The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-02-02
THE CROFfORD CASE
1t Looks as ifit Would not be Tried
at OsCe0la Next Week, Owing to
Shortness of the Term.

1t has been the talk in legal circles
for several months that the second trial
of the case of State VS.. DIR. j. w. Crof-
ford, of Lamont, for he murder of Maud
Stone, by performing criminal opera
tion on her at his sanitarium in Lamont,
where she died on Jan. 20, 1901, would
be tried at the February term of court
which convenes at Osccola next Mon
day, but at this time it does not look
very much as if the case would be tried
at this time.
After the death of Miss Stone, DIR.
Crotford was indicted for murder in the
second degree and at the November
term of court, 1901, he was found guilty
by jury of murder in the second de-
gree and was sentenced by Judge
Towner to serve thirteen years in the
penitentiary at Ft. Madison. He at
once appealed the case to the supreme
court, but under the law at that time he
was compelled to go to the penitentiary
pending the appeal, but at the session
OF the legislature the next spring new
law was enacted which allowed persons
convicted of murder in the second de-
gree to give bond pending the appeal of
their case to the supreme court, and DR..
CroffoSd was released under bond of
$4,000, and returned to Lamont and re-
sumed his medical practice. About a
year later the supreme court reversed
his case on errors of the.presiding Judge
and granted DIR. Crofford a new trial.
Last spring the case was called up in
the district court of this county, and
the defendant asked for change of
venue, which was granted by Judge
Towner and the case was transferred to
Clarke county for trial.
AS stated before, it was thought that
the case would be tried at the term of
court which convenes next Monday at
Osceola, and the state has been making
preparations fer the trial. At the ses-
sion of the board of supervisors last
week a petition was presented to the
board with many signatures, asking
that the case be dismissed on account
of the great expense which the county
had been to in the former trial and the
fact that Ira Hammond, who was indict-
ed with DR.. Crofford, had been acquitted
by jury in Ringgold county, where his
case WAS taken on change of venue,
but the board decided that it was not
proper for them to take any action in
the matter and referred the petition to
the presiding Judge of the district
court. They also employed ex-county
attorney A. P. Olsen to assist in the
prosecution Of the case at Osceola, and
steps were taken by the prosecution to
be ready for trial. But it seems that
there will be only one week Of court at
Osceola this term, as Judge Towner has
an appointment to deliver series of
flaw lectures at the State University at
Iowa City, week after next, under an
appointment as lecturer by Gov. Cum
Minis, and it has been agreed by the bar
of Osceola that there would be but one
week Of court in order to accommodate
Judge Towner. When the Crofford case
was tried before it took ten days time,
and the attorneys say it will take as
long or longer to try il again, so that it
will be absolutely impossible to try it
in the one week term and the case will
have to so over to the next term of
court which convenes at Osceola on
April Sd.
When the case is finally tried it will
be hard fought one, the state being
represented by County Attorney w. b
Kelley, George W. Baker, who was re-
tanned by the Stone family to assist in
the prosecution, ex-county attorney A
p. Olsen and Hon. ]. H. Jamison, of Os.
ceoIa. DIR. Crofford will be defended by
the same attorneys who fought the case
at the first trial for him, G. W. Hoffman
and V. r. McGinnis of Leon, and Hon
NJ. L. Temple, Of Osce la.