Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-19
Only a Short Session Held This
Morning and Handwriting
Experts Testify
INTEREST CONTINUES GREAT
Most of the Evidence for the State is
Now In and Prospects of the Prose-
eution Resting Its Case Soon Are
Good-The Evidence in Detail-Iowa
News.
epecial to rimes-Republican.


morning in the trial Of w. e. Sitter,
charged with murder of his wife. They
were Frank Foster, of Iowa Fails. ana
Banker of Waterloo. Both We're eX-
amined as experts In the matter Oh
handwriting. Their evidence was fav-
orable to the state. Court was IN ses-
sion only about one hour this morning.
There is prospect of the state finish
ing its evidence by Wednesday or per-
haps little later. Most of the expert
evidence for the state is in and with
the examination Of a number OF neigh
bors on few minor points the state
will rest and taking Of evidence for the
defense will begin. The attendance
this morning was not quite as large as
usual. but the court room was Wen
dlIed and the interest in the case con-
ttnues undated. Saturdays tesei-
mony in detail follows:
Saturday Forenoon.
DR.. r. w. Powers, graduate OF the
university of Iowa, and the medlcal
college of New York, member OF the
ntate board of health, begins the evil
Hance of the morning. Witness had
seen subjects die from the admlnlstra-
zion of chloroform; the cause OF death
a the paralyzing effect on the nerves OF
the brain. When swallowed by sub
Sect It Immediately sets up an irritation
hf the throat, esophagus, stomach ana
all parts of contact. II taken py m
halatton it would attach itself to the
parts it came in contact with. CnioIo-
form taken into the mouth down the
throat, and into the stomach, the swan
lowing process would catch the chioro-
form In the folds Of the esophagus' ana
being confined there would set up IN
Aammation. The same thing Wouio
take place in the stomach ana Woulo
leave traces of its presence there Ten
Nays after Food and all contents Oh
The stomach, liquid or sond Is con-
stantly in the stomach OF a i've person.
An irritant taken into the stomach ana
Neath resulting in two hours, no signs
e. its being taken into the stomach
wo,,ld he visible on the outside OF the
.tomach walls. Chloroform taken INTO
tha stomach would have to pract1cally
destroy the mucous membranes OF the
.+on,acr before it would effect the mus
scular walls of the stomach.
The taking OF chloroform by injection
1. not necessarily fatal. and whefe
naath results it is usually in from
n,rht to twelve hours, the average Time
being ten hours.
r,ha witness was asked the hypothetl-
ral question as to the finding OF a SUD-
fact under the precise conditions as
s,,o this Young woman found, the ind
src,s of the bottle, the vonlit In the peo'
che holy being cold two hours after re-
fir,np no appearance OF chloroform pc
a., found in The throat esophagus or
stomach ten days later. Witness Woulu
SOW the chloroform was administered
nv inhalation.
Ana where upon postmortem ex-
animation Of the stomach 81 sucn
subject ten days later spots We're Iouno
,,non the outside or exterior walls OF
.+nn,ac, and no traces of chloro-s
1cr,,, in the stomach, but traces OF
~bIoroform found in the tissues of lungs
ana brain. would say the chloroform
mas administered by inhalation.
IN cross examination Of the witness
pttorney for the defense made a yio-
sant attempt to disturb the witness,
hut failed. The defense is attempting
- show that death occurred by chok-
srp and strangulation after swallowing
the drug. It was believed the cross
texanination Of this witness CONSIDER
ably strengthened the states case.
+. w. Alexander, the undertaken, was
recalled. Testified that hex gave Prof.
Kenney a sample Of the Rex embaimlng
fluid out Of the same bottle used In the
embalming of Katie Slifer.
NY attention was attracted to the
dresser in the room of the dead woman
Is examine some candy saw there
living on the northeast part OF the
dresser. No cross-examination
Miss Mildred Lamb called. ! am
teacher. Knew Katie Slifer before her
marriage. She was my pupil Have
corresponded with her: her latest cor
respondence received in Nov. 1908;
have letters in my possession; witness
here presented and offered in evidence
as exhibits 'T' and e. two letters re-
cefved by her from Katie Slifer. Wit
ness was here shown exhibit "A" and
testified that it did not look like Katie's
handwriting. In examination of
the witness attorney for defense went
into detail of the evidence and showed
the variations in the handwriting of
persons also the probable nervousness
OF the person about to take her own
life, and would more likely write a
heavier and more uneven hand.
Saturday Afternoon.
The first witness called was Orville
kline. of Toledo. He testified to hav-
ing known defendant for sixteen years,
having lived neighbor to him in
Grundy county for some fifteen years.
Went to school with him. Have COR
responded with him, am acquainted
with his handwriting.
Examine exhibits tx" and IL" and
see if you can identify them as defend
ants handwriting. Witness Identified
exhibit tx" and 'L" as being letters
received by him from defendant thru
the mails. Witness examined exhibit
"a" and testified that it looked like
defendants handwriting.
Cross examination.
Have received no letters from de-
PENDANT for three or four years. Fur
ther cross examination developed moth
ing.
Cashier Cole.
Mr.. Cole called. reside in Des
:Moines. My business is assistant
cashier Of the Des Moines Savings
bank. Have had considerable exper-
fence in the examination Of handwrit-
ing. Witness was here shown hand
writing of Katie Slifer's letters, al