The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-17
THE MURDER OF
MABEL SC0FIELD
SOME J.. DAMAGING EVIDENCE
GIVEN BY dr. TAYLOR.
Incidents in Most Sensational Trial
The Use of Knock Out Drops''
Charged by the State-Cityr and
County Officers Theory of Suicide
Disproved-The Mothers Of the Girl
and Of the Accused Fraternize in
Court.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Des Moines. Iowa, Feb. 1.-THE state has
rested it's case against Charles Thomas, on trial
for the of Mabel Scoield five years ago.
Summed up, the state claims 1T has proven that
a murder committed by the of choral
hydrate. knockout Drops, a poison which
the defendant purchased different occasions,
one time just prior to the discovery Of the girls
body. Four physicians have testified that the
body had no water in the lungs when taken from
the river, thereby indicating that the girl
dead before the body was placed in the water.
The case has been continued pending prepara-
ton for motion by the defense for dismissal
which Will be argued some time today.
Taylor's Medical Record.
Dr. William Taylor, who gave damaging evil
dence yesterday against Charles Thomas, was
subjected to the most rigid cross -examina ton
in the afternoon. He admitted that he had been
convicted of granddaughter in Benton county in
1879, and that once he had been convicted of
forging money order in Des Moines. For both
offenses he served his time in state institutions.
After these troubles he came back to Des Moines,
and In 1899 began the practice Of medicine.
Asked II he had state certificate, DR.. Taylor
answered negatively.
During his stay in Des Moines and up to the
practiced among the lowe: resorts of the city.
He had, it is claimed, treated many girls who
We're associat ties of Thomas chums. -.
The state claims that when Thomas. is
charged in the murder Indictment, found that he
had given Mabel Scof1eld too much chloral, moth
ing was more natural than that quack doctor
should be called in Asked why he had not
opened his mouth before and told the world that
Thomas had admitted killing Mabel scofield
Taylor said that he had been threatened With
prosecution for prncticing without certificate,
and that he felt the best thing to do was to
keep his mouth shut and skip out He was not
a witness before any Of the preliminary exami-
nations of Thomas.
The Mothers Fraternize.
Mrs. scoield of Macksburg, mother of the girl,
Is an interested listener at the courthouse. Mrs.
Thomas, mother Of the accused, and Mae Thorn
as. wife of the accused, sit at the prisoners
side. A remarkable feature Of the is the
fondness which the two mothers, one Of a MUIR
dered daughter, the other Of a son charged with
murder, have for each other. Each morning the
two women greet each other smilingly, despite
the seriousness of the trial. Mrs. Thomas and
Mrs. Scofeld were friends long before Mabel
| thought of coming to Des Moines to secure office
| work 1t was because Mrs. Scofeld had such
implicit confidence in Mrs. Thomas that she
| sent her daughter to the latter's home. Long
| after the girl had been found dead in the Des
AIones river Mrs. Scofeld agreed with the detec-
ttves that the young woman had probably killed
| herself and that the case against Thomas might
as we'll be dropped. The father, physician at
Macksburg. held the same belief This belief
was deepened by the fact that when Mabel came
| to DeS Mofnes to work she was Respondent be.
cause she wanted to secure higher education
and could not.
| DR.. Scofeld had a son Clyde. upon whom the
| lavish attentions Of the family were bestowed in.
stead Of Mabel. 1t was understood that as soon
as Clyde Scofeld lad fitted himself to be a doc.
| tor Mabel would be allowed to go thru college.
- What the State Has Shown.
| The state thus far has shown by competent
witnesses that q buggy was seen approaching the
river In North Des Moines the morning before
Mabel Scofeld's body was found in the water;
that woman was lying upon the lap of two
men in the buggy. The state has failed when
an effort has been made to identify the prisoner
! as either Of the two men. 1t has been shown
| that there was TO water upon Mabel Scofeld'
lungs when she was drawn out Of the river. Doc
| tors have testified that if the girl had drowned
herself there would have been water the
lungs. The defense has tried to show that the
girl was dragged from the river feet foremost
and that the water would have out Of hel
mouth, but the doctors say differently. The
state has shown that Charles Thomas, few days
before Mabel Scohelds body found in the
Des Moines river in October, $780, had bought
cbloral at Hansen's drug store and had made tn
purchase under the name of William Antes, al
undertaken. by whom he was employed The
state has called the undertaken to the stand t.
say that he did not send Thomas after chlora
and did not authorize the purchase 1t has beef
shown by the defense in cross-examination tina
several ensures have been made in the poiso,
record, and an effort Is being made to throw tn,
record out Of. court
! Late yesterday afternoon Professor Macy
chemist for Highland Park college, to whom wa
entrusted the task Of examining the dead girl
stomach, testified that he had found traces O.
choral hydrate. The state will attempt t.
fluid which had previously been used and tina
the findings we're simply traces of that fluid. Thu
chemist could not state positively whether tn
choral he found came from embalming fluid O.
had been In the body previously to embalming.
| All Of the evidence thus far adduced has beef
brought out by private detectives. City and coun
ty officials for several years refused to accep
any theory for the girls death but suicide.