Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-05
Case of Thomas I. Jebb Be.
gins Today in Wapello
County District Court.
DEFENSE is INSANITY
Jury in Case of Frank Williams chars.
ed With Murder, Took Case Last
Night and Has Not Returned Yer.
dict Late This Afternoon.

The trial of Thomas I. Jebb, on the
charge OF forging the signature OF
Very Rev. F. w. Hoppman, TO note
for Sl20, began in the district court
this morning. This is the first of the
seven cases against the man, who was
formerly the agent in this city for the
National Life & Trust Co., OF Des
Molnes, and who was arrested in De
cember on the charge of forgery, pre-
ferred by Father Hoppman, rector Of
st. Mary's Catholic church. Since that
time, several other alleged forgeries
have been reported to the grand Jury,
and the result was that seven indict-
ments were found against him The
cases are assigned for trial in rotation.
Williams Jury Out.
The trial of Frank Williams, the
colored man from Keb who is charg-
ed with the murder of Frank Slater,
another cclored man Who resided
there. was finished shortly before 10
O'Clock last night 1t was delayed
somewhat by the death of the mother
OF one OF the Jurors, and consequently
q night session was held at the close
in order that the case should go to
the jury last night. No verdict has
been reached at the time the Courier
goes to press this afternoon, aud at
torneys are beginning to surInisa thar
the jury will find the defendant guilty
of no more serious crime than man
slaughter.
The Jebb Case.
Thomas l. Jehb is being defended by
Attorney W. W. Epps;s and Seneca Cor
nell, the county attorney. is prosecut-
/ ing the case. The greater part of the
morning was taken up with selec-
ition OF a jury and shortly before the
noon adjournment the Introduction of
evidence was commenced Among the
Witnesses for the prosecution are:
Father Hoppman. Calvin Manning, L.
E. Stevens and several business men.
The Jury.
The jury before which the case
against Thomas l. Jebb will be tried
was chosen this morning and is COM
posed OF the following men: Henry
! Webb, Vim. MCGOWAN, James Orr, j.
G. Rogers, VIM. Payne, VIM Kohl.
| Robert Moore, Gid Leeling, George
Hanks, Marion Smith, Scott Cundiff,
| j. G. Prosser.
Claim insanity.
The defense claims that Jebb is a
victim of alcoholism, and will fight the
case along this line To this end, At
torney Epps secured the appointment
of commission OF physicians, COM
posed Of Drs. S. A. Spilman, A. 0. Will
liams and D. A. LaForce, who eXamin-
ed the defendant several days ago and
reported to the court that he is sab
ject to temporary attacks of a mild
sort of insanity, but that during the
greater part OF the time he is sane and
responsible. The defense will claim
that it was during one of these attacks
i probably induced by heavy drinking,
which was in turn caused by deprcs-
sion on account of private affairs, Jebb
committed the forgeries. if he did coIn-
nit them.
j The defendant is apparently unruf-
fled, though he listens attentively to
the questions asked the witnesses by
the lawyers and pays close attention
to the rulings of the court and eyea
the minor matters connected with the
hearing of the case. His wife, VINO
has arrived in the city from Pittsburg,
Pa, where the family resides, is in at
tendance at the trial.