Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-21
TRIAL DRAWING TO A CLOSE
State Fails to Shake the Defendants
Testimony on Cross.Examination -
Mrs Hossack Tells Straightforward
Story and Seems to Win Sympathy of
the Audience. ..-.
to Times-Rep publican.

I
| had been whispered about that Mrs
Hossack would be placed on the stane
Friday afternoon and as result the
court room was crowded to suffDcation
Mrs. Hossack made fairly good wit
ness for herself, altho she showed a
great deal Of perturbation while on the
stand. Her voice at times was almost
| inaudible and she apparently had much
sympathy from the audience. Mrs.
Hossack's direct testimony was con-
Guided yesterday afternoon and the
cross-examination was finished this
morning. The prosecution failed to
shake her testimony in any material
| part.
The defendants guilt or Innocence
and the probable outcome of the trial
| is the one topic Of conversation about
the city. Mrs. Hossack's warinest sup
port is from the women, many of whom
have expressed their sympathy to her,
accompanied by the hope that she
might secure her freedom.
Mrs. Hossack testified in substance
as follows:
My name is Margaret Hossack. Am
the defendant in this case. Recall the
time Mr. Keller and Mrs. johnson were
at my house Thanksgiving day. 1899.
Agreement was then made between
myself, children and husband that We
would let bygones be bygones, forget
the past and try to live without trouble
| in the future From that time on
there were no differences or quarrel
between me and my husband. He was
kind to me and provided for the fam
lily. l usually told him what was need
ed and il he had the money he would
get it. He treated the children kindly.
Am acquainted with Kinda Haines;
heard his testimony on this trial. My
laughter Louie was married in March,
1900 My husband did not refuse to
buy provisions, etc. for the wedding:
did not say to Mrs. Haines that my
husband refused to buy provisions 70.
the wedding Did not tell Mrs. Haines
that If they would buy provisions for
the wedding they could come and get a
load of corn when Mr.. Hossack was
away.
Did not tell Mrs, George Grant that
matters We're no better than they Were
before the reconciliation. We hal
Thanksgiving dinner the week my hus
band WAS killed. Children Were all
present except Alex. Also grand
children and some of the neighbors.
My husband and We're on good terms
that day. There was no trouble Of
any kind that day and all enjoyed
themselves. Neither was there any
trouble on the next day. On Saturday
my husband and Ivan went to coat
bank for a load of coal They returneS
about 4 o'clock. prepared his supper
the last meal l ever prepared for him.
Rest of the family ate later, about G
o'clock.
May did the milking before sup
per. On the way back from milk yard
saw Ivan. I said to him, Where are
you bound for now" He said, Il am
going to put the AK away. You and pa
are always going to have 1t snow"
These We're the exact words spoken to
Ivan. Mr.. Hossack went to bed about
s O'clock. Between this time and sup
per we sat in the sitting room. Hus-
band was playing with Ivan in the kit
chen before coming in to the sitting
room. Willie went to bed about the
same time that Mr.. Hossack did. Ivan
bed Then Cassie and May went. was
knitting part of the time after Mr.. Hos
sack went to bed. went to the pantry
and worked over some butter. When
got thru I came back to the sitting
room. Mr.. Hossack was up and sitting
by the stove. ] asked him why he was
up and he said he awoke and could not
sleep He smoked awhile and we talked
about Willie. Mr.. Hpssack said he did
not see how he could let Willie start to
school on the next Monday. / told him
that thought Willie did not intend to
start until the work was done. Mr..
Hossack spoke of feeling better and
hoped they could go to church together
next day. I went to bed first and MI.
Hossack came afterwards. | slept in
front We had slept that way for
twenty-five years. We had no conver-
sation after going to bed. Mr.. Hossack
lay with his face to the wall, west. l
was lying with my face to the east. Was
awakened by a noise as If two boards
struck together.
Jumped out of bed, thinking some OF
the children were hurt, and saw a light
from the north side of the sitting room.
Heard Mr.. Hossack groan and choke.
| called to the girls to come down, that
/ thought some one was in the house.
Cassie replied that was only scared.
told them that there was, and that
something was wrong with pa; that he
was making a noise. Will was the first
of the children to come down. He light
ed a lamp in the sitting room. Willie
and went in at the same time. We
a"rd Mr. Hossack bleeding l rubbed
could see them He asked me to raise
him up. and l told him we couldn't
il i, and got a cloth for him to spit
on. He called for water, and gave him
some with spoon. 1t choked him. l
wore that nightta chemeis and drawers
Did not dress until some time after !
found him. The witness was here
shown chemise and AK and she idenyi
fled them.
II did not strike him with this ak, nor
with anything. Did not see any one
strike him. Do not know who struck
him"
The cross examination began soon
after o'clock, and was still in progress
when court adjourned at $3.50 this eve
ming.
Mrs. Hossack's attorneys are putting