Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-22
Sensation Develops in the Trial
OF Mrs. Richardson for
Murder.
Theory Of the State is That
Stewart Fife Planned the
Crime.
Wife Conspired With Fife and
Actually Committed the
Murder.


Mrs Addie l.. Richardson at Plattsbure
had proceeded but short time yester-
day when a sensation was sprung by
Prosecuting Attorney Booher, who ask
ed Witness j. G. Ellis. who lived near
the Richardson home at the time of the
murder of Frank w. Richardson in Sa-
vannah on Dec. "a, 1900:
Did yoh ever see Mrs. Richardson
and Stewart Fife together?"
the jury was excused while the point
was being argued. 1t was claimed that
Stewart Fife was not on trial and should
not be brought into the case at all.
Judge Burns stated that he would rule
upon the objections of Mrs. Richard
sons attorneys today.
1t is evident that the theory Of the
state is that Stewart Fife and Mrs.
Richardson connived to kill Richardson.
The state Is attempting to prove Mrs.
Richardson is the murderer OF her hus-
band and also that she is guilty OF be-
ing an accessory. This, too, Is objected
to by the attorneys for the defendant.
who assert that the state should elect
on which theory it will try the case.
In his statement to the jury Prosecut-
ing Attorney Booher after reciting the
preparations that had been made by the
Richardson's to attend the Christmas en-
tertainment and of Mrs. Richardson's
notifying her husband by telephone that
she had concluded not to go. said:
"One of the children went to the store,
and Mr.. Richardson asked about the
mother. He whispered to the child. and
what he said only the child knows He
waited on customer and put on his
coat. The man In the store at that time
wanted to see Mr.. Richardson on bust
ness, followed him out, and crossed the
square put his hand on his shoulder.
and spoke to him. but Richardson said
he was going across the street and
would be back in a minute.
He was seen by r.. A. Morris going
up the stone steps at the railroad
tracks Mr. Morris followed him. At
Mrs. Berryhlfs corner, block from
the Richardson home. he heard shot.
He could not tell where it was. He on
ly knew the general direction, went
home and sat down, and twenty or
thirty minutes after he had heard the
shot he heard that Frank w. Richard
son was killed.
when Richardson left the store II
was ten minutes before 9 o'clock. Ten
minutes later the news came back there
that he was dead An arc light is In the
street at the corner of Christian ridge
and Market street The light from it
shone into the Richardson hallway and
the south room. The light was turned
on that night When the police arrived
at the Richardson house they found
Mr.. Richardson dead, with his head in
the hallway. The evidence will show
there was a spot of blood inside the
room. His cigar was in the room So
far az the state knows now only one
person was in the room at the time
Richardson was killed. That person
was the defendant.
THE state will show as a motive for
this that the defendant was unduly in
with young man who was
clerk in that store. 1t will show that
Richardson demonstrated with her time
after time. This clerk left the store at
z O'clock that evening I'D was seen at
Kings corner, two blocks from 4. the
Richardson home, later. He was the
first seen after the murder by man
in w. B. Limerick's drug store walking
west with his overcoat on his arm. This
man saw him coming in the direction Of
the alley by Philips livery barn."
Mrs. Kerr. next door neighbor of the
Richardson's. to whose house Mrs. Rich
ardson went to telephone before ard af-
ter the killing, testified that she heard
a peculiar sound, after which she heard
the sound of buggy wheels driving
away. Altho Mrs. Kerr was subponaed
by the state. she proved a strong wit
ness for the defense. Her testimony
had tendency to revive one OF the
earliest theories advanced, that Rich
ardson was shot by some one who drove
away in a vehicle.
Mr.. Crowley was told of going with
Richardson from his home early in the
evening to Richardson's store. The
children had gone to the entertainment
and Mrs Richardson remained alone.
He was at the house after the murder
and said Mrs. Richardson was pros
trated. He told of making an examina-
ton of the premises and Of discovering
fresh buggy tracks in the snow.
M. e. Brown, a clerk in Richardson's
Store, told of Mrs. Richardson telephon-
ing that Crowley had left his gloves at