Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-23
MRS. SL|F[R'S LETTER
Father of the Defendant De
tails Finding of the Last
Letter to Her Husband
"sEEk AND We SHALL FIND
Note Slipped Into the Toe of Her Hus-
bands Sock Bore the Above Words
and Leo to an Investigation and the
Finding of a Letter Written by Mrs.
sIifer.
,e.fal to lures Republican.

| Special to T1lEes- Republican.
| Grundy Center, Sept. 23.-H. ~. oiii-
er, Ether Of the defendant was 'ne
ossey witness on the stand TINS ioie
noon in the trial of w. e. Silter loi
the alleged murder OF his WE ms
testimony was not only important oue
of asnaciaI interest to the spectators
who have been following the trial. lor
it cleared up the mystery OF the ma
inc of letter purporting to De 'he
Ia ct letter of Mrs. Slifer to her huspaho
nd in which she explained why she
uas about to take her life. There mas
been a great deal of mystery ABOUT
this letter and since the opening state-
want Of the defense stating such a let
fer would be offered in evidence thete
has been much curiosity to Know Whtte
If contained and how 1t came 10 llsh..
Mr.. Slifer was questioned at sfea.
length, and told a straightforward
story which the state was unaple 10
shake in any important particular on
cross examination. He reclted, IN an
swers to questions, the facts already
gone over in relation to the incidents OIL
Mrs. Slife,ss death, the finding OF the
note on the dresser, etc. SUNDAY loi-
lowing the funeral, he stated the lam
ily were at Slifer's home, and the de-
PENDANT was bathing his feet ana IN
putting on clean pair Oh
socks, when he felt somethlns
in the toe of one OF them.
1t proved to be a sman note,
which read: Seek and We shall hnd'
written in Mrs. Slifer's handwriting.
Defendant naturally was somewhat as
tonished at the note. Next morning
Slifer. senior took the note 10
Attorney Wood, and it was suggested
that a search of young Sllfers nome
he made to discover If possible the
meaning Of the note. Monday morning
the family went to the home and While
the defendant remained down stairs
the rest of the family bean the search.
They first looked into the stocking bag
and finding nothing there the father
suggested looking on shelf in the
room, and on investigation. the letter,
which is known as exhibit TO-" was
discovered. 1t was taken downstairs
and handed to the defendant who ask
ed his father to open and read 1T. The
latter did SO and then one of the girls
read it aloud Slifer took the note and
went to see the Rodds about the autop-
sy, OF to see if they knew whether one
had been ordered or not. The contents
of the letter cannot be given verbatim
here, but will be published later.
This afternoon other members of the
family will be called on the stand. 1t
is not yet known whether the defen-
dant will be placed upon the stand In
his own behalf. 1t is the general opin-
ion that he will not. The court decid-
ed to admit all the notes and letters
offered as evidence.
The evidence in detail:
Thursday Morning.
The attorneys on both sides argued
points of law this morning to the court
for almost an hour in regard to the
admission of certain evidence as to
statements Of the deceased to the de-
PENDANT, rior to her death and furth
err of letters written by deceased to
defendant, the state holding that the
private communication or letters of a
wife to her husband during the time of
their marriage as not being admissible
evidence il. the courts under the rul-
ings CT numerous courts.
The taking of testimony began with
DR.. Willett on the stand by cross-ex-
aminaticn of witness by state.
The witness remained firm, sticking
close to the direct testimony in all
material points and making a good wit
ness for defense.
Mr.. Harry Gearheart of Marshall
town, cashier of bank at Mar
shalltown called. Asked if he knew a
Mr.. Size a brick manufacturer of
Marshalltown. States he does. Asked
if Mr. Size deposited any money in his
bank on the 10Th of December last. |
Here state raised objection and witness
was retired, not being permitted to an
swer.
William Nee, of Gladbrook, in the
banking business at that place, called
Been in the banking business seven
teen years. Was here shown exhibit
GA" and stated he had seen it before;
was here shown exhibit 80" for ex-
animation, said he had seen it before.
Here examined exhibit 60" and swears
was here shown handwriting of both
deceased and defendant and witness
swears that in his opinion exhibit 40"
is written by Katie Slifer, or in the
same hand as the letters shown him
evidenced to be hers.
Exhibit "10'' is new evidence which |
has Just been introduced as evidence
by the defense. The contents or sub
stance of the exhibit is said to be the |
last letter to her husband written by
deceased on the morning of the day of
her death. On cross-examination wit
ness was shown exhibit "a" to COM
pare with exhibit tx Exhibit "a"
is the note found on the dresser on the
morning of the death, and exhibit "K''
is one of the letters written by defend
ant.
Witness testifies that there is very
little similarity. But If the author of |
it was attempting to initiate another's
handwriting he might not get further
away from 'fK' than is "A" The pc |
culiar characteristics of the letter was
discussed at length. witness finding
difference in the forma-
ton of the letter "I' in the same man
lscript all written by the same hand.
Afternoon.
The cross-examnation of Mr. Nee
continued upon the opening of court in
the afternoon. Witness sticks to his |
direct evidence turnout and on redir-
ect questioning witness testifies that In
MS opinion Katie Slifer wrote the note
xl.;t,, A f1,oy 1,a 1afa