The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-27
SEWARD RECOUNTS STORY
OF HIS W|FES MURDER
Recites the Simple Annals of Their
Married Life and of the Week
Preceding the Tragedy.
CROWDS IN THE COURT

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
DANVILLE, Ind, April 26.-Henry w.
Seward took the stand in his own behalf
in the murder trial to-day. He looked the
jury calmly in the face and answered every
question propounded to HIM in a clear
voice. 1t was not till the middle of the
afternoon that he took the witness chair.
The fact became known that Seward would
testify to-day early this morning and the
courtroom was crowded to its fullest ca
pacity.
Vincent Seward, the aged father of the
defendant, who occupied the stand for sew
eral hours yesterday, was rigidly cross
examined to-day.
Mr.. Stewards testimony was TO the effect
that his son was one of ten children, was
thirty-five years old and always had been
a good boy. Henry and his wife had lived
happily, he declared. He was notified of
his daughter-in-law's death about two
hours after the murder. lie and his son
William Immediately went to the scene.
When he first saw Henry he was crying.
He then described the efforts made to
discover clews of the murderer. The va
riouS trips to Brazil and Terre Haute were
Seward was not in Terre Haute, nor in
Lena, on the dates ascribed by the state.
His testimony was unshaken by the cross
examination. Witness is nearly eighty
years old.
William Seward, brother of the accused.
corroborated his fathers testimony, par
ticularly as to Henry Stewards demeanOr
on the day of the murder. He said Henry
completely broke down over his wife's
death, and on the day of the funeral sobbed
like a child
w. II. Hardisty a policeman in Brazil.
testified that he saw Seward in the city or
Brazil on June 1. This was additional evil
dence to prove Lanes testimony false as to
the visit of Seward to Brazil and Terre
Haute.
Mrs Harriet Landerback, wife of Detec-
tive Landerback, testified that she lives in
the city of Brazil, that Seward went TO
her home on June i and inquired for her
husband. She told him he was at St. Louis
Seward, the accused man, took the stand
In his own behalf at 2 o'clock to-day. he
gave his name as Henry NJ. Seward, and
his age thirty-four years. He was born
in Parke county, lived there till 1902 when
he moved to Putnam county and to the
home that was the scene of the murder. He
had first met his wife about sixteen years
ago. They were married on March l. 1902
He had courted her for two years, and
knew of no objection to his marrying her.
Seward recounted the history of their
married life, declared they had lived hap
PLY, detailed the circumstances of his pur-
chase of the Putnam county farm. which
covered with underbrush, and described the
improvements he had made and had in con-
temptation. In the spring of 1903 he put
In ten acres of crops on MS place, and he
and Samuel Laneve put in ten acres of
corn on the Thomas farm. On Monday of
the week his wife was murdered he and
Taneve dragged the field. On Tuesday they
marked it. On Thursday they narrowed
and began planting the field. They did the
same on Friday and finished the field on
Saturday, the day of the murder. His wife
had assisted him I'm every way possible to
make a living. She raising many
chickens for market, and at the time Of
the week his wife was murdered he and
breakfast at $50 and started to his work
by o'clock. He said that during that
week James Roatim and the boys that were
at the house the night previous to the
murder were the only visitors he and his
wife had. Both were fond of visitors and
had much COMPANY and frequently INT visited ed
Thursday, Friday and on both nights. He
left on Saturday morning. Roatim helped
him in the field Thursday at his (Seward's 50
request.
Seward quit work in the field at 5 o'clock
on the day of the murder, he said. and he
and Laneve started for home. They stopped
several times, for various purposes, and
at the crossing where they separated, each
to go to his home, they talked for seven
or eight minutes. Seward drove home,
watered his horses and turned them out. He
then put his coat and dinner bucket in
the kitchen and, opening the door OF the
adjoining room, saw his wife lying on the
floor. He thought she was asleep. and
spoke. but received no response. He called
her by name two or three times, but she
did rot answer and he bent over her,
when he saw wounds on her face and
neck and blood on the carpet. He did not
examine her further because he was so
Mortified over the discovery. He went into
the garden and called for help, but none
came and he went TO notify the neigh
bors.
At this point Seward asked what
kind of clothes he wore on the day of
the murder He replied: Blue overalls.
n dark shirt and white straw hat
He was asked if the coroner took his
clothes after his arrest He took only the
overalls. the witress replied, and in re-
Spouse to a query he added that they had
not been washed This was to show that
there was no blood on Stewards clothing.
Court then adjourned till tomorrow
morning. Seward will be on the stand most
of the day.