The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-01-25
Mr.. SHRIMPLIN REPLIES
Mt. Ayr.Man Denies the Allegation
.ThatlfelSwore Falsely in the
W00ddrd Trial.

.ThatlHeySwore Falsely in the
Woodard Trial.
In the issue of THE REPORTER of Jan.
l1th, appeared an article in regard to
the petition filed by the attorneys for
Charles Woodard, who was convicted of
poisoning his wife and sentenced to the
penitentiary for life, asking that he be
granted new trial on the ground that
the county attorney had concealed cor
tain letters bearing on the case, and
also alleging that Mr.. A. II. Shrimplin,
the district agent for the Merchants
Life Insurance Co., in which Woodland
and his wife had taken out life insur-
ance policies, had sworn falsely in
answer to certain questions asked him
by the attorneys for defendant during
the trial of the case. Mr.. Shrimplin,
who is one of the prominent and influ-
ential citizens of Mt. Ayr, takes eNcep-
tion to the statements contained in the
article in reference to his testimony,
and has made the following reply there
to, which he asks to have published in
TIE REPORTER. We cheerfulIy comply
with his request as THE REPORTER has
no interest in the case aside from Civ
ing the actual news to it's readers, and
when there is controversy as to the
facts, both sides should be given.
Mt. Ayr, Iowa, Jan. 13, 1906.
EDITOR LEON REPORTER:
In your issue of Jan. II, 1906, Fin the
first column on the first page, under the
headlines Wants a New Trial." are cer-
tain allegations concerning me which
are not true. l feel that am slander-
ed thereby, and write you an explana-
tion, and wish you to print same. |
state positively that never saw Mrs.
Charles Woodland, and had not seen Mr..
Charles Woodland from the time his ap-
plication was written until saw him
on trial. This being true, and having
no correspondence with either of them,
| ask how could testify other than
did; i. G. ''that the insurance on the
life of Eliza j. Woodard was in full
force and effect at the time of her
death, so FAR AS HE KNEW" The law
yers might just as we'll have asked me
if the company issuing the policy was
solvent at the time of Eliza ]. Wood
ards death. II the lawyers for the
defense had asked me this question::
"Did you receive letter from G. b.
Townsend in which He SAID the Wood
ards would not receive the policies or
pay for them unless the company issu, d
the second $4,000 policy on the life of
Mrs. Eliza J. Woodard, or had they
asked me whether had letter from
the company saying the medical di-
rector would accept her for one certifi-
cato Of $4,000 only" l would have
answered "Yes.' I had knowledge that
the insurance was not in force, but the
informa ton in both instances was from
Townsend and the company, but not
from either Mr.. or Mrs. Woodland, and
would not have bound either of them,
as it would have been considered hear
say and consequently no evidence.
wish to say that the county attorney OF
Decatur county demanded of the com
pany all correspondence in their pos
session relating to the insurance, and
that the company sent same by regis
tered letter to me, and that received
same at or about noon of the same day
on which | started at or about p. NJ
to Leon to attend the trial. That / de-
livered same to the county attorney as
soon as reached Leon on the same day
and did not look the correspondence
over, and consequently the accusation
that l knew the contents of said letters
is also false. This explanation and
refutation is written and sent you fo,
publication solely to vindicatc my char
acter. may have made mistakes, and
l may not know what constitutes
evidence, but l have never known OF
a witness being charged with swearing
falsely, knowingly, wiekedly and de-
signedly because he did not voluntarily
relate his knowledge OF the status OF
condition obtained from third parties
] have never in all my life been charged
with, such heinous crime, and as it is
absolutely false ask for retraction o
the charge over the signatures of the
parties from whom the accusation was
made, and same to occupy as prom
inent a place in paper as did the accu
sation. Very truly your friend,
r. A. SHRIMpLiN,
District Manager Merchants Life Assn
| Brooks-Watson.
| Married at the home Of the Officiating
clergyman, Rev. JAS. A. Armstrong, MI
L. D. Brooks and Miss Anna Watson O
Leon. The young couple departed OF
the afternoon train for Garden Grove