Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-04
THEORY STRONGER
c aacsrs Believe Rolla Houdysh I'll
III Did Not Kill himself.
DEMONSTRATIONS ARE MADE TODAY
Officers Fire Shots into Dog; Skin
Showing That a Person Could Not
Kiln Himself Without Leaving Pow.
der Marks-Strong Evidence.
tFrom Saturdays DaiIy.l

lFrom Saturdays Daily.l I'll
AS a result of demonstrations made
this afternoon, the officers are more
than ever convinced that 1Rolla d.
Houdyshell did not kill himself Feb
ruary3 go. Demonstrations were made
by firing the same revolver with which
he was killed at dog skin at different
distances up to Ia inches, which would
be as far away as a man could hold a
gun and. shoot himself, and at this dis
lance the hair on the animals hide
was badly burned and singed.
There were no signs of pow
der marks on Houdyshell, whatev7
er, although physicians and officers
searched closely for some signs of
them. This fact leads the officers to
believe that he was murdered, and that,
the gun was held at much greater
distance than any of the tests which
were made today.
Tests Made at City Hall.
The tests were made at the city
hall under the direction of Chief Gray
and Constable Campbell, who are
working on the case. Drs. A. o. Will
liams, M. Bannister and w. c. Newell
were present, as We're also Lee Wheel
er and j. F. Powell, as expert shoot
ers, VINO will be. used at the forthcom-
ing trial. The firing was done by Mr..
Wheeler. ..i.
Manner of Testing.
Adogwas procured several days ago
and killed and the skin removed from
his body. This was fastened to a
board and kept until it had become
nearly dry. The first demonstration
was shot fired one inch from the
hair. This was about the distance
Mrs. Bliss claims Houdyshell held the
gun when he fired the fatal shot. The
demonstration today left large place
in which the hair was badly burned
and scorched. The next shot was at
a distance of four and one-half inches.
This also left badly burned spot
where the hair was scorched. AM
The third shot was eight inches
| from the hair and this also left large
powder burns The fourth shot was
! at distance of fourteen inches gfron
the hair, and is about the distance il
is estimated a person would hold &
gun to kill himself. This shot left
powder burns, the hair being singet
very plainly.
Some Results on Board.
After these demonstrations hat
been made, a board was procured ant
three shots were fired into it. TIL,
first one was at distance of one inch
the second eight inches and the thirt
was two feet awayS iAl1Sof these shot
,Ileft very plain marks, s;eyen the on
two feet away from the board showin
many evidences of where the powde
grains had spread about near the hol
made by the bullet.
The Same Gun.
All of the shots fired today wer
from the same gun which was used il
the killing of Houdyshell 1t was TAX
en- possession of shortly after the Kill
ing by Constable Campbell and 'ha
4 been in his possession ever since. i
is for this reason that the officers be
lieve they have strengthened thei
case They point to the fact that
the gun would show powder mark
one day, there was no reason why
should not do the same thing on som
other day.
Hearing Monday. 8
Mrs. Eva Bliss, who is now in ja
charged with the murder of Houd.
shell. will be given a hearing Monda
afternoon. The officers have bee
working hard on the case all weel
and they indicate that they will hav
something sensational to introduc
when her trial begins. as
\ t.r !.