The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-08-11
SUGGESTS A MOTIVE
Crystal Krauss Was the Heiress to
All Her Fathers Property
Except $1,000.
WHAT THE DEFENSE WILL BE
Husband Stands by His Wife-Horri-
BILE Suicide of a LOve-LOrn
Girl-State News.

Hartford City, Ind, Aug. '5.-The ar
rest of Mrs. w. r. Krauss, the young
wife of a leading druggist and bust
ness man, on the charge of poisoning
her step-daughter, one of the most pop
ular young ladies of the city, has
caused the most intense excitement.
The stomach of the dead girl has been
sent to Fort Wayne for chemical an
alysis, and the examination of wit
nesses has begun. Mrs. Krauss is still
In Jail. She is % years old, and the
daughter of DIR. w. A. Alderman,
president of the State Veterinary asso-
citation.
Provisions of Krauss' Will.
The Krauss home is one of the most
beautiful in the city. The mother Of
Mrs. Krauss died in Cincinnati hos
pital. Mrs. Krauss was one of the ben
eficiaries of the WILL All the property
owned by Krauss is in his name. At
the time he married Rae Alderman,
three months ago, he made a will be-
queathing all his property to his
daughter, Crystal Krauss, the dead
girl, except $1,000 which is to 60 to
his widow six months after his death.
Mother and Daughter Like Sisters.
j. A. Hindman has been employed to
defend Mrs. Krauss, and he has prOhi-
bited her from making any statement.
Hindman says that his client is in
nOcent, and she neither purchased the
poison nor administered it, and there
was no reason why she should de-
sire the death of her step-daughter.
The defense will show that the rela-
tons between Crystal and her step
mother were of the most affectionate
nature; that they were like sisters.
and when they appeared in the streets
with each other their demeanor at
tracted the attention of every one.
Krauss Stands by His Wife.
Krauss declares that his daughter
and wife were greatly in love with
each other, and that Crystal frequent
ly told him how fond she was of her
step-mother Krauss believes thorough
ly in his wife's innocence and will
stand by her. The theory of the state
is. that the lavish display of affection
shown by Crystal and her step-mother
was for the purpose Of dissipating the
prejudice that seemed to exist against
Krauss and his wife because of the
marriage.
Testimony Before the Coroner.
The coroner's inquest, in the 'opin-
ion of Prosecutor Burns, will continue
until tonight. Among the witnesses
who have been examined were: w. H.
Eightmyer, who says he heard quar-
rel between Mrs. Krauss and the dead
girl while he was fixing the telephone
i'm the house; Mrs. George Hardsog
and Drs. Corey and Clapper. who were
with the girl when she died; Mr.. and
Mrs. VIM. Somerville, parents Of the
boy who identified Mrs. Krauss as the
woman who gave him note which he
took to the Logan drug store Monday
night. returning with bottle which
the druggist labeled deadly poison"
Officials refused to divulge any infor-
nation concerning the inquiry.
Saw the Boy Get the Note.
Prosecutor Burns discovered a new
witness in the person of Mrs. Peter
Hurley, who lives next door to the
Krauss home. Mrs. Hurley says she
saw Mrs. Krauss give the Sommerville
boy a note and some money Monday
| evening.