Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-19
SAY MRS. HARRIS FOUND
NOTE FROM DEAD HUSBAND
(Continued from page IL
Story of John A. Ward,

had called on. her at Hiteman, but that
she did not talk to them.
| Story of John A. Ward.
John A. Ward, the nearest neighbor
OF the Harris family was one of the
flrst witnesses examined yesterday
His testimony was about as follows:
Il live about fifty rods from the
Harris home on the opposite side of
the road. My attention was first at
tracted toward Mrs. Harris that morn
ing by hearing our dog bark. looked
out of the door and saw her and Willie
coming up the lane. They were walk
Ing. Mother and l went out to meet
them. Mrs. Harris and Willie were
both crying Mrs. Harris said some
thing dreadful had happened That
she believed Jim had killed himself.
l went to the road and called to Mr..
Brown who was driving by and to-
gether we went to Harris house Mr..
legs straight, eyes partly open His
arms were across his body, the left
arm about the waist and the right arm
on the chest. The revolver was under
the right hand The fingers were
crooked some. Noticed clothed blood
on face and head. Did not notice any
blood running. Saw dishes on table in
dining room. We went in the yard
and waited there until DR.. Keplar
came. went to Harris home about 10
o'clock and was there till noon
II went back to my home little
after 10 to telephone for undertaken
and coroner and Mrs Harris and Willie
came back to their home with me- My
mother came later.
Search For Note.
I'm the afternoon Mrs. Harris asked
me to tell the undertaken to get her
watch and money from under the bed
and 10 search for note that maybe he
had left some word. Mrs. Harris was
not in the room when the search was
made. | was present when the watch
and pocket book was taken from be-
tween the ticks John Jordan took them
to her. She counted the money and
said it was all right. 1t was about $40
The undertaken searched the trousers
and found pipe tobacco and wallet
There was no note there. Someone
told her that they could not find any
note. She said there ought to be a
note somewhere. Our house is in sight
of the Harris place. l have heard peo-
pie call from there. | was at home all
morning. Did not hear any shot fired
Did not notice anyone around the Har-
ris home"
On cross examination Mr. Ward said
that Mrs. Harris and Willie were walk
ing when he first saw them and said
that she did not sink down on the
grass. She seemed to talk with diff
; Guilty. II do not know whether or not
it was pretense or real. l did not no.
tice blood any place about the house
doctor told me not to let anyone touch
him until the coroner came. told
Mrs. Harris no one must touch him. I
did not see any evidence of any strug-
gle around there. She said she felt
satisfied that Jim would leave her
some note. She insisted on looking
for note. l did not hear her say that
she had given Jim $40 that morning to
go to Kirkville. She told me she
thought l was Jim when she saw me
coming down the road"
Dr. .Abegg on Stand.
DR.. William Abegg of Kirkville said
that he was at the Harris home Sun
day morning after the body had been
prepared for burial and was present
when the inquest was held He said
there was a triangular wound in the
scalp and two fractures of the skull
radiating from the wound. II did not
see any burned powder in the scalp or
scorched hair. At the upper and back
part of the scalp there was discol-
Grafton of the tissue between the scalp
and the skull. I do not thing it prob
able that the course of the bullet would
have caused the discoloration in the
back part of the head A blow could
have caused it. If revolver was held
within two or three inches of the head
we would expect it to leave burned
powder in the skin and scorch the
hair
On cross examination Attorney
Steck asked DR.. Abegg if he meant to
leave the impression with the court
that wound was made in the scalp
before the shot was fired. The objec-
ton Of the states attorneys to the
question was sustained.
Have you any question as to that
wound in the skull being a bullet
hole?" asked Attorney Steck. 81 do
llOl Al1oW, IL udSC USSu CduS6u
in hundred different ways" was the
answer
DR.. kepIar Recalled.
DR.. L. F. Keplar was recalled and
testified to the condition of the body
when he found it. He said that rigor
mortis had set in. He expressed the
opinion that in cases of instantaneous
death, not preceded by violent exercise,
it would take from six to twenty-four
hours for rigor mortis to set in.
He said that he did not notice any
powder burn in the skin or hair The
wound was little above and little
in front of the ear on the right side
of the head. The bullet was found
above the roof of the mouth between
the eyes, the course of the bullet being
forward, downward and inward, from
the point of entrance. He said that he
thought the wound would cause imme-
diate insensibility, probably instant
death. There was no other wound on
the scalp. He described the discolora-
ton of the tissues in the back part Of
the head and said that it connected