Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-16
EXPERTS TESTIFY
N S[F|[R CASE
Today Occupied In Examination
Of Physicians as to Effect
of Poisons
TRIAL PROGRESSING SLOWLY
Experts for the State Bear Out the
Contention Of Prosecution That the
chlcsoform Which Killed Mrs. sifer
Was Not Taken Into the Stomach
The Testimony In Detail.
Special to Times-Republican.

Grundy Center, Sept. 16.-Examina'
ton of the experts occupied the time o.
the court in the Sitter murder trial to.
day, and the testimony SO far as Civ.
en-. has been favorable to the conten.
I ton of the state. which is trying tt
prove that the chlorororm which killed
Mrs. Slifer was inhaled and not takel
into the stomach. But two witnesses
were on the stand this forenoon. They
were DR.. Guthrie, whose testimony was
begun yesterday afternoon, and DR.
Schooler, Of Des Moines. The entire
time was taken up in an effort to show
that the condition of the internal organs
as revealed at the postmortem preclud-
ed the theory that Mrs. Slifer swallow
ed poison. Both DR.. Guthrie and DR..
Schroeder stated that in their opinion
sufficient quantity of chloroform to
produce death could not be taken with
out producing marked signs of a strug-
gle as well as showing its effect on the
stomach and other internal organs.
The trial is progressing slowly and it
is now evident that all of next week
will be required to complete the case.
In the meantime not much change is
noticeable in the prisoner, but 1T is
said he is beginning to show signs of
the strain incident to the trial which
means life and liberty or prison and
perhaps death for him.
In the report of Wednesdays testi-
mony, Witness Alexander, who pre-
pared the body for burial, was made to
say he saw the bottle of poison in the
bedroom, when he should have been
made to say he saw no bottle Of poison.
The testimony in detail follows:
Thursday Morning..
Court opened at 8 o'clock a. m. DR..
Conner was the first witness called.
DR.. Conner was county coroner, and
held the inquest. over the dead body of
Mrs. Slifer. Witness testified to be-
Ing called on the occasion of Mrs. Sill
fer's death. being called by Mr.. Ed
Allen to hold an inquest. Saw defend
ant there. Identified the bottle found
there after considerable controversy
! and objections by defense.
Witness was allowed to state the ac-
lions of defendant on witness stand at
inquest, and his answers to questions
propounded by the coroner.
Cross examination developed noth-
Ing.
i. g. Shurbon was the next witness
called. Shurbon was one of the Jurors
1t the inquest held over the body Of
Mrs. Slifer.
Witness corroborated the testimony
Of the coroner as to the actions of de-
PENDANT on stand at the inquest, wit
ness stating defendant left his wife at
noon hour and went to feed his horses
was absent from her some little time.
did not know where the Powers drug
store was. Defendant exclaimed, Oh,
my God!" when shown bottle Of chlor-
! oforn1; had not seen it before.
l. r. Hern. another juror at the
coroner's inquest was called. Witness
went over evidence given by the last
two witnesses.
r. j. vogie.
Mr.. r. j. vogle,j called to the stand.
What is your business Mr.. Vogle?
Drug clerk.
At what place? Marshalltown, in
the Powers drug store.
Did you sell any chloroform on De-
cember 10 last? Yes.
To whom? A young man.
How much chloroform did you sell?
Two ounces.
For what purpose did the young man
say he wanted the poison? He wanted
1t to kill dog.
What did he tell you to do with the
bottle? Cork it up tight.
Why? He said he got some before
and he lost it.
Do you see anyone in the courtroom
you ever sold any chloroform? Yes,
sir.
Point him out.
Witness pointed out defendant
Do you swear you sold that boy
chloroform? Yes.
When? December 10 last.
What time of the day? Between
IL: 80 and O'clock
The cross-examination was most
rigid and every effort made to destroy
the evidence Of the witness and to get
him to explain to the jury what there
was about defendant different from
other young men of his build and COM
plexion. Witness was somewhat puz-
zled as to why he could identity de-