Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-12
MAVERICK AGAIN
Nebraska Case Similar to That OF
the Famous London
Crime.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT DIVIDED
Wife Sentenced For Killing Husband
on Circumstancial Evidence
Has Many Friends.

| David CITY, Ned, JAN 1T maj ue-
cision of the Nebraska supreme court
| in the murder case of Mrs. Lena Lii
lie. holding that she must go to the
penitentiary for life. recalls the details
of this. which has been called the most
remarkable case of conviction on pure
~ circumstantial evidence ever known
| in the country.
Harvey Lille was a well 10 do grain
dealer. He and his wife, who is an at
tractive woman of 40, lived happily.
The night of Oct. "a. 1902. Lille was
shot in the head in bed. Mrs. Lille iy-
ing at his side. He was instantly kill
ed. Mrs. Lille reused others in the
house. two young ladies who were Wis
iting there. and told them what had
happened.
Mrs Lilies story.
The murderer. Mrs Lille said. shot
at her after killing her husband. miss
was not doubted. AS soon as neighbors
could be summoned they started to
search, going to the stable for Lilies
two bloodhounds. They were found
dead, poisoned
The first suspicion of Mrs. Lille was
when it was noted, several days after
the killing, that she claimed the muir
derer, whom she described as a tall
dark man. stood on the west side of
the bed. On that side lay Mrs. Lille.
The murderer, according TO her story,
would have had to lean over his vic
tim. crook his arm, and fire the bullet
back toward himself, through Lilies
head. This seemed so impossible that
il caused investigation. Other fea-
lures developed. Mrs. Lille, il was
shown. had been specializing, in her
own behalf. on the board of trade. and
had been pressed for money. Her
husband had objected to her specula-
tons. Pressed for more margins. il is
alleged. she shot her husband in order
to get his property and life insurance.
amounting to $4,000.
Out of this foundation the prosecu-
ton wove a case against the woman
and after long and sensational trial
she was convicted and punishment fix
ed at Imprisonment for life. The peo-
pie of David City did not generally be-
lieve her guilty and do not now. She
remained in Jail after the trial. and the
supreme court was appealed to- In re-
FUSED to order new trial. Appl:ca-
ton for rehearing was turned down.
and the last chance was gone. Mrs.
Lille all along has insisted that she is
innocent. Her bearing has been such
as TO make her case stronger than ever
with the community.
Denied a Reheariny
'TUn dave
coin that the supreme court had de-
MED Mrs. Lilies application for a re-
hearing. This ended her last chance
OF escape. The officers. knowing that
they would be ordered soon to convey
her from the Jail to the penitentiarv.
began arrangements for the trip. and
while making these quite accidently
discovered that two steel bars had
been cleverly cut through. in the graf
lngs OF the Jail window, and the bars
fastened in place with wax. There
had been reports for weeks that if the
rehearing was denied Mrs. rillie's
friends would undertake TO rescue her
from the jail and send her away
Here In David City little doubt is en-
tertained that such plan was well or
ganiZed.
Feeling in favor of Mrs. Lille has
grown so fast that it has come to be
believed by many people that the pros
ecutinS attorney who convicted her
used hypnotic powers with the jury
AT any rate as soon as the discovery
was made of the alleged attempt at
rescue double guards were placed az
the Jail and the plan failed
An effort will next be made to Sc
cure a pardon. The case is compared
by Mrs. Lilies friends to that of Mrs.
Maybrick, and they declare they will
make II known nationally as a monu-
mental injustice before they will cease
their efforts in her behalf