The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-04-06
THE CROFFORD TRIAL
1t was Commenced at 0sCeoIa Before
Judge Evans Wednesday Morning
Will be Bitterly Fought.

| The second trial of DIR. j. w. Crofford,
| the Lamont physician accused Of the
murder Of Maude Stone by performing a
criminal operation at his sanitarium in
Lamont in January, 1901. was commenc-
ed at Osceola Wednesday morning be-
fore Judge Fl. K. Evans, and it looks as
| If the case would be bitterly fought as
the prosecution are just as determined
to convict him as they were when he
was first tried aud convicted on the
charge before Judge Towner in this
city in November, 1901, at which time
he was sentenced toa term of thirteen
years in the penitentiary at TT. Madison
but when the case was taken to the
supreme court a new trial was granted
on account of errors in admitting GER
tain testimony and letters which were
introduced by the prosecution, the case
being sent to Clarke county for trial on
q change of venue.
Since the bill introduced by M. h.
Temple permitting a prisoner convicted
of murder in the second degree giving
bonds pending the appeal to the SUI
preme court, became a law, DR.. Croffor1
has been at liberty on q bond Of 900
which he had no difficulty in securing,
and has been engaged in the practice OF
medicine at Lamont.
When the case was first tried before
Judge. Towner in this city it took nearly
two weeks to try it, but it is thought
the case can be tried in much less time
at the present trial, as a great deal Of
testimony used at the first trial will be
cut out at this trial and it is Thought
that three or four days will be sufficient
to secure q jury and introduce the testi-
mony. In order to facilitate the secur-
ing of jury Judge Evans ordered a
special venire of twenty-four jurors to
be summoned in addition to- the regular
panel Of twenty-four jurors and there
will be but little trouble in securing. a
jury, as the case being tried in another
county from where the crime was Alleg-
ed to have been committed will not ex-
cite the interest that it did here, and
/! there will be no trouble securing jurors
| who never even heard OF the case.
I The attorneys for the state are Geo.
| w. Baker and A. P. Olsen, Of Leon, who
had charge of the case at the first trial,
and they will be assisted by Senator
Jamison, Of 0sceola. Judge Harvey u
Son, who assisted in thez prosecution at
| the first trial. will not be in the case
this time. For the defendant v. r.. Nc
Ginnis, Of Leon, and M. L. Temple, Of
!Osceola, will appear, G. W. Hoffman Of
this city who was also one Of DR.. Croft
ford's attorneys having withdrawn from
! the ease. After the new trial was
granted by the supreme court DIR. Croft
/ ford circulated petition which was
largely signed, asking that the board OF
supervisors instruct the county attor-
neJ to dismiss the case on account of
the great cost to the taxpayers, but the
board decided they had no jurisdiction
in the case and referred the matter to
the court to act upon. DIR. Croford's IS
attorneys have always insisted that
they would secure the acquittal Of their
client when the case was tried again
after the supreme court held that Ger
tain evidence and letters which were
prejudicial to the defendant were not
proper evidence in the case, and it will
be no great surprise should the case re
suit in his acquittal.