The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-19
KANSAS news.
Almost Entire Statement of
Mrs. Castle Admitted.
This Evidence Excluded at First
Morrison Trial.
STRONGER FOR STATE.
Design is to Prove She Believed
She Was Dying.
When the Story Of the Throat
Cutting Was Told.

FL Dorado, Kas., June 19--The most
important feature of the Jessie Morrison
trial Tuesday was the admission of the
dying statement of Clara Wiley Castle
in evidence.
The dying statement of Clara Castle,
without the omissions. follows:
i, Clara Castle. having lost all hope
Of recovery and believing that my life
is of short duration. and that my death
is pending and very near, and thus be-
ing in the presence of death, 1 make
the following staten ent and declare 1t
to be the truth: was attending to my
household duties on the morning OF
June p. 1900, when I first saw Jessie
Morrison come in at our gate She
came UP to the door, our west door
Jessie came up to the door, and, hold
ing up a letter, asked me il had writ
ten it. 1 told her had not written it.
Jessie then started to come in. took
hold of the screen. I invited her in
L thought I would treat her as a lady.
The screen was not fastened when she
came to the door. / was standing in
side the door. Jessie came in as in
vited her to do. l opened the screen
and stepped back and she came in and
sat down on the lounge, on the north
side of the room. I sat down in a chair
on the west side Of the room, by the
window.
Il then asked Jessie to let me see the
letter, but she refused to do so. Jessie
then asked me if Olin and myself
We're friends of hers. told her that
we were certainly not Jessie asked
me if I remembered when she came
hone from Excelsior Springs that she
spoke to me, that did not speak
said I had a good reason for not speak
ing to her at that time. told her that
I knew how she had been acting-had
been running into the store. She said
she had not been in there but one dozen
times. told her further that she had
Inv on
other night she met him after he had
been at our house. Jessie at first de-
MED all that I told her, but finding
that it was of no use she then con-
fessed it all, and then she said: Well,
you may read the letter. AS she said
this she arose from the lounge, and
passing in front of me and to my right,
looking out of the door. she asked me
IF there was anyone about the house
/ saw the letter in her left hand when
she arose from the lounge.
1.-THE next thing knew Jessie Nor
rison struck me across the throat with
a razor which she had in her right
hand. I do not know where she took
the razor from. Istried to defend my
self the best could from the blows. I
cut my fingers in trying to get the razor
from her. I also screamed all could.
Directly some one was trying to get
into the house. She was on top of me
She got off me and cut herself in the
throat and arms. / saw her do it. / did
not get the razor away from her. die
not cut her at all. She asked me soon
after she came into the house if there
was any one else about the house. She
asked me that question the second
time.
Il do not know how many times Jes- 1
sic cut me or struck me with the
razor, but a. great number of times. I
had just finished sweeping when / saw
Jessie at the gate Before sweeping I
took the rugs to the board walk, where
I cleaned and left them. do not know
who fastened the screen, but presume
I did as I usually kept it closed. I
n axe this as my dying statement
Clara Wiley Castle"
The part eliminated by Judge Ak
man follows: And declare it to be the
truth 4 thought would treat her as
a LADY, Jessie at first denied all 7
told her. but finding that it was of no
use she confessed it all and then"
Il tried to defend myself the best I
could from the blow" Il had just
finished sweeping when saw Jessie
at the gate. Before sweeping took the
rugs to the walk, where cleaned and
left them"
After ruling on the question, Judge
Altman recalled the jury and the rest
of the afternoon. was taken up in the
examination of witnesses to identify
the statement and the ACCOMMODATING
scraps. Among those who identified
them were DR.. M. L. F'ullenwider, Rev.
H. c. Wharton, DR.. NJ. L. Koogler, Miss
Edna Wharton, DR.. G. F. Ambrose. Mrs.
Austin Brumback and Chester Sheldon
The statement and scraps were then in
troduced and read to the jury, after
which court adjourned.