Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-04-11
.NPq. H0SgA|)K GUILTY
G. ricted Of Murder in the
First Degree and Given
Life Sentence.
ury Renders It's Verdict Today
After About Twelve Hours
Deliberation.
Murder and Trial Among the
Most Sensational in His.
tory Of State.
Special to Times-Republican.'

Special to Times-Republican.
Indianola, April 1l.-After an all
night session the jury in the Hossack
case returned their verdict this fore
loon at 10 o'clock. The verdict read:
We. the jury, find the defendant,
Margaret Hossack, guilty of mur-
der in the first degree and fix the
penalty at life imprisonment ct
hard labor
The court room was crowded this
morning when the bailiff announced
that the jury had agreed upon YER
Gict and was ready to report. At the
request of the judge the twelve men
fonest and true came filing into the
room with slow steps and pale faces.
They had been up all night and one of
their numbers, S. r. Richards. had been
very sick and at this time was hardly
able to talk or walk. The defendant was
ushered into the court room and to-
sether with her nine children surrounded
ker attorneys. who had made the ef-
forts of their lives to clear her. Mrs.
Hossack and the children expected ac-
ouittal, as did the attorneys, and when
the verdict was read by the judge Mrs.
Hossack dropped her head and wept like
a child. The whole family broke into
tears and even the little grandchildren
who were gathered around seemed to
think the worst had come. 1t is a se-
we're blow to the family, but remember
ing the awful crime of Dec. the de-
fendant had but little sympathy in this
county, where the details Of the crime
are known more fully. 1t has leaked out
that on the first ballot the jury stood
Ten tS two for conviction and that it
took fifteen hours to get all to agree.
The story of Mrs. Hossack on the Wit
ness stand was the strongest against
her of any introduced during the trial.
even to those who expected her acquit-
tai the story seemed very improbable.
The murder of John Hosseck was one Of
the most repulsive and barbarous In the
history of criminal annals in Warren
county and the wife of his youth and
mother of the nine children stands con-
| demned for the crime.
4 The case has been the most sensations
| al ever held in Warren county and has
jSettracted attention from every nook
and corner of the state since the arrest
of Mrs. Hossack last December.
On Dec. IL Of last year John Hossack,
a Warren county farmer, was murdered
in his bed, his head having been b-utal-
| " beaten presumably by an ak. Two
wounds We're made. one by the sharp
1 edge and the other with the blunt head. J,
or poll of the ak. He regained con-
seiousness sufficiently to speak connect
eGly, but did not realize that he had
| been assaulted and supposed himself
sick. He died within an hour
Mrs. Margaret Hossack, his wife and
the defendant in the case decided this
morning. was sleeping with him. and
claimed to have no knowledge OF the
murder Of her husband. Her story was
to the effect that she waS awakened
/ about 1890 by fash of light and upon
getting out of bed found her husband
Iunconscious and bleeding. Officers were
| called al once to the scene of the trage-
| dy. Coroner Dale organized jury con-
sisting of Fred johnson, T. w. Passwa-
/ Ter ard Chris johnson, and upon the
verdict of the jury. which, however. did
not fix responsibility. an information
Was filed charging Margaret HosAck,
/ the wife of the murdered man. with
4 having committed the deed. The Janu-
arg grand jury, after long and tedious
examination. returned an Indictment for
murder in the first degree, to which in
4 dictment the defendant entered a plea
1 of not guilty. She was arrested and
j committed to the county Jail without
bail Her attorneys presented an ap-
/ plication for an order allowing bail,
! which was denied by Judge Applegate.
who in effect held that the 'evidence
was strong and the presumption great
! of her guilt.
Margaret Hossack has remained in
4 jail since last term of court. The March
term of court convened on the 26th. but
no trial jury was summoned until April
II, when she was put on trial for the
murder.
The state presented evidence showing
| that the Hossacks had never lived in
i harmony as man and wife; that for
thirty years quarrels had been frequent,
and that Mrs. Hossack had often wished
4 her husband dead and out of the way.
and that Mrs. Hossack had sufficient
motive for murder in desire to rid
/ herself of her husband and acquire full
control of her interest in his estate,
which is estimated to be worth 100000.
"A strong defence was put up and Ii was
| not thought a conviction would be se :
cured. The case went to the jury last
evening about clock, and the verdict
of guilty of murder in the first degree
| was rendered this forenoon at 10 o'clock.
\
TO PAY THE CRAMPS.
Turkish Government Ratses a Loan