The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-05-04
AN INFANT LIFE TAKEN .
Evidence Conclusive That
Mrs. vanHoover strangled
Child to Death.

That Mrs. Jennie VanHoover. a
daughter OF VIM. Anderson, strangled
her child at birth on Monday morn
ing and disposed of it's body in the
hope that it would not be found out,
is now evident. Some knowledge of
the supposed fact has been known to
several parties since Monday evening,
but until the coroner's jury heard
the evidence Thursday morning at 10
O'Clock at the court house, no men,
tion of it has been made public. The
evidence would have been submitted
before but Coroner Dundas has been
out of town since Monday and only
returned Wednesday evening.
Coroner Dundas conducted the ex-
animation of the witnesses, and was
assisted by States Attorney Spang-
Ter. The following witnesses we're
examined: Miss Sayles, Mrs. Wheel
er, Mrs. Wallace, Drs. Bobb, Bower,
and Ball, Frank Sayles, Mr.. Sholes
and Sheriff Cook. The facts as
brought out in the statements made
by the various witnesses are about as
follows, which are stated briefly:
Mrs. Jennie VanHoover was en-
gagged 10y Mr.. Sayles IN the capacity
of a nurse at his home about April
81, and during tile following week 1T
became apparent to. people who CALL
ed there that Mis-. VanHoover was
in a delicate condition. Last Mon
day morning early Mrs. VanHoover
absented herself from the house and
went to the clubhouse, where she re.
manned for some little time. In re-
turning to tie house she was very ill
and vas placed on the couch, but
insisted that she would be we'll in a
short time. One or two neighbors
who happend in the house noticed
her illness and suggested that she
ought to go home, assisted her into a
bedroom to dress. Mrs. VanHoover
tainted away after walking across
the floor, and was revived after some
efforts. Her mother was sent for and
she was taken in the hack to the
Anderson home.
There was some suspicion that all
was rot right but nothing was detin-
itely ascertained until toward noon,
when the clubhouse was visited.
There the evidence was plain that
Mrs. VanHoover had given birth to
her child. Sheriff Cook was ;nfOrm-
ed Of the very strong suspicion by
States Attorney Spangler with a
request that the clubhouse vault be
investigated. This was done Mon
day evening after dark. After some
fishing around with a rake the body
of the child was dragged to the sur
face. 1t was removed to the Office
of DR.. Bower and examined. A
tape was found tied tightly around
its neck and the mouth filled with
cotton. The three physicians held
an autopsy this morning and the
lungs of the child we're found to be
inflated. its flesh below the head
pink, while the face and head were
of a dark tint, showing that the
child treathed after birth, and
other evidences were given by the
medical men that the child was
we'll, developed. weighing nine
pounds.
Mrs. VanHoover was visite1 Mon
day by a physician but he was not
acquainted the suspicious which sur
rounded her and made no examina-
tion. The day following the ply
slcian again called at the house and
in reply to- question she admitted to.
have given birth to the child. The
woman stated that she desired to
conceal the birth from her parents,
who evidently knew nothing of the
condition of their daughter.
After listening to the evidence,
substantially given above. the jury,
composed of A. N. Hill, j. w. Pow
ers and A. j. Wooledge, rendered
the following verdict:
We IiC SOlOaOl . July URdlltlJGu
to view the body Of the infant child
born TO Jennie VanHoover, after
bearing The evidence INT considering
the same. find that the said infant
child of Jennie VanHoover was born
alive on the 30th day of April. 1906;
and we believe chat the said child
came to its death on the 3Oth day
of April, 1906, by unlawful means;
we believe that the said chilu came
to its death on the 10th day OF April,
1906, by being strangled to death by
a piece Of tape placed around the
neck of the child by its mother,
Jennie Van Hoover.
Thursday afternoon Sheriff Cook
placed Mrs. VanHoover under arrest
for the murder OF her child. Owing to
her condition she cannot be removed
from the house, and she will be kept
under the surveillance of tW0 men.