Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-14
Half a Dozen Witnesses Give
Testimony For the State
In Slifer Murder Trial
DEFENSE WILL BE SUICIDE
Opening Statements of the Defendants
Attorneys Show They Expect to Show
Mrs. sIifer Bought chloroform on
Different Occasions and Was De-
spondent.
Special to ,rimes-Republican
spondent.

legged murder of his wife was resumed
| this morning. the prisoner faced {
jury of twelve men who had been Ne
clared satisfactory by both his owl
| ATTORNEYS and those for the state. I'm
mediately after court convened the
opening statements for the state an6
defense were made. About half a do2-
en- witnesses for the state we're exam
ined before court adjourned shortly
after IL. The afternoon session viii
not be resumed until o'clock.
The last juror was secured at p
m. yesterday, the jury sworn and the
court adjourned to 8 a. m. today. Fol
lowing is a list of the jurors: Hen
ry Reibkes, o. w. Beclman, Z. j
Rottmeyer III. G. Van Hauen, c. E
Cowie, H. Doescher, B. f. Grant c. G
Petit, W. IL Wallace, John Peters. l.
B. Bigelow, j. w. Bloxham. All are
farmers except Bigelow, who is cl erk
and Becknlan, who is q ma .hinist
working for Dodd & Stevens.
In the opening statement today the
state did not disclose anything Of the
nature of it's evidence further Than 1T
expected to prove chat tie defer :a:t
Tough. the thlor. form IN Ma:shalltoWn
a..I that it was admit - ell by him
and that there existed sufficient MO
tive why ne Should wish to get rid of
his wife and also that the note found
after the girls deaIn was forged by
Slifer.
Cross examination was not rigid and
brought out nothing of Importance to
either side.
Mrs. Henry Hoffa was the next wit
ness. She is an aunt of the defend
ant. She testified to being called to
the Sitter home at 2 o'clock Sunday
morning. She saw defendant lying on
the lounge downstairs. Visited the
room where the body was lying. Was
accompanied by Miss Misser, F. Slifer
the defendants father, and others.
Saw the body. In position described
by other witnesses. Appeared to be
very much composed. Did not see de-
PENDANT go to the room where she was.
In conversation with defendant wit
came to awaken and he answered that
he felt the wet bedclothes where his
wife had volnited. This conversation
was objected to strenuously by the
defendants attorneys, but their OBJ
jections were overruled by the court.
Witness said she asked the defend
ant to go to the room to look at Katy
after the undertaken had dressed the
body, but defendant said he would feel
better if he cid not see her. The cross
examination was rigid, but the witness
was not shaken in the least.
Miss Hanna Misser was the next
witness. Her testimony did not diff
fer from that of the other witnesses.
This was the last witness for the fore
noon session 1t is expected e. c. AL
len, one of the main witnesses for the
state, will be placed upon the stand
this afternoon.
The Defense Outlined.
The opening statement for the de-
tense showed clearly the lines to be fol-
lowed in the effort to clear the prison.
er. The attorney stated that it would
be shown that Mrs. Slifer repeatedly
bought chloroform and that she prob
ably had sent some man to buy this for
her in Marshalltown; that she had
bought some once before at the same
place; that she and her husband had
always got along well together and she
had always been good helpmate and
aided her husband in his work. He
stated taht it would also be shown that
shortly before her death Mrs. Slifer had
become moody and respondent; that
this condition was due to the fact that
blotches had appeared on her body, due
to liver trouble; that this complaint
had weighed on her mind until she de-
termined to commit suicide and that
the chloroform was taken internally
and not by inhalation. In short, that
Mrs Slifer committed suicide by
,hloroform poisoning self-administered
md that the poison was purchased by
some one other than the defendant who
,iened Mrs. Slifer's name to the drug
lists certificate.
Testimony Begins.
The evidence taken by the state this
orenoon was not Of a startling nature,
nut was of Importance as tending to
establish certain facts in connection
With Mrs. Slifer's death. DR.. Thleland,
he physician who was called on the
morning of the Womans death, was
he first witness for the state. He test'-
ed that he arrived at the home of the
efendant on the morning of the death
f Mrs. Slifer, probably five or six
ours after death. He found the body
oyered up in bed. Saw Vomit on the |
ed clothes about a foot or eighteen |
1ches from the mouth. The vomit con-
listed of particles of food and some I
ard substance, which were not exam
ned by him. Saw no signs of strug-
lie. Di5 not note the size of the room
close to give dimensions.
ross evamina ton of this witness did I
ot result in any change OF Importance
n his evidence
The next witness was Silas Gilbert. a
eirhhor and relative of the dead wo-
,en He testified he was called and
r,iva5 at the horse at . O'Clock Of the
corning when Mrs. Slifer died He
,un3 the defendant living on a loun~e
, a room, downstairs. Did not see him
ave the room while he was at the
ouse. Visited the room in which the
cad woman lay. accompanied by
aiellbor and other parties. Found the
edy covered snugly and lying in a
ary comfortable position on the left
de with the left arm partly under the
th, rio ar dawn I'M and |