Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-01-01
WOMEN RALLY TO HER SUPPORT.
Members OF Christian Temperance Union Ftru
In Belief Of Mrs. Lilies Innocence.

I NN--~NN--NN
David City, Neb., Dec, 29.-As the
day for the preliminary hearing OF
Mrs. Lena Lille, charged with the
murder OF her husband, Harvey
Lille, approaches, 1t becomes more
aud more evident that she will not
be without friends to support her
Almost to woman the WOman's
Christian Temperance Union OF
David City will be at the court room
to show her that she is not deserted
ia the time OF trouble. The MEM
bcrs OF that organization do not hide
the indignation they feel at her ar
rest, and are unSparing In their criti-
Cism OF the officials who have
brought about the charges against
/ her.
Among the most prominent Of
Mrs. Lilies champions are Mrs. Car
uline NJ Woodward. the former pres
ldent aud one OF the best known
members Of the union, and Mis-. NJ.
Il. Beach, its secretary. MIS-. Wood
ward lives across the street from the
Lille residence aud MIS-. Beach, next
door. Both were among the first to
reach the scene OF the tragedy.
/ 81 said from the first that Mrs.
Lille was not guilty, and. instead Of
being weakened, my convictions grow
stronger every day." said Mrs. Wood
ward today.
"There has been gross misrepre-
sentaton IN this case, and am u y
astouished at the oihcers Of the law
going to the lenG ms they have to
send her to the penitentary. 1t
looks as IL there was a conspiracy
| against her. Statements have been
made and allowed to go unproven
that are absulu ely false. The reason
why the testimony given at the corO-
ner's inquest was not given to the
public is because the prosecution
has fallen down in its efforts to estab-
fish number OF essential points
For instance, they have said that ut
the time the murder was committed
it was light enough for Mrs Lille to
see the man aud for people In the
neighborhood to see him leave the
house. That is not true.
every blind in my home YVES up,
and there was not window shade
In the house the morning Of the MUIR
der, and yet it was necessary for me
to light lamp to allow my son-in-
reach the place, to see to leave the
house. 1t was also dark In the Lille
home that morning when reached
there. A few moments after ward
met Or. Stewart on the stairs and
could not recognize him.
ut is also said that the window
curtain where the second bullet left
the window was badly burned, so
close was the revolver held to the
window.
"When / reached the room / looked
at this curtain and all there were on
1t, were few stains which Tesemhled
more he effects Of smoke than pow
der. | have also talked to revolver
experts who say that srme IevoveTs
would carry the llame from the gun
almost across the room. Then too, a
stIong point has been made that Mrs.
Lille could not bear to look on her
husbands face after the shooting.
That also is unqualitiedly false. l.,
with other women, sto' d with her
near the bed Until he was taken to
the hospital and all that time she
would not leave his side. At the
shoulder and watched him all the
time. Another untrue thing Is the
statement that she was fully dressed
when the first people arrived after
| the sh citing. aud had not undressed
the night before.
"Whrn we arrived at the house,
Mrs Lille bad on nothing but a
| night dleSS 1t was a pl sitive shame
that Mrs. Little was arrested tie day
before Christmas, and the cause Is
| not far to seek. i have heard IL said
repeatedly by people who knew that
the life Insurance money would not
be paid to MIS-. Line as long as she
remained tree.
/ "The most Of the statements against
Mrs. Lille have come from the mem
| hers OF the tratcrna order to which
/ her husband belonged. The day Of
! her arrest, was the titty-ninth after
the crime was committed, and the
payments would have been due on
the sixtieth. Bv rea on If her arrest,
the fIaternal CTdeGs will not have to
pay her now until after she is ac-
quilted. am positive that had a
great deal to do with her arrest.
"There has been slOvenly work done
ever since that murder WAS commit