The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-11-13
The CLARK MURDER TRIAL.
W. II. Clark who Shot and Killed DR.. w. D. Duff at
Garden Grove is before the court in this city.
Judge n. IA. Towner PresidingCompete
Report up to the time of goingto Press.

stated what the defendant expected to
prove and for the first time made public
what the theory of the defence would
be, although it had been supposed ii
would be temporary insanity, and such
proved to be the case. MIR. Steele IN q
pathetic manner presented the state.
ment of the defense, and his statement
caused the defendant to sob aloud, and
in fact there were numerous wet eyes in
the court room. After dwelling upon
the nature of the charge against the de-
PENDANT, which he said was very I'M
fortunate occurrence for all parties as
we'll as the commonwealth and demand
ed the closest attention of the jury. The
state had presented its side of the case
and claimed the evidence -ould Justify
verdict, bat the defendant also had a
right to be heard. He said the defend.
ant was a man of 4S or 40 years of age,
born in little town in Illinois where he
grew up, married and raised a family of
five children, respected and loved by all
who knew him and continued to merit
the esteem of the community until he
moved to this county some five years
ago. That his whole life had been spent
in that community and was an open
book. On account of losing his parents
in early life he received only an ordi.
nary common school education, but
from childhood he was an honest man,
law abiding, and of the kindest heart,
and Of Toying and kind disposition
When he moved to Iowa he brought his
wife and five children. For several
years before coming here Mrs. Clark had
been an invalid and for that reason she
had received more attention from him
than a woman under ordinary circum.
stances. Coming to Iowa he lived for
five years near Garden Grove, being
generally liked by all the citizens, He
was law abiding, honest, industrious
and had acquired and held the esteem
of the public because he had earned it.
He was more than an average husband
IN regard to being kind, loving and in.
dulgent with his wife and children.
Shortly after coming to Iowa, DR.. Duff,
who was practicing physician at Gar.
den Grove, was employed as his physi-
clan and in the relation of physician to
his family he was pleasant and
social gentleman, and by reason Of his
profession he became in close contact
with the family of Mr.. Clark, enjoying
their confidence to the fullest degree.
That the evidence would show that DR..
Duff, like the serpent in the bible story
which crept into the garden of
Eden and inflicted curse upon human.
ity for all time, entered the home of
Clark as his physician and friend and
tAen ruined the home and domestic
garden, plucking the brightest flower
and brilliant jewel. Mr.. CLARK became
suspicious of the relations between DR..
Duff and the suspicious began to prey
upon his mind, upon his whole life,
sapping the very vitals of his life, He
was troubled, as any man would be
under like circumstances, and in wore
upon his mind. After time he learned
to certainty that his suspicious as to
Duff and his wife were reality. This
greatly worried his mind, and not being
strong minded and working hard, under
the strain his mind weakened, he spent
sleepless nights, the matter preying
upon his mind and causing emotional
insanity. After this occurred Clark
went to Dr. Duff and told him that after
what had occurred the community was
not large enough for both of them and
he would have to take his family and
move away, and Duff packed up his
effects a nd moved away. Clark at this
time was still the quiet, law abiding cit
izen, and did not take a gun with him
but went in peace and quiet. and sought
in another way to remedy the trouble.
For six months after Duff left he tried
with Mrs. Clark, who had been estranged