Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-15
MISS CARLSON 5 CASE.
Charge OF Extortion Against Des
Moines Policemen Com.
menCed.
Case in Which Former MARSHALL
town Woman Figures At
tracts Wide Interest.
Defense Attempts to Show Char.
acter of the Woman is Bad
Miss Carlson's Story.

The trial of case in which a former
/ Marshalltown girl is the central figure
is attracting wide attention in Des
Moines, where the case was commenced
in the district court Wednesday,. Two
iox-policemen of the capital city are be-
ing tried for extortion, having been in
cicted by the grand jury and dismissed
from the police force because of their
action towards Miss Edith Carlson, a
resident of Marshalltown for a period
OF three years prior to few months
ago.
Miss Carlson resided in this city with
her parents. her father having been
| employed While here as a meat packer.
Inc Des Moines newspapers are devot-
ing columns to the hearing The Capi-
tal OF Wednesday evening says in part:
The trial of John f. Carter and
Frank e. Pinegar, charged with mali
clous threats to eXtort money from
Edith Carlson at the Gladstone hotel,
was begun today before Judge Church
III the district court. Miss Edith Carl
son, the girl who paid the money over
to the police officers to prevent arrest
as disorderly person, was on the wit
ness stand this forenoon and told her
story in a straightforward and frank
manner. She made a splendid witness
and the severe discrimination of
Waiter McHenry failed to discomfort
her or break down her story in any of
the main particulars.
Garter and Pinegar are being de-
Tended by Walter McHenry and w. B.
Starkey, while the prosecution is being
conducted by County Attorney John
McLennan and Robert Brennon. Both
the families of Carter and Pinegar, the
defendants. were present in court today,
manifesting much interest in the out
come. So also was Mrs. S. NJ. Ingra-
ham, the matron of the lying-in hos
pital on Ingersoll avenue, who took
notes of the testomony today.
Edith Carlson was the first witness
today against the two police officers
who she claims frightened her into CIV
ing them money to prevent her arrest
as a disorderly person. Her testimony
was as follows:
what Is your nance
Edith Carlson
"'Where do you reside?
eat the Goldstone hotel.
"'Where did you live before you came
to the Goldstone?'
"'At Marshalltown.'
"'How long did you live in MARSHALL
town.
".Three years
".What is your age"
az will be is on the 25th Of this
MONTH
".when did you come to Des
Moines?'
81 came here on Saturday, the lat
ter part of April, 1t was Saturday, but
1 don't remember just the exact day of
the month. 1 went to my room about
10 o'clock that evening. l retired
early, and was lying there on my bed
when somebody raped on the door and
/ didn't know who it was, so l asked,
who is there?' and they answered It's
me, and 1 could not think who 1T was,
and l went to the door and opened 1t
lust a little to see who was there, and
when opened 1t Carter pushed the
door further open and came in, and
got back of the door and Carter said,
n.
I couldn't shut the door, so Carter told
Pinegar to shut the door and Pinegar
shut my door and latched 1t.
81 went over and sat down on my
he'd and Carter sat down in the rocking
chair They said they had come to ar
rest me, and asked why and they SAID
for being disorderly person, and as
was undressing they said l would better
put my clothes on. as l would nave TO
go to the police station. ! got down on
my knees before Carter and cried and
asked for the sake of my mother not to
be taken away, and l asked him II
money would help me out or do any
good, or keep me from going over to the
Jail, and he said, How much have you!
and I didn't know exactly how much
had. but said, Three or four dollars,
and he said to Pinegar, What do you
think of ito and Pinegar replied, She
looks to me like an innocent girl and
don't believe we'd better take her. Then
Carter turned to me and he said, / hate |
to take a young girl or any person over
there and then / gave him the money; |
/ counted it out to hint was four
one dollar paper bills, and Carter took
the money and put it in his pocket"
"Did Carter do or say anything after
he had taken your money"
Eyes, / was sitting there in short
skirt and waist and he came over to me
and asked, Are your feet clean" and l
showed him that they Were
Miss Carlson then continued her tes-
by stating that Carter examined
other portions of her person and took
liberties with her body as she was on
her knees pleading before him and that
he commented upon her person and
asked Pinegar to look also, but Pinegar
stayed aloof and refused to do so. She
then continued with her story:
".While Carter was doing this | was
so paralyzed / couldn't do anything but
cry was so scared / didn't know what
to do, and as I was crying there Carter
said to me- DO you want everybody in
the house to know? Hush your crying,
but 1 couldn't stop crying, but finally
he put my dress down and said, Shall
we go to the other girls room" But
said, I don't think she is in
"After the two men had left my
j |