The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-06-02
MURDER in TIE SECOND DEGREE
Is the Verdict in the Case Against JotnF Hayden Wh(
Shot and Killed ". I. BrdCeWeI|.
Jury out but -Four Miller Will Pronounce Sentence
Him Next M0nddy--he Tria|G Given in Full.

N in Full.
necessary for men to take hold of him
and quiet him down. Also as to .be-.
coming excited and wanting to talk at
church and other public gatherings.
Was very excitable. He always acted
queerly. My sister Margaret was weak
minded and her mind was unbalanced,
the witness describing numerous i'll
cidents when she was insane. She was
insane for several years prior to her
death. Was acquainted with the two
brothers of John Hayden. Alexander
was very nervous child and fanatic
on religious subjects. His mind was
totally broken down when he died at
the age of 13 years. Lewis Hayden was
always very peculiar boy, and is now
in the Indianapolis insane asylum. /
raised John Hayden from the time he
was baby until he was sixteen years
of age. He was at my house last Sep
tember. John as a boy was wild and
ratified, nervous and excitable. When
he visited me last September could
notice a great change. He looked Wild
out of his eyes, would rub his head, and
told me his head hurt him. Would talk
to himself and was talking to himself.
l know that at that time his mind Was
affected. had not seen him before for
nineteen years. He had revolver with
him.
WILL BARTRAN.
33 years of age, residing at Goshen, Ind.
a cousin of defendant, testified he had
known him since he was small boy.
Saw him at Goshen last September, and
slept one night with him. / noticed
him during the night on his knees in the
bed holding his hands to his head.
asked him II he was sick and he said his
head panied him. The next morning
after breakfast when l entered the
room whore he was and spoke to him he
threw up his hands and appeared
startled. His eyes were staring. He
told me he had fear of being molested
| and had protected himself. Had a
revolver with him. The witness ex-
amined revolver with which the shoots
ing was done and said it was the same
revolver Hayden had with him in
Indiana. was acquainted with Lewis
| Hayden who is now in an insane asylum
at indianapolis. He has been confined
in asylums for the last twelve years.
| The defense then offered in evidence
certified copy of the record of the
insane commission of Wayne county,
Iowa, showing that Lewis Hayden,
brother of the defendant, had been
adjudged insane and sent to the asylum
from that county on June 2, 1889, the
examination disclosing that he had
always been acting strangely and was
subject to epilepsy, and had been con-
fined in an asylum in Indiana five years
ago. He was released and taken in
charge by friends on Aug. II, 1899, on
the application of John Hayden in whose
care and custody he was placed.
ETHEL HAYDEN.
daughter of the defendant, Is years
old, testified as to her father being hurt
by mule about eighteen months ago,
being on the top of his head, and he had
complained of his head ever since, and
would hold his head in his hands, look
ing at the floor, and would complain of
his head hurting him. Would sit in
this position for half an hour at time.
Have heard him talking to himself at
the table and other times. These spells
would last three or four days. When
he went to bed he would take stick of
wood, a club, his revolver, shot gun or
axe with him, and would take his little
i boy to bed with him. He never did this
before he was hurt. One night between
Band o'clock he got up and went out.
Mamma went out with the little boy
and lantern and hunted for him, but
could not find him. He took the re-
volver with him and it was about an
hour and half before he came back.
This was before Thanksgiving. He
carried revolver with him all the
time. do not think he was in his
right mind at the time he did these
things.
DENNIS DAUGHTON.
a farmer residing near Leon who for
merly lived in Woodland township near
Hayden, testified as to being called to
Hayden's to help dress wound on his
head a year ago this spring. Had quite
a cut on his head. cut the hair away
and dressed the wound which was d OF
3 inches long.
u MRS. EMMA HAYDEN.
wife of the defendant testified. she was
married nineteen years, age, and has six
children, the eldest II years and the
youngest eighteen months. My hus.
band was injured on the head some
sixteen or eighteen months ago. Was
trying to hobble mule and it struck
him on top of the head with it's feet
, knocking him senseless. When he re
vived the little boy brought him to the
, house. The wound was quite large, ths
scalp cut through. Dennis Daughter
helped me dress it. 1t was quite awhile
before it healed, and since that time he
has acted odd by spells and complained
: OF his head hurting him. Would loci
the bedroom after taking the little bo,
to bed with him, and tie the door shu
: with string. Would take revolver O
!, gun to bed with him. He did this for ;
>-eo~~~>~ecor~--occ.>~c~
8 Continued on page 2l