Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-02
Mrs. Gallaghers Alleged Paramour
Testifes.
He TELLS OF PLOTS TO KILL
Says That Woman Wanted Him to
Kill Her Husband and Leave the I'M
preston That the Crime Was Result
of An Accident.

Iowa City, Oct. 2.-(SpeciaD To-day
the sheet upon which the body OF
James Gallagher lay when he was
murdered at his home near River
Junction June 20. 1902, for which his
wife is now on trial in the district
court here. was introduced in evidence
today. 1t shows two holes believed to
have been made by one bullet from a
80 calibre revolver. The indications
are, however that two shots were fir
ed. This evidence furnished the SEN
sation OF the trial and was introduced
by l.. A. Chairman.
State Rests.
At noon today the state rested and
the defense opened this afternoon at
I.3O o'clock with sixteen witnesses
AlIeaed Paramour's Testimony.
The theory of the state is that Mrs.
Gallagher killed her husband because
she wanted to get him out of the way
in order that she and one Charles Hol-
ada, a tenant on the same farm with
the Gallaghers, might marry With
this end in view the state placed Hoi-
ada on the stand. He testified that
when Mr. Gallagher went to Wiscon-
sin last April he requested the witness
to stay at the house with the family.
He did so and testified to having
Improper relations with Mrs. Gala
CHER on numerous occasions. He al
legged that Mrs. Gallagher complained
to him of her husbands shortcomings
and said she hated and despised him
and on one occasion said passionate
ly Harry you may think me wicked,
but | wish to God that man would go
to sleep and never wake up
Holada further testified that at an
other time she wanted TO kill Gal
lagher, while the two were out hunt,
ing, but finally stated that she had
decided to poison him by giving him
cyanide of potassium in some medi-
cine. She said Jim would kill her SO
she might a. well kill him.
Holada continued to testify as fol
lows.
NOn the morning after the murder,
| was called to the Gallagher house,
and entered the room where Mrs. Gal
lagher was lying down, | exclaimed
Ella what did you shoot Jim for?'
thought you We're going to poison him
You promised me that you would lei
me sell out and get away before you
did anything to him. This is a bad
job, Ella and everyone will blame me.
Mrs. Gallaugher replied that she
could not poison him as he was feel
ing too well to take medicine. She
then took her gold watch and revolver
H.. al Il !, n
me. saying, Here, take these anC
make awaS with them The revolver
had one chamber empty and the other
four were loaded
During this testimony Holads
showed great nervousness and teshl
showed great nervousness ant
trembled constantly. A number of ex
hibits, including the bloody bed shee
and pillow case and Mrss Gallagher
night dress We're offered in evidenc,
by the state. When these We're
brought into the court room, the ac
cused woman was overcome by semo
tion
History of Case.
James Gallagher, prosperous far
mer, was found dead in bed at hi
home near River Junction, small
town in the southeastern part Of thi
county June 20, last, He had beer
shot while asleep. The circumstance
were such that Charles Holada, VIII,
occupied a small house on the farm
where the Gallaghers lived, was places
under arrest, charged with the crime
In a short time it was whispered tha
guilty relations existed between Mrs
Gallagher and HolaGa and she too wa
arrested charged with knowledge o
the murder.
Mrs. Gallagher claims that sh
slept in the same bed with her hus
band the night he was slain. Sh
claims that she was awakened by
noise which she now thinks was tn
sound of the firing of q gun. She di'
covered her husband dead She raise
the alarm and advanced the theor
of robbery To substantiate il she sal
that her watch hadbeen stolen. Whe
the officers arrived she told this stol
and has stuck to it ever since.
The state evolved the theory ths
both Mrs Gallagher and Hoada wei
equally guilty The latter to save h
own neck throws the entire blame III
on the woman The defense is copdur
ing its case on the theory that Holad
is the guilty person and is seeking