Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-27
TRIAL OF oTTuMWA WOMAN FOR
MURDER OF HER HUSBAND
ENDS THIS MORNING.
MOTION MADE TO DISMISS
Attorneys for Prosecution Take unex-
pected Action--Jury Reaches Ver-
dict Without Leaving Court Room
Defendant Rejoices.

Sigourney, Feb. Is. - (speclaD
"Not guilty. This is the verdict return
ed by the jury at 10:45 O'CLOCK inns
morning, which brought to a sudaeh
end the trial of Mrs. Belle Lewis Oh W
tumwa and freed her from the charge
of numbering her husband.
A motion made by the prosecuting
attorneys at the conclusion OF the ties.
timony given by DR.. w. L. Dean OF
Iowa City, asking for the dismissal OF
the case was the cause for the abrupt
ending of the trial.
Judge Scott of Brooklyn Immediate
ly gave his instructions to the jury
and without leaving the court room Tue
iury returned unanimous verdict OF
not guilty.
commotion In the Court Room.
The stiffness which fell upon the
court room when the attorneys Tor the
prosecution moved for a dismissal OF
the case, gave place to one OF llVely
commotion when the verdict OF the
iury had been announced. The salts
faction evidenced by the attorneys Tor
the defense was only surpassed by the
10y of Mrs. Lewis herself, as Win
beaming, though not fearless face, she
wrung the hands of her attorneys ex-
pressing to them her gratitude and
giving her thanks to the members OF
the jury for their decision.
Friends Rejoice.
The friends of Mrs, Lewis, who were
in the court room at the time the YER
dict was announced, made haste to
extend to her, their congratulations.
The children Of the defendant, who
were in another part Of the court
house, were Immediately informed Oh
the happy ending of the case and hur-
riedly sought. their mother.
], Dr.. Deans Testimony. :.
The testimony which caused the
sudden ending of the trial was that OF
DR.. l.. w. Dean Of Iowa City, VINO mad
made an examination of the bones OF
the skull Of the deceased Dr.. Dean,
when called to the stand this morning,
stated that he had thoroughly exam
ined the bones of the skull OF the de-
ceased William Lewis and that ne
found them to be in badly diseased
condition.
Inflammation of the Brain.
DR.. Dean stated that he had discov-
cred unmistakable evidence that the
deceased was afflicted with infiamma-
ton at the base of the brain and that
had his death not occurred at the time
| it did it would in all probability nao
followed within two weeks.
Symptoms the Same.
Probably the most important part OF
his testimony was when he declared
that in cases of Inflammation of the
brain and morphine poisoning the
SYMPTOMS to any one but a physician
anpeared the same. He also stated
that had he been called in the begin
Ming he would have predicted that Mr.
Lewis would have died within two
hours or at most two weeks.
Judges Instruction.
Immediately upon the motion for dis
lmissal Judge Scott began his instruc
/ tions to the jury. He stated that there
was no doubt that Mr.. Lewis had tax
en- laudanum, that the relations OF Mrs
Lewis and Ira Glassford were not wha
they should have been, but that thf
evidence was not conclusive that there
lhad been any attempt made by the de
PENDANT to take the life OF her nus pane
and that in accordance with the me
4 ton of the attorneys for the prosecu
ton he would recommend that yer
dict of not guilty be found.
Take Immediate Action.
4 The Jury took immediate actlon ant
4 without leaving the court room return
4 ed verdict releasing the defendant.
In the trial yesterday considerable
4 evidence was taken, to prove that MRS
y evidence was taken, facts regardln'
Mrs. Lewis reputation, concerning tn
illness of Mr.. Lewis, and many othe
points were brought out.
Mrs. Lewis Reputation Good.
Mrs. Fisher, wife of William FISH
err of Ottumwa testified that she kne'
I the Lewis family all the time they Ii
ed in Ottumwa. Mrs. Lewis came
Fishers one Sunday after she ha
moved to the farm and then weI
: down to the home of their daughte
: Mrs. Boyles Mrs. Fisher went dow
/ there too and in while Glassfor
$ came there after Mrs. Lewis and the
. started away together. Mrs. Lew
said they had come to Ottumwa
: pay her husbands lodge dues. Mr.
!, Fisher also testified as to Mrs. Levi
! good character and reputation.
> Ray Utterback. who worked for Wi
Helm last summer. testified that or
Saturday in June the Lewis childre
came to Helms to stay all night. T
= and Helm had been sorting hogs TIL
v days and the next day they drove the
to Butler. On this Saturday mig
4 Helm and Utterback started to He
: rick and met the Lewis children
n few rods from the, railroad tracks. M
Lewis came from the house and g
q in the buggy at the cross roads al
V went to town with them.
Says Lewis Was Morose.
:, E. Broadhead testified that the fir
time he saw Mr.. Lewis, he and b
r son were driving along the road al
o Lewis and George Beaver were ridil
on horseback behind them. They 70,
= in this way about a mile and he al
n x,aro k,11 I,..t I, ,,14s,