Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-05
STORY is NOT VERIFIED
Said That Attorney General Has
Been Notified.
SAY STRAIN HAS BROKEN WOMAN
sigourney Sheriff Does Not Believe
story-said at Des Moines that
There Is Some Foundation for Tale
But Cannot ParticuIarize.

sigourney, June 4-(Special.-The
report is not believed that Mrs. Sarah
Kuhn, who was tried and convicted in
the district court here of the murder
of her husband nearly two years ago,
has confessed to the crime and has
implicated Andrew Smith, her alleged
lover, in the crime The story that
a warrant has been issued for Smith
is. a fabrication. The warrant would
be issued in this county and the sher-
if would know something of it if that
action had been taken. Sheriff Baty
when seen today said that he knew
nothing of it, and candidly believed it
to be rumor without any foundation.
Story Not Substantiated.
Des Moines, June 4.-(Special)-
Complete investigation Of the report
that Mrs. Sarah Kuhn, who is now
serving a life sentence in the peniten-
tiary at Anamosa on the charge of
uSl WAlllS
between What Cheer and Delta, near
ly two years ago, has made confess
sion duplicating Andrew Smith, her
alleged lover, cannot be verified here
A visit to the Office of the attorney
general disclosed nothing. It is be.
lieved, however, that the woman has
broken down under the terrible strain,
has lost hope now that the supreme
court has denied her new trial and
has made confession. The impress
sion is gaining ground here that this
is the case but state officials will not
corroborate it. Neither will they de-
ny it. 1t rs Understood that Attor-
ney General Mullen has received in
formation by wire of Mrs. Kuhn's al
legged confession.
Night of the Crime.
Charles Kuhn, the husband of the
young woman, was poisoned the night
of September 4, 1900. He and his
wife had driven from their home in
Delta to What Cheer, seven miles
away. At What Cheer they obtained
a dozen bottles of beer They started
for home and then turned back and
Kuhn left his wife alone for nearly
half hour, while he obtained some DO.
logna. Then they started for home.
On the way Kuhn drank of the beer,
and in the second bottle swallowed a
quantity of strychnine that had been
placed therein. He died on reaching
Delta, accusing his wife, amid her pro-
testations of innocence of having poi
soned him.
Warrant Issued.
1t is understood that in her admis
sions Mrs. Kuhn has acknowledged
that she gave the poisoned beer to her
husband, and has declared Smith put
the poison in the liquor. A warrant
for Smiths arrest, it is said, has been
issued. His whereabouts are not
known and it is suspected he has left
the country.
Court Denied Her New Trial.
In passing on the appeal of Mrs.
Kuhn, a few days ago, the supreme
court was divided. The majority of
the court, in an opinion written by
Judge Waterman, held Mrs Kuhn was
guilty and affirmed the trial courts
verdict and judgment. In dissent.
ing opinion that was masterpiece of
Argument Judge Weaver took the
ground the guilt of the young woman
had not been established.
History of Tragedy.
The history of the tragedy goes
back to May 80, 1900, when the young
woman, then but IS, was married to
Charles Kuhn. He was a shoemaker
of Delta. was an old man, a cripple
in one arm and hand and both legs
and a mere wreck and shadow of a
physical man. But a few weeks
elapsed before quarrels arose between
the ill-mated pair. Mrs Kuhn bitterly
reproached her husband for linking
his worn-out life with her own. and
their union was what the supreme
court called a "1oveless existence ),
Early in August he willed her his pro.
perty. Evidence was brought out in
the trial to show that about this time
Mrs. Kuhn met with Smith in his
ldtneT S DdIH ana IneTe poured out her
story of trouble, saying she could not
live with Kuhn any longer and some.
thing had to be done. About month
from then the murder followed.
Warden Denies Story.
Cedar Rapids, June 4.-(SpeciaD-
A special to the Gazette from Ana
mosa, where Mrs. Sarah Kuhn is con-
fined, says that Warden Hunter de-
MES that Mrs. Kuhn has made con-
fession that she killed her husband
and that she duplicates Andrew
Smith, her alleged former lover. War
den Hunter says that he thinks the
story originated in the fertile imagi-
nation of somebody who learned that
the supreme court had oyerruled her
motion for new trial and drew his
own deductionE tharefrnm Narden