Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-05
Emma Ripke s'woons When
Photo and Letters Are In
troduced In Court
PROSECUTION uReEs JEALOUSY
Object in Introducing Now Evidence Is
To Furnish Motive For tho Murder
Of Potts-Movc for Directed Verdict
overruled-Pubic Sentiment Still
Favors Emma Ripke.


terry, an element which has marked
the Ripke murder case from the day
young Potts died. entered into the
hearing in court today. when another
woman, stranger, was introduced in
to the case.
Who this new woman is no one
knows. She is recognized in court only
thru her photograph and number OF
letters. These were found in the apart
ments of Potts and Miss Ripke. and
were retained by the detectives. The
existence of the photo and letters was
not known to the defense or the pub
lie, and their introduction produced
something of a surprise.
Miss Ripke Faints in Court.
The defendant, also, was affected by
the appearance of the new exhibits of
the prosecution and she swooned
Court was adjourned for fifteen min
utes, While restoratives We're being APP
piled to the girl. Her nervous condi-
ton remained serious and fears We're
felt for her. "Rica' is the way this
new woman signed herself. On the
back of photograph supposed to be OF
her, are the words With regards, from
Rica." The letters were dated at Ger
mantown. Pa. This is suburb OF
Philadelphia, and is where young Potts
widowed mother and brother reside.
Charge Emma Was Jealous.
The motive of the prosecution in in
Producing this new evidence, was to
show whay the defendant was Jealous
of Potts attentions to other women
and that jealousy furnished motive
for the murder of the man by his mis-
tress. An effort was also made to
show that Potts intended leaving the
Ripke girl and that she feared he in
tended going to meet the girl "Rica.'
Move for Directed Verdict.
At the conclusion of the testimony
for the prosecution, the attorney for
the girl made a motion for directed
verdict. The motion was argued for
several hours and was overruled Cor
oner Traynor, who was recalled. was
asked concerning the girls appearance
at the time of the inquest. He said
she was apparently not greatly agi-
tated, but that her appearance indi-
Gated an inability to grasp the situation
and that she was trying to pull her
self together.
Public Sentiment Favors Her.
From the first public sentiment has
favored her, fact that in some man
ner was conveyed to the girl in Jail.
A womans intuition may have been the
cause. This knowledge shas undoubt-
edly been source of strength to the
prisoner, and the awakening In court
was bitter shaking of her confidence.
County Attorney Hess is not unmind-
full of the feeling Of the public, but he,
as we'll as the attorney appointed by
the court to defend the girl, are pre-
pared to push the case hard. Little
trouble was experienced in securing a
jury In his opening statement the
prosecuting attorney said he expected
to show motive for the murder. He
said it would be shown that Potts had
arranged to send the girl away the
following day and rid himself of her.
The strong array of circumstantial
evidence will be supplemented by this
showing. Much will be made of the
many conflicting stories the girl told.
Her sending for physician, to whom
she said Potts had suffered from heart
trouble when he was at that moment
dying from the bullet wound in his
heart, is a circumstance which the
prosecution will dwell upon.
Line Of; Defense.
The defense will rely almost entirely
upon the testimony of the defendant,
Miss Ripke, after she had been in Jail
day, repudiated all her previous sto-
ries and declared Potts had commit
ted suicide. That will be her defense.
She will testify that Potts was in a
condition Of mind which induces one
to commit suicide; that from his dis
sipations he had lost his position at
different times, which had caused him
to become respondent; that he was
then without funds, and had grown
Respondent because his former friends
had deserted him. They will also I'M
dertake to show that Potts once threat
ened to kill himself, and that he was
only deferred from so doing by the in
reference of a friend.
The case is attracting much atten-
ton. Potts was from prominent
Philadelphia family. He had come
west, had fallen into bad ways and