The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-01

trial of Ira Hammond, charged with be.
ing an accessory of DR.. j. w. Crofford
in performing criminal operation on
Maud Stone, from the effects of which
she died at Croford's sanitarium in La
moni on Jan. 20, 1901, was brought to a
close at Mt. Ayr Saturday afternoon
shortly before 2 o'clock, when the jury
returned verdict of "Not Guilty. "
The case was one of the most talked of
and sensational ever tried in southern
Iowa, DIR. Crofford having been convict
ed at the November term of court in
this county and is now serving thir-
teen year sentence in the penitentiary
at Ft. Madison. His attorneys haye
appealed the case to the Supreme Court !
and are confident they can acquit him
if q new trial can be secured. During
the trial there .were large number of
spicy and disgusting letters read which
were written by Ira Hammond and the
dead girl, the like of which were never
heard before, especially in regard to
their illicit relations. Judge Towner
said it was the strangest case he had
ever heard. Public sentiment IN this
county was divided as to the guilt of
young Hammond, as he was younger
than the girl and his attorneys always
claimed that he was but putty IN the
girls hands, and it was shown by his
letters he was urging the girl to marry
him all the time, but she wanted to
wait until he became OF age, being only
20 years old at the time Of her death.
At Mt. Ayr public sentiment seemed
largely to favor Hammond's acquittal.
1t is said the jury stood 10 to 2 for ac-
quittal on the first ballot and on the
third ballot all voted for acquittal.
There is still case pending against
Hammond's mother, Mrs. Anna Ham
mond, who was also indicted as an ac.
cessory, being under 1000 bonds, but
it is likely this case will be dismissed at
the next term of court.
The following is the testimony taken
in the case after the report published in
this PIPER last week:
Almost all Of Wednesday afternoon
was consumed with the states expert
medical testimony, Drs. B. R. McAllas-
ter, F. A. Bowman, H. r. Layton and
B. L. Eiker testifylng at considerable
length in regard to the autopsy held on
the body of Maud Stone after it was
taken to the Stone home the day after
she died, being in substance that they
found evidences of and operation for
, abortion having been recently performed
and that her death was caused by septic
peritonis or blood poison, the result OF
such operation, it being their opinion
that the dead girl had been pregnant
fer two and half or three months.
Their testimony was published in full in
The REPORTER during the trial of Dr. j.
w. Crohord, and we do not consider it
necessary to republish the details, as
they cannot be generally understood by
the public. DR.. j. w. Greenman also
testified Theoretically as to the cause o.
death based on the testimony of the
other physicians
During the cross examination of DR.
McAllaster the defense made what they
claimed was important evidence, he tes
tifying that at the post mortem exam
ination the womb Of the dead girl wa
removed from the body and placed by
him in glass jar, being kept at his Of
flee until some time last December, whe1
it was returned to Rue B. Stone, wh'
got it at the request of the family ant
buried it.
The state claimed it would have beer
an important piece Of evidence in DR.
Croford's trial had they known of it
existence and had it brought into cour
to be examined by the physicians TO
the defendant.
Mrs. M. F. Springer.
being recalled, testified she did not se
Maud Stone after she left home unit
she vert to Lamont Jan. 80 and foun'
her corpse. Her mother, Mrs. MAJ
garet Stone, Mrs. Hammond, Ira Ham
mona, LIE. OrOHOIu aAu "AAe "uu osuoA
we're present when she entered tt
room. On cross examination said whe
Maud Stones box was opened she sa,
only one bottle Of medicine init. Their
we're some other letters besides the one
introduced IN evidence. After the bo
was examined it was locked again an
q, her husband took charge Of the key an
box.
Mendel Clum,
the Lamont undertaken, who prepare
the body of Maud Stone for burial, te
tilted he was called by Dr.. Crofford tt
night she died. about 10 or II o'clocl
The body was still warm and she ha
not been dead over an hour.