Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-20
Defense In the Hossack Trial
Attempt to Discredit States
Expert Evidence
THE DOCTORS DO NOT AGREE
Medical Men Not in Accord as to the
Length of Time in Which Hossack
Might be Able to Speak After the
First Blow Was struck-GeneraI
News.
Special to Times Republican.

| Special to Times Republican.
Winterset. Feb. 20.-The defense IN
the Hossack murder trial is making n
strong effort to break down the testi-
that the lapse of time between the in
Fiction of the wounds and the awaken
ing of the children by Mrs. Hossack,
was at least twenty or thirty minutes,
or of sufficient time to allow Mrs. Hos
sack to wash the ak and return II to the
granary before awakening the children.
The two lines of expert testimony Chat
of the state and of the defense), is ex-
tremely contradictory in nearly every
particular. and the jurors Will neces-
sarily have to weigh the evidence with
much care in arriving at a conclusion.
The states case is regarded as a very
strong one and general opinion Is that
the prosecution has more conclusive eN-
idence and more consistent case than
at the first trial. The testimony of w.
f. Haynes is variously regarded.
Haynes at the time of the first trial was
confined in the insane asylum and Was
unable to testify. The defense at the
first trial argued that Haynes might be
the guilty man and thus sought to Gre
ate reasonable doubt in the minds Of
the jurors as TO the guilt of the prison.
er. The defense seems confident OF q
favorable outcome of the case. Consid-
t.te :..x ;,,f aH,i-
dence of G. W. Burson, who resides
near Medora. Burson was placed on the
stand late yesterday afternoon to- tell
the story of the mysterious horAeman
whom he saw pass his place at break
neck speed at about l o'clock in the
morning of the murder. That there has
not been sufficient evidence to establish
the identity of the AK as being the one
with which John Hossack was muir
dered. There Is much speculation as to
whether or not Mrs. Hossack will take
the witness stand in her own defense,
as she did at the former trial. If she
does not, it will be inferred by many 10
mean that her own testimony would re-
suit in weakening her case. altho men
ton of this fact can not be presented to
the jury. The removal of tbs trial from
Warren county to Madison is also held
by the defense to be In their favor, the
trial being entirely divorced from I'M
favorable public opinion and indigna
ton caused by the brutal murder of
John Hossack who was well and IA
vorably known turnout Warren coun-
ty.
Mrs. Hossack continues to maintain
he IND AL
her fate as exhibited at her former trial.
She is surrounded by eight of her nine
children. Mrs. Louie Kemp being kept
at home on account of sickness. Her
sons-in- law, Mr.. Kemp and Mr.. Henry.
are also in constant attendance. The
and interest in the case do
not diminish and the court room AMI
gallery are full at each session long be-
fore the hour for converting court.
DR.. McCieary. of Indianola, was the
first witness on the stard Thursday to
testify that 1t was possible for John
to have spoken in very few
after the ak blows were
struck. He thought thai John Hossack
might have spoken in five minutes after
receiving the blows. On cross exami-
nation witness testified that the blows
ON Hossack's head would not necessari-
ly have a stunning effect. That the
first wound being incised and the sec
ond being lessened by the previous in !
cision, the conclusion upon the brain |
would be slight. That the blood clot |
on Hossack's head might form in five
to ten minutes. That the purple dis
coloration of the eye would take place
In about five minutes. On having his |
memory freshened by reading of former
testimony he admitted that at the for
mer trial he testified that it would be
twenty or thirty minutes.
Dr. ]. w. Pilpott, prison surgeon at
Fort Madison, and DR.. w. II. Thomp- |,
son. of Winterset. testified in corrobo-
ration of DR.. McCleary's evidence.
DR.. PaI1'. Of Indianola, testified to
the same, nut testified on
cross examination that the Hossack |
might have produced shock |
lasting but few minutes or that it |
might have lasted for two hours. Drs.
Embree and Davenport, of Winterset |
testified substantially to the same as
the same as the other experts, that the
speech, the coagulation of blood and /
necessarily more than few minutes.
G. w. Burson. the witness put on the /
stand to testify about the mysterious /
torseman, testified as follows: Re |
side in Squaw township, one fourth I
mile east of Medora and about three
miles from the Hossack home. On the |
of Disc. 2, about l O'clock in
the morning, / heard the rapid clatter
OF a horses hoofs. I IAN out on the t
porch Could see the nan, as it was /
He wore a white hat and a
light drab coat. Hat was pulled down |
over the eyes. He appeared short and I
heavy set. Horse was blowing from
The nostrils. and man was whipping
him at every jump. l had my clothes
on. as my wife had been sick during
the night. and I had been waiting on
ntsr When my wife went to sleep / /
sat up and read, and was reading when
heard the horses hoof beats.
on cross-eXamination witness stat
ed that his family consisted of HIM
self, wife and two sons. One son left
home last April Have not heard from
him since. Don't know where he lis.
Horse was sixty or seventy steps from
house when I went out. Was dark COL
ored, medium in size. Was we'll built
for running. Could hear man whip the
horse; could not see his arm move.
Mans hat was dirty: am sure of that.
He wore light-colored dIxlb overcoat.
Heard hoof beats after he crossed the