Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-05
STRONG EVIDENCE
AGAINST MRS. PRATT
Witnesses For the State Make
Damaging Statements i'll
Trial For Murder
SHOW MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME
Actions of Will Persine and Mrs. Pratt
During illness of Josiah Pratt Were
Those of Lovers-Terrible Arraisn-
ment of Prisoner by Attorney for
State.
to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Rockwell City, Jan. 5.-The state of
Iowa is weaving a chain of evidence
about Mrs Sarah Pratt, charged with
the murder of her husband, that will be
hard for the defense to break asunder.
Every link seems to be supplied so far
as the testimony has been taken. The
motive for the deed, the purchase of the
poison and the suspicious actions OF the
defendant have been shown. Whether
these circumstances and combat the
facts that have been proved thus far is
not known The case is at once the
most intensely interesting and sensa-
tional that has ever been tried in the
court here and is attracting the most
attention. When court convened this
morning the taking of testimony was
resumed along the lines Of that given
Yesterday. Many of the neighbors of
ITdltS lGSlllISu W tLC SooPASiONo
actions of Mrs. Pratt and Will Persing,
the hired man. The testimony was all
damaging to the defendant.
The first witness called for the state
was Civil Engineer w. e. Mcclure, of
I.ohrville, who brought a. plat of the
ground plan of the Platt farm house,
and testified that he drew 1t from
measurements made by himself. This
plat was used by the state in question
ing witnesses as to the location of the
rooms. the beds, and the persons in
volved in the incidents related.
The second witness for the state was
John F. Moulds, of Jackson township,
svho Was at the Pratt home several
times during the illness of Josiah NJ.
Pratt and helped take care of him DUR
ing the night of Thursday, June %,
twenty-four hours before he died. He
testified as to Pratt's condition. Was
bloated below eyes, complained of pain
In hands and feet. On Thursday night
his lips were festered, inside. His
teeth looked as though they We're
bloody, complained of pain on left
side Mrs. Pratt and Persing went
into the kitchen and were there fifteen
or twenty minutes. They brought back
a. pint cup Of milk for Pratt He drank
of it and later vomited. Persing
raised Pratt up while Mrs. Pratt gave
him the milk The cup was then set
out of doors on piece of ice and Mrs.
Pratt told me to give Pratt some of
the milk when he wanted a drink. Per-
sing showed me where the cup was
placed.
Friday morning Persing went into
the sitting room where Mrs Pratt slept
through the night and said loudly.
Jennie, get up!" 1 then heard the two
whisper in a continued conversation:
he would talk in a loud tone part Of the
time and part of the time would whis-
per.
Thursday evening Mrs. Pratt was in
the room with Pratt and the watchers.
Two or three persons spoke to her and
told her she ought to go to bed. Per-
sing told her that also and took hold of
both her hands and pulled her out Of
the chair AS she turned to go he
fetched his hand a swipe" and struck
her across the buttocks. On Friday
afternoon while she was in Pratt's
room standing by the bed Perstng
placed his hand on her elbow, slid it
down her arm and squeezed he hand.
She made no attempt to resist. Per-
sing went around to wait on Pratt and
when he came back Mrs. Pratt slid her
hand along the foot Of the bed to his
and he squeezed her hand again.
Witness testified that during the
evening he saw Mrs Pratt and Persing
smiling at each other while Pratt was
having bad SPELL" that on Satur-
day after Pratt's death he saw the two
come into the room holding and swing
ing each others hands. On the Mon
day following, when Sheriff Riseley ar
rested Persing, she said to him: Why
do you suspicion him? You might as
we'll take me-" and 'it breaks my
heart to have them take that boy
away"
On cross examination Attorney Par
sons asked the witness If on the occa-
sion when the two smiled at each
other at Pratt's bedside, the sick man
had not in his delirium, said there was
a pig in the yard upsetting case OF
eggs, and someone should catch him
by the tail. Witness said no, not at
that time.
William Brown. of Jackson town
ship. was the next witness. He testi-
fled to seeing Persing, at one time. put
his arm around Mrs. Pratt from be-
hind her person, over her shoulders,
with his hands resting on her chest.
She turned her head and looked up at
him and smiled.
Healy's Statement.
The opening statement of the case
for the state was a terrible arralgn-
ment of the accused. 1t gives good
idea of the strength of the case which
the state has prepared and during IT'S
delivery by Attorney Healy. who Is as
sistine the state. Mrs. Pratt often
WINGED under his accusations.
Senator Healy explained that TINS
case relates solely to the guilt of MIS-.
Pratt. and the guilt of William FER
sing, whois included in the Indictment