Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-02
SPIES ON 1HE STAND
Banker Who Received Threaten
ING Letter Testilies In the
Wcighmm Case
DID DEXTER WRITE LETTER.

Defense Endeavorln9 TO FToVe mat
the Man Who Was Killed by Weigh
man Did in Fact White the Black
mailing Letter to Banker Spies
The Evidence.
Spencer, Feb. 2.-Indications are
that the Weighman trial will last over
into next week. The examination OF
witness j. A. Spies was completed at
about o'clock yesterday. He testi-
fed that he was at Deeter's house on
April 2, with Detective Farmer Drs.
Burdick and Maze We're present. He
said that he found a tablet on the top
sheet of which was the impression In
writing: 81. A. Spies, Dear Sir" also
a letter written by Deeter which had
not been mailed. Deeter acknowledged
that the hand was his that wrote the
letter. Spies said that he went to the
stack and found Deeter's gun about
sixty-fiye feet southwest from the
stack and eighty feet from the stack
er.
He said: 1.-TWO civil suits have been
begun against me. One for 100000
was dismissed and one for $4,000 is
still pending. County Attorney David
son saw the letter and tablet in my
office and said: You have got the
right man without doubt" The let
ters and tablet were admitted as evil
dence.
The defense is proving that Deeter
wrote the Matchmaking letter and will
put experts on the stand as to the
handwriting.
Weighman will go on the stand and
1t is thought that his examination and
crosse examination will occupy one
whole day.
The letter received by Spies demand
ing that he pay over money, reads as
follows
j. A. Spies. Dear Sir: AS you have
taken many thousands Of dollars from
the poor people Of this county dishon-
estly, we demand that you on the first
day of April, 1904, place in the weight
box of the stacker standing on section
10, Walnut township, $1,000 in 5-10-20
dollar bills. Place in box at o'clock
or we will burn your property in var
ious parts of the country, besides you
will start on journey and never get
there, neither will you come back, II
you don't do as we ask, and If you
make this known to anyone we will do
likewise. Yours respectfully,
(Not signed)
In the letter written to Spies the
letter IS" is everywhere reversed.
Spies on Stand.
j. A. Spies, the Graettinger banker.
to whom the Matchmaking letter VISA
sent. was called as witness by the de-
Tense yesterday and stated that he re-
ceived the letter in question on March
81. 1904, about II o'clock a. M, taking
it from his postoffice box.
II took 1t to my office" he said,
read it and went back to the postoffice
and showed it to Postmaster Curtis
Jensen, and asked him If he knew the
writer. He said no, but that If would
come around when he was not busy
he would look over the register and see
If any writing there compared with it.
II went to Fahnstock's store and
showed the letter to Mrs. Fahnstock,
and asked her to use their private line
and to telephone John Graettinger at
Osgood and have him notify the sheriff
and get detective. She did SO.
"The next morning I talked with
Mrs Fahnstock and Mr.. Lambe in my
office about the matter. I told them
that 1 would place the matter in the
hands of the sheriff where it properly
belonged The detective did not come
L., two tod 1N,t
thought that he would come sure in the
afternoon. I planned to have him
watch around the town and to have the
Sheriff watch the stacker and appre-
bend the criminal when he came. Mrs
Fahnstock, her daughter Amy and my
wife prepared the package April, 1,
in the afternoon. DIR. Burdfck told me
where the stack and stacker were. Mrs.
Fahnstock telephoned John Graettin-
ger the location of the stack and stack
er where the package was to be hidden.
She told me that Deputy Sheriff Will
Jams was at Osgood and wanted to talk
to me. ] went to the phone and asked
him if he was prepared to watch that
night. He said that he was. / asked
him il he had ovcrcoat and blankets
to Keep warm. He said yes.
"Then he said: You understand
that this is not official business and
YOU must pay me You probably can
ge. someone cheaper
II said: we don't know who we
can trust here. Relieve me of this
and will pay YOU
"rhen he said: I will charge you
$40 and expenses night
II replied: Money is no object,
want to catch the criminals
Gle answered: L will watch to-
night. and rest assured that if he
comes he will not get away with the
package. You must get someone to
relieve me in the morning. He sug-
gested ex-Sheriff Cullen.
CDR. Burdick gave me some salve.
He said to put it on the package, and
if the man got away 1t would stain his
hands.
Going home met DR.. Burdick and
the detective, Mr.. Farmer They were
at INV house until about o'clock.
woke Weighman up about next
morning told him about the letter and
asked him If he would go and relieve
the sheriff. 1 told him to be careful
and not get hurt. The sheriff will tell
you what to do I said"
At this point the letter and envelope
threatening Spies life were introduce
ed as evidence and admitted.
Spies continued: L went to Deet-
er's house on the morning Of April g.
after he had been shot. DR.. Maze was