male or female or whether it had
any eyes. nose or mouth. Said it was
alive. saw it breath This witness be-
came very muddled in his story and
had to study II long time on questions
before answering. He said he left the
babe in the field but when he returned
next day it was gone.
Carl Black son of the above, swore
to about the same story, but he was
even more uncertain and ratified about
things than his father. lie only part
ly uncovered the baby and saw only
the lower half. Didn't know whether
he knew anything or not.
| Mrs. Job Gutter and Mrs. II. j.
Donica swore that Golda Huffman
was in condition before the 23rd
/ that usually proceeds childbirth. and
| that her condition was normal after
wards Said they saw her several
times before and after. Mrs. Mary d.
Black said Miss Huffman appeared as
/ though enciente during June aud July.
the only times she saw her
| The above was the States side.
/ For the defense Z. j. Lamunyan,
father of Emmett Lamunyan, swore
he didn't see anything unusual about
/ Miss Huffman when he saw her het
22nd of October and her condition was
normal after.the 23rd.
VIM. Warren saw her several times.
as he is her brother-in-law, and could
see nothing to indicate that she was
about to give birth to child. II. w.
Huffman, brother, swore to the same
"a the above.
Mrs. Lizzie Warren. a sister, swore
that the girl never was encieute and
that she had seen her both before aud
after the BIRD and her condition was
The same.
Mrs. Nellie Huffman, Mrs George
Morrison. Mrs. r. Long, Mrs. Mary
Wilmington, Mrs. Birdie Patterson.
Mrs. MARY Nandeveer, G. J.. Huffman,
c n. Vandeveer. Amos Shively. Ed
Gilbert Sr. A. T. Huffman and John
Huffman, her father, all swore that
they were long acquainted with Miss
Coda Huffman and that at no time
before the BIRD did she appear in
ciente, and that her indication after
the 23rd was the same as before.
Several swore that she was doing
the usual house work on the 23rd and
did not show any signs OF having been
sick.
This wound up the evidence, and the
usual plea of the lawyers was given,
but nothing new was brought out and
Justice Woodard decided the case in
favor of the defendants without leav-
ing his chair The trial was held in
). G. Varner's hall and was attended
by large crowd.
The news OF tile result o. the trial
was surprise in lola, but the result
can easily he understood. Here was
- highly respected family brought
suddenly in tourh with crime and
shame. The death Of the babe made
the crime "A serious one. The mar
riage of the young people suspected in
alwaysatoned for their alleged sin in'
the public mind. No man wanted to
believe his own thought and the wit
nesses for the State would not and
could not swear positively that their
surmiseS were correct. A tEGISTER |
reporter saw the county attorney
about the case and he said he had
nothing to say.
Mr.. Ritter's theory of the whole al
fair is that few days before the
baby" was found some of the Hon-
mans went coon hunting and got sev.
ap.1 rrbaN Slyipnad tho hpnsts und