Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-15
A STRONG POINT
MADE By S|A1[
Druggists Clerk Identified Sill
fer as the One Who Pur-
chased Chloroform
IDENTIFICATION is COMPLETE
Large Number of Witnesses Have
Been On the Stand, But Aside From
The Druggists Testimony the States
Case Appears to Be Rather Weak
Details Of Trial,
Special to Tim,es-k.publican.


Special to Tin,es-1epublican.
Grundy Center, Sept. 15.-Five wit
nesses were examined in the Sllfer
murder trial this morning and a num-
Der of important witnesses were upon
the stand yesterday afternoon. The
most important evidence brought out
today was the positive Identification OF
the defendant by Robert ]. vogel, a
clerk in a Marshalltown drug store.
as the man to, whom ne sold chloro-
form on the day on which Slifer ana
his wife were in Marshalltown. 1t was
the night of that same day Mrs. Sill
fer died. This is the strongest evl-
dence the state has yet produced ana
his evidence seemed to impress inc
Jury. The fact that Slifer bought the
Il poison is one fact which seems 10 De
s unexplainable Vogel was positive IN
his Identification and the cross-eXam
nation was unable to shake his testl-
mony altho they tried hard to do So.
Attic a good many circumstances sur
rounding the death Of Mrs. Slifer ap-
pear to be suspicious, disinterested
persons thus far seem to think that
< the states case has been rather weak.
But the fact Of the purchase of the
poison, altho it will be contended by
the defense that Slifer did not in fact
purchase it, has added a strong link
to the chain of evidence.
The other witnesses this morning
were Coroner Conner and Levi Sher-
man, one of the jurors, L. r. Hess,
and another coroner's juror and Dr..
Butler, who helped conduct the post
mortem examination on the body of
Mrs. Sitter.
DR.. Buffers testimony was in the
nature of expert evidence. He testi-
fed that the body of Mrs. Slifer had
the appearance of that of perfectly
healthy woman and that the Internal
organs were sound and indicated sud
den death, probably from poisoning.
The coroner's jurors testified to events
connected with the inquest and as to
the appearance of the defendant at
that time. He seemed to feel badly,
but answered questions frankly and
apparently did not wish to conceal
anything.
In connection with today's testimony
, II was discovered that no name was
signed to any certificate at the drug
store and it was explained that such
procedure is not necessary in pur-
chasing chloroforn, although it is
necessary to DO so in case of many
other poisons. It has been stated IN
these dispatches that the state would
endeavor to show that Slifer signed
his wife's name to the request for
chloroforn, but this appears to have
been an error.
Wednesday Afternoon.
r. w. Alexander, of Conrad, was the
nrst witness called to the stand in the
afternoon Wednesday. He is an un-
dertaker
what time did you arrive at the Sill
FER home on the occasion of Mrs. Sill
fers death? About 5 o'clock a. m.
Tell the jurors what you did and
what you found. Witness said he went
to the room where the body lay. Found
the dead woman lying just to the west
Of the center Of bed, facing the east,
with her head to the north; lying very
much on the left side, and in very
natural and comfortable position. Was
present when .Or. Thieland arrived and
examined the body. Saw the vomit in
the bed. Worked in the room an hour
or such a matter in caring for the
body. Embaln1ed the body. Used the
ordinary Rex preparation for embalm-
ing. The body was clad in union
suit of unde.clothing, and a white
nightgown. Gave the body what we
call the cavity ennbalming, which is
only calculated to preserve the body
for short time, and is not per-
! manent preservation. Saw bottle in
the room labeled poison.
The witness was questioned at
length concerning the care Of the body,
the process gone thru in SO doing and
the different articles of clothing and
furniture in the ROOM
The witness was carefully cross ex-
amined and in no part of his testimony
was he in the least confused
A, c. Fetters.
A. C. Fetters was then called and res
peated the story already gone over by
the undertakec as to the condition of
; the room and body.
An effort was made to confuse the
witness in 1ss-examination as to
what the contents of the room were
where the body was found, but accom-
plished nothing.
Mrs. Hoffa.
Mrs. Clara FToffa a sister of the dead
woman, was called to the stand and
stated that SHE arrived at the house
about 2 o'clock a. m.
Witness stated that she had a con-
yersation with defendant who asked
her to look for some proofs of pic
lures of defendant and wife, defendant
saving to witness that the proofs
would likely to found upstairs among
her trinkets en- the dresser. In COM
pany with ldiss Nora Haskins, her
niece, she proceeded to the room up
stairs from which the dead body had
just been removed. Immediately upon
advancing to the dresser witness dis
covered bottle labeled poison. and
also note written on a tablet lying
face up on the dresser.
Finding of the Note.
& Witness screamed and ran down.
stairs: was accompanied back to the
room by Mr.. Ed Allen, who took charge
of note and bottle.
Witness was here shown note mark
ed ex A, and identified same as being
the note she found that morning on the
dresser. Note read as follows:
Il take this to end my troubles.
Good bye to all.
Witness was then shown a two ounce
vial marked exhibit B. labeled chloro-