The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-14
ACCUSES HIS WIFE.
JAS. Cummings Declares She
Killed Anna Dishman.

Wellington, Kas., Feb. IA sensa-
tional statement for the defense was
made by Cummings for the murder of
Anna Dishman- He said the murder
was committed by Mrs. Cummings. who
had bumped the child's head against a
door jamb and bruised it till gangrene
afterwards set in and caused her death.
When Cummings got mad and threw
the stick at her, he said. it first struck
the stove and then struck her lightly on
the sore which Mrs Cummings had
made. The sore was so bad that this
light blow caused a half pint of pus to
flow from the wound
Continuing. he charged that he want
ed to get a doctor but she would not
let him. that her influence over him was
wonderful and he never could resist her;
that the written confession made by
Cummings was made TO schield her in
case Of his death, because she was so
afraid she would some time have to
suffer for the crime; that her mind was
impaired through suffering for her
crime, and that she was now trying to
fasten the crime upon him to save her
self.
After this statement, the girls moth
er Mrs Sumner. was the first witness.
She simply told Of the girls disappear
ance. Mrs. Cummings was next called
She said Mrs. Dishman turned the girl
over to her in April, 1898, to get a home
for her Cummings did not like the girl
whip her. She often heard him cursing
her upstairs at night and sometimes
would hear a blow as if he had struck
her
One day in August, 1899, he jumped
from the dinner table and started
toward the girl who moved towards the
kitchen with a pan of dishWater At
the door was a brOOmstick which he
grabbed and, aiming it like a spear.
threw it at the door. 1t struck her about
a al 7a . a
bad bruise and causing much blood to
flow. She washed the girls head. Anna
went on with her work for two or three
days till Saturday, when the bruise be-
gan to swell badly. Sunday morning
she did not come into the house. but
remained in the smoke house, where she
slept. Cummings came and said she
was sick. Mrs. Cummings went out and
found her head sWelled out almost even
with her nose and she was horrible
sight.
Mrs. Cummings took her out some
breakfast, but she only ate a little. She
then ate a small piece of watermelon
Mrs. Cummings wanted to send for d
doctor. Cummings said. You'll play
-; ganSrene has set in. and she is
going to die" Mrs Cummings had
wanted to get a doctor on Saturday.
After dinner he reported her dead and
said he would burn her, but neighbors
might smell it. guessed he would bury
the body fer a year. and then burn it.
He buried the body.
About a year after she noticed his
bed empty one night and went and sat
by a window She soon heard him
throw spade on the woodpile. He
came in sight What are you doing 2''
she asked. Digging that thing up" he
replied. He hid the body in a shock OF
corn for a month and then burned it in
a straw stack. The bones not beins
entirely consumed he burned them in
the stove.
Two years after she began to fear
that he would try to fasten the crime on
her and asked him to write the facts and
he did so. This was introduced after
an hours legal sparring between the at
tOrneSS