Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-29
SAW Her KISS HIN
Servant Testif1es Against Mrs.
Jesse Hammond.
FORMER OTTUMWAN'S TROUBLES
Evidence Brought Out in Trial Shows
That Mrs. Hammond, According to
Testimony, Was Not Averse to Kiss
es Of Capital City Doctor.

The principal witness in the case
against Jesse B. Hammond of Des
Moines, formerly of Ottumwa, on trial
in the former city on the charge of as
sault with intent to murder Dr. Z. B.
Walston, was Nettie Singer, negro
domestic who was working at the
Hammond house during 1901 and who
testified to seeing Dr. Walston kiss
Mrs. Hammond and to seeing them en-
ter her sleeping room together and
closing the door behind them and re-
main in the room for time. This
was before the divorce had been
granted to Mrs. Hammond separating
her from her husband and months
prior to the shooting ARRAY at 1041
| Sixth avenue, Des Moines. which led
| to the present trial. Another import.
! ant witness was Mrs. Augusta Whit
ten, who testified to seeing Mrs. Ham
mond and Walston standing in the
i door of the doctors Office in the Des
Moines National bank building about
$40 O'Clock one night last December
and to seeing Hammond in the hall
fiourishing revolver, on discovering
the two parties. Other important wit
nesses testified for the defense. at
i lacking the reputation of Mrs. Ham
mond and her landlady. Mrs. Allen,
for morality. and stating that Ham
mond's reputation as peaceful and a
law-abiding citizen was good. Mrs.
DR.. Weber testified to frequently see
ing Mrs. Hammond enter the building
in which Dr.. Walston's Office is locat-
ed and going down the hall in the di
rection of the doctors Office.
!. Hammond and Walston were present
in court yesterday as usual, with their
attorneys, but Mrs. Hammond was not
present, she having concluded her evil
dence yesterday.
Negro Servant Testifies.
Nettie Singer, a bright and intelli-
4 gent looking young negro woman, was
the star witness, testifying on behalf
of Jesse Hammond, the defendant.
i She stated that she had been en-
: ployed at the Hammond home during
the year 1901 as general domestic,
doing the general homework. There;
after. in answer to interrogatories, she
! testified as follows:
! During the early part of 1901,
) while you We're employed in the Ham
mond house, did you ever hear Mrs.
Hammond call UP DR.. Walston over
the telephone?"
Yes, SIR
How often?"
"oh, can't say just how often,
didn't keep count.
Approximately how often?"
A half dozen times?"
More than that. but can't say how
often; frequently"
; WAS that while Hammond was out
: of the city,"
Objected to.
: Il can't say whether he was out OF
5 town or not"
/ Did DR.. Walston come up to the
house in answer to those telephone
: messages?"
He came up; can't say whether
or not in answer to the messages
State whether or not during the
: time that YOU were employed there
you ever saw Dr. Walston kiss Mrs
Hammond or do anything OF that
kind?'
> Yes, sir, saw him kiss her"
Where was that?"
, IN the front hall
llu you ever see MN go to her
: room. to the bedroom with her?"
: Yes, sir, | saw them go into hel
2 room together"
WAS there any one else in The
! house then?"
? No one but myself and them
t How long did they remain there il
: her room together?"
u don't know"
= We'll. was it some considerable
: time or a short time, about how Ions
g did they remain there together?"
5 Il can't say"
: Was there bed in that room?''
i Yes, sir.
9 State whether or not the door wa.
closed into that room when they wer,
there.
Objected as leading
"Whar was the position of the doc
r leading into that room after they ma,
y entered the loom?'
1t was closed mr.
5 How frequently did this occur
d they're going into thar room togeth
y ser9'
I Oh at various times, | don'tsremem
bes how often