The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-01-06
.EvERS IS INSANE,
Insane Commission Reaches
Decision on Saturday Last.
GAVE HIS CHILD CARBoLIC ACID.
Took Some Himself, Then Tries to Get
Wife to Take Remainder. Child Dead.
Wife Burned.

Detlef Evers. the man who gave his
child carbolic acid last Tuesday, was
brought to Denison Tuesday evening,
and owing to his condition, was taken
to the Nelson Hotel. On Wednesday.
he was given hearing. and after con-
siderable testimony was given, the
hearing was postponed until Thursday
afternoon. At this time Evers was TAX
en- before the insane commission and
was adjudged insane after score or
more Of witnesses including his wife.
were examined.
! AS stated in our last issue there was
trouble out at the Evers home in Good
rich township, and word was brought
to town that he had given his child
carbolic acid, and had attempted his
own life. and that of his wife,
A physician had been called. who at
once notified the sheriff and coroner
that their services were needed, and
Coroner Evans started at once. When
he arrived jury was empanelled, COM
posed of Messrs. Will Huffman, w. B.
Smith and Herman Popkin. After OBJ
tanning all the evidence possible, ver-
dict was rendered which stated that
the child came to it's death by the adj
ministering of carbolic acid by the
father, but that said ac:d was not adj
mlnlstered with felonious intent.
Story Of the Crime.
For number of years Evers and his
wife had frequent family quarrels, and
had, on several occasions, came to
blows. About two years ago, Evers
says he was laid up for five weeks, be-
cause of a severe wound In his arm, in
fiicted by Mrs. Evers with large
butcher knife On last Sunday, quar-
rel had started, and was continued over
4 Monday, and this is said to have caus-
ed the man to become desperate, and
finally both man and wife agreed to end
their troubles, and die together, after
killing their little boy.
After this agreement had been reach
ed, the little boy had been given the
acid with instructions to drink it,
which he did. Thefather then drank
some, and turned to the mother to see
that she carried out her intent. She
however failed to take only drop or
so, but in struggle her face was con-
siderably burned by the acid being
spilled. At this period it seemed to
have dawned upon the father that he
had committed terrible deed, and see
ing carriage being driven by the
place, he rushed out, and called to the
driver to stop and come in, that their
child was dying. The people in the
carriage happenedto be MIR. and Mrs
w. Hoffman. Mr.. Hoffman went to the
house and found the mother holding
the child upon her lap. aud the father
began trying to bring it out of its trou-
BILE by giving it milk. 10 about ten
minutes after the arrival of Mr.. Hoff-
man the little child was dead. All
this time Evers himself was suffering
agony from the acid be had taken.
Mr.. Hoffman returned home and
'phoned into town for physician, who,
after his arrival at the Evers home no.
titled the sheriff to come out and bring
the coroner. After the coroner arrived,
an inquest was held as stated above
That evening, Evers was brought to
t,wn and taken to the hotel. During
the night he showed signs of insanity,
and several times tried to beat his
brains out against the walls of his
room, and tried to jump from the win
dow of the hotel, seemingly mentally
unbalanced. His brothers, F. w. and
John were notified, and they immedi-
T ately came to town to assist in caring
for him
thursday morning was the time set
for the fnal hearing, but in order to
give the mother an opportunity to at
tend the funeral OF the child. the pro
caedings were held until Thursday at
ternoon at o'clock, when the hearing
took place behind closed doors The
] prisoner was unable to walk to the city
hall, and had to be taken in carriage
| At the hearing he gave no sign of in
terest whatever in the proceedings, aut
could not be induced to say anything
! in his own behalf. A number of wit
nesses were examined, and it seemed
to be the universal opinion that Ever
was all right until the occurance Of tn,
, tragedy although one or two of tn,
witnesses said he had been iactins
strangely for year. The commission
finally rendered decision Of insanity
! On Tuesday at the home IIvers ha'
{ talked freely with the physician. tel!
ing Of the family troubles. existing TO
years. He said that he had often pro
posed separation, bnt his wife woul,
never agree to it. After the babe wa
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