Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-29
Special to Times-Republican.


Special to Times Republican.
Grundy Center Sept 29.-At noon
today Attorney Albrook had not con-
cluded his plea to the jury in the trial
of w. T.. Slifer for murder, and 1t looks
now as if the case will not go to the
Jury before 6 o'clock. 1t will depend
on the length of Albrook's argument
and the time taken in instructing the
Jury Albrook's argument is very ex-
haus+iye and he has carefully review
ed al: the evidence. The attendance
ia larger than ever today. Everybody
,s anxiously awaiting the verdict.
The plea Of Attorney Wood for the
defense was a very able one, and ne
held the breathless attention OF the
big crowd in attendance. Mr. Wooo
laid especial emphasis on the lack OF
motive for murder, claiming there was
no known reason why the defendant
should wanr to get rid Of his wife,
while there was every reason why ne
should desire her to live. He said the
defense did not pretend to claim a
SUFFICIENT cause for suicide existed or
that a sufficient cause does at any
time or in any case exist. Yet sucn
crimes are often committed. The evi-
dence fMr. Vogel was briefly review
ed, and held as not being in any mani
ner conclusive.
Mr.. Wood did not confine the de-
tense to the probabilities alone that
the chloroform went down the throat
and into the stomach, but claimed also
that If death resulted from the inhala-
tion of the drug, deceased must have
administered it.
The evidence Of the handwriting be-
ing reviewed brought out that the de-
fense did expect that much depended
upon the evidence upon this particular
point, and therefore the very best
Judges of handwriting that could be
procured, witnessed in the defense OF
this case.
The address of Mr. Wood was more
in the nature of plea for the syln-
pathy of the Jurors for the defendant,
and an explanation of his sincerity and
honest convictions in the innocence OF
the accused.
In his explanation of how Katie
mast have taken the drug he said
she went to bed, lay beside her hus-
band until he was soundly sleeping,
then she got up, went to her trunk
got the old bottle out of her trunk,
poured the contents of it into the tum-
bier, threw the old bottle back into
the trunk where it was found, went
- of
chloroform from the new bottle into
the tl,mbler, drank it, placed the tum-
bier back on the dresser, went to the
stand and took a drink of water to
stop the burning and then got into
bed.
At 1880 p. m. Attorney Wheeler be-
gan the closing argument for the de-
fense.
The attorney, while lacking in abil-
ity as an orator, has a marked degree
of ability for creating a universal sem
timent favorable to himself.
The attorney was most severe in his
handling Of the states witnesses.
The defendant was brought to sobs
during the address by the attorney
saying to the jury: "You may do what
you will with this young lad; you may
send him to the penitentiary for lie:
you may burn him at the stake; but
you can't torture, him as my friend
Mr.. Pickett did yesterday. That lad
a mere lad-who has lost his child wife
who Is here accused of her murder
who is further accused of the forgery
of these exhibits "a" o. and ~
and "10-A," who sits before you as d
mere lad, was held up before you yes
terday for two or three hours by MI.
Pickett as a murderer, forgerer ailn
a perjuror who sat before you during
the awful abuse and onslaught. he sa.
here unscathed and untouched. why
Because he knew he was innocent
Mr.. Wheeler finished his address
about o'clock
Mr.. Albroox commenced his address
at p. m. Reviewing the evidence ~.
Allbrook brought out the point that