The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-13
new TESTIMONY
IS INTRODUCED
Second Trial of Arson Case
Commenced
MORE SUBPOENAS ISSUED
Defense Calls Five Additional
Witnesses.
MORE SUBPOENAS ISSUED

New testimony was a feature in the
Stevens arson case yesterday afternoon
in the district court when Miss Della
Alsbaugh of St Joseph, Mo. was called
by the state Miss Alsbaugh was not
present at the previous trial and it was
not known that she was in the city until
she was called as a witness yesterday
afternoon She was employed by Mrs
Stevens at the time the alleged crime
was committed.
The morning session of court was occu-
pied with examining the jurors and. after
the jury was empanelled, with the state
ment of the case by the county attorney
In the afternoon the taking of evidence
was begun. H. II. Dewey was the first
witness called by the state. Mr.. Dewey
testified that on January ], 1903, he was
local agent at this place for the Traders
Insurance company, of Chicago, and had
been employed in that capacity for about
seventeen years. He stated that he issued
policy TO Mrs. S NJ. Stevens on her
millinery stock IN September, which pol
lev was afterward cancelled. He also
said that a reward was offered by a num-
Der of the local agents in this city. and
that it was published in the Eagle; that
although the offer was afterward with
drawn, no public announcement was ever
made Of the withdrawal in the daily
papers
At the conclusion of Mr.. Dewey's testi-
mony, Miss, Della Alsbaugh was called
as a witness, TO which Attorney John
Adams of the defense objected on the
grounds that her name did not appear
upon the information. The information
was produced and the name was written
"Aushaugh'' instead Of 'Alsbaugh
Judge Wilson over-ruled the objection.
as Miss Alsbaugh had testified at the
preliminary hearing in the city court
Upon motion Of Attorney Eckstein, the
incorrect letter vas changed.
Miss AIsbaugh was then sworn and
her testimony was. in part, as follows:
''I am ia the millinery business in St
Joe. No, and have lived there for the
past year, having left this city in Feb
ruary. 1893. l was III Wichita about two
years. during which time 1 worked for
Mrs. Jack Shields and Mrs. Stevens.
Il was employed by Mrs stevens IN
July, 1902. and was working for her jan
uary !, 1913. There We're two keys TO the
establishment l carried one and Mr.. and
Mrs. Stevens the other. AS usual thing
] opened the store in the morning and
closed it at night. but once or twice Mr.
Stevens had opened up.
The curtains in the front Of the store
were about a foot too short to reach the
window, but in December, before the at
tempted fire, they were heightened. sc
that they would pull all the way down
They were always lowered when we left
the store in the evening. and the electric
light was always turned out. With ref
erence to the stock, third of it was not
staple goods. there being a large mum
Der of sailor hats, some of which were
shop-worn. / was never At the store in
the evening when they were not present
Miss Hereford Mr. and Mrs. Stevens and
myself left the store between L and
O'Clock in the afternoon of January /
1895 / locked the store as Mr.. and Mrs
Stevens were getting into the buggy. Miss
Hereford started on north and | called tC
her to wait She came back and we went
north on Main street together Mr.. and
Mrs Stevens had driven away, and i
arrangements to meet at the store at 7:S
O'Clock About 40 we met and | un
locked the store We were going TO cur
our hair. When we entered. the electri'
light was burning. We hunted fer th'
lamp. which was usually kept on tn
shelf and found it in the back room il
q large box, surrounded with straw hat
and tissue paper. The lamp was Lighted
and A string was attached to il. extend
ing out through the keyhole Of the baCl
door. We did not know what to do a
first We finally went out on the side
walk and ! saw a policeman on the othe
side of the street and called him. | thel
went across to Miss Towards drug stor
and telephoued TO Mr.. Stevens. / toll
him TO come down to the storee. som
one had tried to burn him out. He san
Where are YOU ! said; At Miss How
ard 8 and told him Miss Hereford wa
with me He then came down TO tn
store"
Cross examiRed by Adams:
what did YOU get for coming here"
My railroad fare and my witness fees
Don't you know YOU didn't have t
Gomez?
Il wanted to come
did YOU testify IT the preliminary?