Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-11
LETTER TELLS STORY
But Attorneys Are Skeptical OF
Alleged Missive From Mabel
Schofield
MAY BE EFFORT TO AID THOMAS
Mrs. Laura Evans, Now of Ohio, Pro-
duces Letter Which She Claims Was
Written by Girl Who Is Believed to
Have Been Observation-Disclosures
Intention Of Suicide.

Intention of Suicide.
Des Moines, April 11.-IThe attor-
neys for Charles Thomas have receiv-
ed from Mrs. Laura Evans, residing
at Polk. Ashland county, Ohio, the fol-
lowing letter. which she says was writ
ten by Mabel Schofied.
Tho Letter.
October 20.
Dear Foks--Do not worry about
me; I am going to end my life by TAX
ing poison. / found it where I am
staying and will go to the river, so no
one will know until / am dead. Life
is a misery to me. Forgive me and
don't blame anyone. Good bye,
Unable ScHoFIELD."
The letter, together with other let
tiers of like nature, We're sent to Nc
Henry & Graham, the attorneys Tor the
defense in the Thomas murder trial.
Mrs. Evans says she came into possess
sion Of the letter and for some reason
mislaid it, During the preliminary ex-
animation Of Charles Thomas, she says
that she was out of the city, and did
not know that Thomas was in jeopardy
until the trial was over. Then She
didn't need to send it, Not knowing
that Thomas was on trial in the dis
trict court for his life. Mrs. Evans
again failed to send the valuable let
ters, and now for the first time hear
ing that Thomas has been convicted.
she sends the missive which she says
was written by Mabel Schotield. and
which shows conclusively that the
young woman committed suicide.
The attorneys are inclined to be
skeptical of the letters, and think that
some person wrote them with the inten-
ton of assisting the defense. There
are two letters. Both are practically
the same in meaning us the one above,
but appear on different paper.
The letter quoted is poorly written,
without punctuation and in ink. on
very poor rag notepaper. The other,
which carries nearly the same wording,
is on better quality of paper, but in
lead pencil, which has faded almost
from view.
The letters were brought to the at
tention of the defendants attorneys
thru the postmaster at Pella, Iowa, DR..
B. +. Keables. He sent the letters,
together with some correspondence
which had passed between himself and
Mrs. Evans, showing how the letters
came to be in his possession.
Story Of Letters.
Shortly after the murder of Maber
Schofield, Mrs. Laura Evans arrived in
Pella driving a team of horses. In her
wagon she carried all of her house,
hold effects. Arriving in the little
town she stopped at the house of a
woman, whose name cannot be ascer-
tanned, and asked for lodging for the
night. She said that she had lately
moved from Des Moines and was on
her way to the south, where she ex-
pected to live. First, however, she
expected to drive thru to Ohio, She
said she had not eaten for a day, and
was sleepy and hungry.
She was given food and lodging at
the Pella home and after staying for
two days she resumed her trip to Ohio.
After she left it was found that she
had left parcel Of her belongings
at the house, but they could not be
forwarded because her address was not
known.
Some time ago letter was receiv-
ed by Postmaster Keables of Pella in
which the information was carried
that in the forgotten package were two
letters of much value. DIR. Keables
was instructed to open them and to
send them to Des Moines for use in
the behalf of Charles Thomas. This
DR.. Keables did He took the two
by Mabel Schofield and together with
the letters written by Mrs. Evans he
sent them to Attorneys McHenry and
Graham.
Investigation is Made.
The attorneys conducted a quiet ex-
animation and found that the Pella
end of the story was complete, but
could not satisfy themselves that the
letters were bona fde. There was a
popularity in the handwriting and in
the spelling of the words which could
not be accounted for except that they
! were written by another person with
a view toward establishing the sui
eide theory
For instance the word poison is
spelled "poisen," and the name is sign
ed "Schoefield" when the name is prop
erly "Schofeld."
The letter has been in the possess
sion of the attorneys for the defense
since few days after the close of the
Thomas murder case. An investiga-
ton has been conducted during this
time. The letters have not been an
| nounced as evidence in behalf of
Thomas and may not be unless they
are proven to be bona fide to the
satisfaction of the attorneys.
In the new evidence for the defense
| in the Thomas case, w. Calvert an in
surance man residing on Nineteenth
street, has made affidavit that on Sun
day, October %, 1899, he was driving
over the Sixth avenue bridge when
he saw boat containing two men and
| a young woman, rowing down the
stream. He says further that the
woman appeared to be unconscious or
dead from the peculiar position as
sumed by her in the boat
| The notice, which was served for the
new testimony yesterday, also shows
| the affidavits of several officers con-
| tradicting the evidence of Sam Sulli-
| van in the Thomas trial.
WEBSTER CITY TO BOONE.
An Eastern Promoter Interesting Bus
| mess Men of the Two Towns.
l MI u ,f.If