The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-14
ON FATHERS SIDE.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


The instances related by the witness
in relation to the quarrels and the cpl
sodes concerning the meat knife and re-
volver We're told in very realistic man
ner, and mixed in as they were with the
little details of farm life, such as hunt
ing Cor the eggs, feeding the stock. and
chopping the wood, gave them the i'm
press of truth and honesty.
The cross-questioning by Attorney R.
b. WEIGH was severe, but it failed in
any way to confuse Carrie and she often
asked for the questions to be repeated
and gave her answers clearly and dis
tlnctly, SO that she was heard all over
the court room, and as before gave the
impression of being a fine witness.
Court then adjourned until 9 O'Clock
in the morning
KLUsMIRE ON THE STAND.
The defendant, VIM. A. Klusmire,
was called to the stand by the defense
the first thing this morning, and imme-
diately hush fell upon the crowd as
sembled in the court room, and it was
evident that the spectators were de-
term1ned not to lose a word of his tes-
timony. For a man of his tempera-
ment, being not especially bright and
having a face indicative of mind
working slowly, his manner was very
He clasped and unclasped his hands
repeatedly and at other times his hands
We're folded together closely. His feet
were constantly moving in a slow man
ner up and down.
His testimony was given in such a
low tone that he was urged repeatedly
by his attorneys to speak louder or the
examinatiO would be utterly worth
less, but the warnings proved to have
very little effect.
He gave a full description of how his
wife had received fall in the hay
NOW when up there with him on the
night of May IL. and said that she had
hurt her side badly.
That night after going upstairs to put
the two small children to sleep he said
he returned to the dining room to find
his wife crying; Frank came down
stairs also to see what was the matter.
Shortly after this he said he brought
his wife back when she was attempt
ing to run away from the home. He
offered to leave if he were in the way,
but testified that his wife said in re-
ply, IF you go away, I'll shoot the
older children and cut the threats of
the little ones with a razor and set the
barn on fire."
Klusmire stated that his wife very
much objected to having children all the
time; that she called their home an old
hell hole and that she complained of the
children's treatment of her, especially Of
that of the older girl.
He said that on the night of May IL
he awoke late in the night to find his
wife gone, and that he arose hastily and
hearing a horse snorting he went to the
barn. Upon entering the barn he saw a
white object hanging to the manager.
On finding that it was the body of his
wife he tainted, but stated that later
he took the body down, saying that he
heard one gurgle as if she was just dy-
ing.
His heart failed him when he thought
of calling the children to see such a
sight He thought of Stach's having
made threats upon his life because he
had been witness in a case against him
for shooting Paul Swetlick. All things
considered, he feared he would be ar
rested if the body of his wife were found
so he decided to conceal it by putting it
in a silo and covering it with little
hay.
He said that he was questioned by the
children at breakfast as to the absence
of their mother and that he replied that
she had gone to the station to take a
train. He acknowledged to Attorney
Hayden that this was not true. Klus-
mire said that later in the day he pre-
pared a grave in the ravine and set out
a few small trees so that there would be
no danger of any one driving over the
grave.
That night he said that he took the
body out to the grave on wheat drill.
In burying her he had slipped and let
the body fall. The next day he hauled
a load of brush out to the ravine. Klus-
mire said that later he told the children
that his wife had gone to Texas which
he also acknowledged was not true.
There were repeated requests of the
court that the defendant should talk
louder and the greater part of the
crowd were unable to hear at all.
He then described his arrest and re-
which has been told before by other |
witnesses. He said also that he and |
his wife had quarreled frequently but |
stated positively that he had never on !
any occasion cursed her or offered her |
any violence. He then solemnly said |
that he had not killed his wife but that |
she had committed suicide
CROSS EXAMINATION
Attorney r. B. WEIGH then conducted |
a very rigid cross-examination; endeav-
oring to bring out the point that the |
defendants treatment of his wife had |
been very bad at different times when |
she had been sick.
The witness became uncertain and |
mixed up in his story in regard to the |
haymow, forgetting the name of one of |
his horses which he said he had bought |
recently.
The joists in his barn are at least 8 |
feet apart and when Mrs Klusmire |
stepped from the path in the haymow |
the testimony of the witness made it |
seem little improbable that she would |
have bit a joist instead of falling di- !
rectly below into the manager.
Klusmire failed to remember defin- |
itely what converse ton he had had |
with his wife at this time and forget |
ting whether he was inside in the barn |
or not when the remarks were made. |
He refused to state his replies definite |
ly often: Il am not positive: I think |
So"
In the cross examination after short |
recess he failed twice to remember that !
his wife had told him that she would |
burn the barn when threatening to take |
the lives of the children if he left home.
He stated positively and here his |
voice rose to a louder pitch that re
had not scolded his wife the evening of |