Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-21
Special to Times-RepublIcan.

Special to Times Republican.
Eldora, Jan. 21.-As the trial of E. S
Blydenburgh for the murder of hi
third wife progresses interest in TIL
case increases and the court room il
crowded to suffocation with people from
all parts of the county 10 hear the test.
mony and watch the proceedings. t,v
cry precaution has been taken to pre-
vent any tampering with the jury ant
they are practically shut off from tn,
outer world during the trial of tn,
case. They are kept in charge of /:
bailfff and beds and cots have bear
placed in the jury rooms. the jurors no.
being allowed to go home at nights
They are taken for a short walk each
day for exercise in care of bailiffs anC
they are served ata separate table II
the hotel. No one is permitted to com
municate with them in any manner
To all intents and purposes they ara
as much prisoners as the accused him.
self.
When. the jury had been sworn In
yesterday afternoon the judge instruct
ed them as to their duties in the case
and cautioned them TO not talk with
anyone about the case and then the
opening arguments We're begun.
County Attorney Noble made short
opening address to the jury giving in
substance the facts intended to be
proved by the state. He stated that
e. s. Blydenburgh was 80 years old:
that he formerly lived in Brooklyn N.
T.. and in Bryan. o. AT the latter
place he met Miss Jennie Rosebor-
+ ough. aged 49 years. and after short
acquaintance proposed marriage. They
came to this city and We're married
s Oct. 8, 1902; that their married life
was unhappy; that Mrs. Blydenburgh
had several weeks prior to her death
consulted an attorney in regard to
bringing an action to set aside a deed
made by her to Mr.. Blydenburgh for
40 acres of land near Hubbard. which
deed she had made shortly after her
marriage to Mr.. Blydenburgh. That
on May 10. 1903, Mrs. Blydenburgh
went to church and Mr.. Blydenburgh
stayed at home and got dinner. That
shortly after eating her dinner Mrs.
BNdenburgh became violently i'll and
4 doctor was called that evening. The
doctor asked Mr.. Blydenburgh to pro-
cure urine from the sick woman for
examination. but upon calling for 1t in
the morning. Mr.. Blydenburgh said he
had forgotten it. That Mrs. Blyden-
burgh died the following Friday and
her body was embalmed and shipped
to her old home in Ohio for interment.
That the remains were exhumed and
an autopsy held and the stomach and
other organs were sent to Chemist
Waugh of Ann Arbor. The chemist
reported finding a large quantity OF
arsenic in the stomach. He stated
druggist would be produced who
would testify 10 having sold Mr.. Bly,
denburgh arsenic and that witness
would be produced who would testify
that Mr.. Blydenlburgh had taken a,
pencil and paper and figured how
much Mrs. Biydenburgh was worth.
That she was worth about $4,000 and
that Mr.. Blyden'burgh married her to
get the money and then administered
the poison to get free OF an unpleas-
ant alliance.
Mr.. Nagle, in his opening statement
for the defense, stated that the evil
dence would show that the defendant
married his wife at the time claimed
by the state, that they we're married a.
Eldora, end that shortly after their
marriage that the wife had transferred
to the defendant one half, or about
one-half of the land she owned in
Hardin county, also as claimed by the
state. He said the evidence would
show that the relations between hus- 4
band and wife had always been OF the
most affectionate character and that
the only unfriendliness that existed in
the family was on the part OF the Sis
tiers Of the dead woman toward the
defendant, on account of his wife hav-
ing transferred this property to him.
which conveyance, he said. was made
at the instance and request OF Mrs.
Blydenburgh and not at the solicitation
OF the defendant, as the evidence would
clearly show. He said that the defense
expected to prove that the deceased
had been suffering for years from a
serious ailment. He stated that the
evidence would disclose that when
Blydenburgh came to Eldora to reside,
he moved into house that was fnfest-
ed with rats and mice and, taking the
advice Of neighbor, Rydenburgh
had purchased some Rough on Rats"
which poison. Mr.. Nagle conceded, con-
tanned arsenic. He said that the evt-
dence would disclose that soon after
the death OF the deceased. the body
was embalmed and that the embalming
fluid used contained arsenic. He said
that the body was taken to Ohio the
same night and was accompanied by
the defendant. and there Inferred,
when the defendant returned to his
homo in Etdora. Mr.. Nagle conceded
that the body had been disintered and
portions OF 1t subjected to a chemical
analysis. He said that the evidence
would show beyond dispute that ars-
euic used as an enfbalming fluid. used
as this was used, will be diffused thru
the entire body, practically thru every
portion Of 1t, ana that the evidence
would show that It can not be told.
with any degree of certainty, whether
II was administered before death or got
into the body after death. He denied
that the defendant staid at home on
40 Sunday IN which the pOfyOn Is