The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-29
EVIDENCE SAME AS
AT PRELIMINARY
S. M. Stevens Is Being Tried
for Arson.
IN THE DISTRICT COURT
State Finished Its Testimony
Last Evening.

In the district court yesterday the
6 NJ. Stevens case, for attempted arson
occupied the day. At $40 the evidence OF
prosecution was all in and the state rest
ed. John Adams. of the defense, then
made their statement of the case, after
which court adjourned. The defense will
call their first witness this morning. some
strong circumstantial evidence was IN
troduced yesterday by the witnesses 1or
the state but the defense claim that they
can prove beyond doubt that MI ste
yens was not at the store from the time
they all left at 1 o'clock until he was
called there at o'clock by telephone
message.
A great deal of interest is manifested IN
the trial and a good-sized audience were
present to listen to the testimony. Mr.
Stevens father and mother, Mrs.
S. NJ. Stevens, Miss Heath, Will Heath
and +. Stevens were all present and sat
near the defendant. The jurors were en-
paneIed the afternoon before. but were
not sworn until yesterday morning, after
court opened The jurors names are:
j. A Hanpson. farmer Grant township;
o. z. Matson. farmer, Lincoln township;
John Fermin, farmer, Illinois township;
A NJ. Carter farmer, Salem township;
N r. Grant farmer, Ohio township; h.
B. Badger. grocer. city; Alonzo Lemon.
retired. city; J. S. Whiteker blacksmith.
city; Matthias Eek, farmer Attica; Boyd
Hartman, farmer. Grant; 4. b Felix,
farmer. of Wichita township; J. c. Win
tiers, farmer, Valley Center.
The state is represented by County At
torney Eckstein and Assistant Attorney
Dill The defense by Adams & Adams and
Brown & Brown.
The first witness called by the state yes
terday morning was II. V Wheeler. who
represents the Northern Insurance COM
pany. of London. He testified that the
company had a policy of insurance on the
Stevens stock on North Main street, and
that the policy was in fun force on Janu-
AIRY 1st. at the time the alleged attempt
was made. The policy was cancelled by
us two days after January LIST. The
amount of the policy was s150O.
Upon cross-examnation he was asked
whether the insurance company did not
offer rewards for the arrest of any per-
cons trying to defraud them. He replied
that it had not TO his knowledge.
H. II. Dewey was the next witness
called Mr.. Dewey was agent for the
Traders Insurance company, of Chicago,
Illinois. and that in that company Mrs
g. NJ. Stevens lad a policy of insurance
on the millinery goods and the policy was
in effect on January l. 1903, and that the
policy was cancelled on the 9th day of
January, 1903 that it was issued on the
18th day of September, 1902 The amount
of the policy being $500. There was
some talk of offering a reward of $500
for the arrest and conviction of the per-
son who made the attempt, but no ar
engagements were made for any reward.
They were merely spoken of. The COM
pany did not make any Offer of a reward
1t was merely talked of IL the city.
Cross-eXamined by Adams:
Did you publish an offer CT $3.50 for ar
rest and conviction of the person who at
tempted TO burn the store?7
mo, sir"
Bertha Hereford was called next She
testified that she was employed by Mrs.
Stevens as saleslady at her store on
North Main street. She added:
ION the night OF January lst. We were
to meet Mr.. and Mrs Stevens at
behring's drug store and so from there
to the theater.
'.Who opened the store in mornings
Miss Alsbaugh.'
What kind of a day was January
1st?''
ION this day If vvas ~ ming .,,,g I,.i-,1.
and at O'Clock was quite dark. The
room on the south was occupied By l. F.
varneys jewelry store; there was only
q thin partition between the stores"
WHO pulled the curtains down when
you all left the store?'
Mr.. Stevens"
WAS the curtain too short to reach
the bottom of the glass;"
Eyes. sir. until the middle of December.
when it was spliced."
''Who spliced the curtains?'
81 do not know
did any of the girls?'
mo. sir
Had you made arrangements to meet
Miss Alsbaugh at the store?''
Yes, sir
NhaL tilHe uiu you get 10 the store?
At twenty minutes after seven. l looked
at Varney's clock as l came by. 1 tried
the door, but 1t was locked securely.
waited until Miss Alsbaugh came and we
went inside I noticed that the electric
light was burning. We went inside 10
curl our hair"
Did you look for the lamp?''
Yes. sir; but il was not in the usual
place.