Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-29
THE oTTUMWA COURIER: TUEDAY. APRIL 20. 1902.

COURIER: TUEDAY Z. "A
hard by the attorneys for both state
and defense. Some astonishing evil
dence was presented by the prosecu-
ton, and even before the case went
to the jury many who had watched
its progress were reasonably sure that
the verdictlwould be that of guilty.
The surprise is not great therefore,
that the young dentist has been con-
victed.
IFrom Fridays Daiy.1
The state won a big point in the
Vance case This afternoon when Judge
Vermillion oyerruled the objection on
the part Of the defendant to admitting
evidence of other witnesses than Inez
Field, the little girl before whom DR..
Vance is alleged to have committed
the crime of ilewdness in this particu-
lar case now on trial. This was the
main development in the case and the
argument of the attorneys in regard
to the question took up considerable
time.
Judge Vermillion has postponed I'M
til next term of court the remaining
two cases against Vance, owing to the
fact that Captain w. H. G. Jaques,S the
principal counsel for the defense. will
be unable to give his attention to these
cases on account of other legal work
that cannot be postponed. County At
torney Emery agreed to the postpone
ment, and stated that 1t would be fair
to the defendant not to try them at
this time owing to the circumstances
set forth above. Captain Jaques will
be busy with the argument which he
must present May in the United
States circuit court of appeals in the
case of the City Water Supply Co. VS..
the city of Ottumwa.
Testimony Begins.
Yesterday court adjourned when all
preliminary work in the Vance case
had been accomplished and the case
was ready for the first witness. This
morning, when court convened, 1nez
Field was put upon the stand by the
state, and testified as she had done in
the preliminary examination in the
justice court. The little girl proved
to be a good witness and did not waver
throughout the examination and cross
examination.
Cnair IN court.
The dentists chair used by Dr.Vance
On the day when it is alleged the crime
charged was committed, is in evidence
in the court room as an exhibit, as
we'll as the coat the doctor used while
operating on his patients. In the
course of the testimony of the little
girl she sat in this chair and explained
to the jury the experiences which she
alleges she had. This chair was set
so that it fitted the little girl and at
the request of the attorneys for DR..
Vance it was guarded by officials of
the court throughout the noon hour to
prevent its being tempered with.
A Long Discussion.
When the attorneys for the prosecu-
tion-D. H. Emery and w R. Nelson
called for Helen Cornell as witness
the defense entered an objection, al
leging that the testimony of no one
but Inez Field was admissible in the
case at hand, The attorneys con-
sumed over an hour arguing this ques-
ton, finishing at noon. Judge Vermil-
| lion took the matter under advisement
until this afternoon, when he overrul-
ed the objection of the defense and
ruled that the evidence OF the little
! girls should be admitted.
This is the point for which the state
was expecting to fight and against
which the defense was prepared to
bring heavy argument, and the deci-
sion of the court is very important
| owing to that fact.
[From Saturdays Daily.J
| AS the Courier goes to press this af.
| ternoon Attorney w. H. G. Jaques is
making his argument in the Vance
case in favor of the defendant. The
| taking of the testimony in the case
was finished this morning and Attor-
ney w. R. Nelson, who is assisting
County Attorney D. H. Emery on the
prosecution, began his argument to the
jury. He talked for an hour and at
2:30 O'clock 10 R. Jaques, for the de-
Tense, began his address. He was fol
lowed in turn by w. H. C. Jaques and
County Attorney Emery closed the ar
guments. At o'clock it was expected
! that the case would go to the jury
about o'clock. All day the court
room has been crowded, many women
being among the auditors. Mrs. Sarah
! Vance, the mother of the defendant
and DR.. and Mrs w. w. Vance, the
uncle and aunt of the accused dentist,
/ have been in the court room through
out the trial.
State Scores Point.
The state scored a point yesterday
when DR.. w. w. Vance was on the
stand. In the direct examination the
witness adjusted the dentists chair il
which the little Field girl is said tt
have been sitting when the crime is
alleged to have been committed. at the
point which was supposed to be the
lowest possible point for the heat
piece to go. On the cross-examina
ton, however, the witness, under the
direction of Attorney Nelson, who wa
Examining him, demonstrated that the
chair could go several inches lowe
than he had at first set it. and low
enough for the crime which is alleged
to have been committed. DR.. Vanc,
stated that the chair was never use,
in operating as low as he had put it il
cross-examination, however.
Mammals Mother on the Stand