Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-05
Evidence Coming to Light That
Mrs. Hamilton, Of Lehigh, Did
Not Drown Child
MOTHER MAY RECOVER REASON
Evidence Comes to Light to Indicate
That Mrs. Hamilton Will Be Able to
Clear Mystery-Made Insane by An
others Crime, is the Theory Now
Held.
Special to Times-Republican

Special to Times-Republican,
! Fort Dodge, July 5.-Should Mrs
flames L. Hamilton, Jr., of Lehigh, re
cover her mind, there are residents o
that village allege she will be- able t
able to reveal the strange circum
stances surrounding the death of he
little four year old daughter, and will
tell story which will startle northern
Iowa, but will free her from all blame
About two months ago this city wa
startled with the report the little on,
had been drowned by the mother Sh,
had suffered for some time from men.
tai troubles and it was asserted arose
from her bed one night, raised the
window, took up the little daughter ir
her arms and fed into the night. Hel
mother law. who had been spending
some time caring for her, was seated
in an adjoining room at the time, anc
hearing the window raise had supposed
the woman desired a little more air
and thought no more of the circum
tsance, but dozed again in her chair
Later going into the room she noted
the open window and the absence Of
the woman. Then she discovered the
little one had also disappeared. Rousing
her son She told him of the disap-
pearance of his wife. A search party
was organized and short time later
the little body Of the daughter was
found in the well.
The mother had disappeared as com
pletely as III the earth had opened uI
and swallowed her. A search party was
made up Of the neighbors and hours
afterwards the woman was found
wandering in the woods some miles
from her home. She was clad only in
her thin nightgown, and this was near
ly torn from her body. Her limbs were
bruised and bleeding from contact with
brush and briars, and the light of rea-
son had fed entirely. There was every
indication for the belief the woman had
thrown the little one into the well and
then had fled to the woods in her In
sanity.
Even as the little body lay in the
house, and before the appearance Of the
coroner, neishbors who had gathered at
the house Of sorrow began to express
strange opinions. Openly 1t was
charged the husband was the most re-
sponsible Of The two for the crime, even
il the little one had been thrown into
the well by the insane mother. He had
been at Lehigh all Of the day preceding
the night of the crime, and had gone
nome in an Intoxicated condition. When
thus he was most brutal to his wife
and children, and he was charged with
having worried the woman until she
lost her season.
The coroner's verdict was an open
one, death by drowning. No charge
was made against the mother, yet
nothing was thought of this altho there
were those who were open in their as
sertions she was guiltless Of the crime
and the verdict was left thus that the
guilty party might in time be blamed
Ind brought to justice. The whisper
ngs and mutterings among the neigh
oors continued and finally the husband
was brought to this city and charged
with being a habitual drunkard. He
was sentenced to two years in the inc
oriate asylum at Knoxville. This at
first was supposed for the purpose OF
curing him for his love of strong
drink, but there are residents of the
village who openly allege it was for
ceasons which will develop later should
he wife recover her reason, and the
cloud which came to her mind on that
.errible night be lifted.
From the same source as your cor
has learned the above facts,
comes the story that the well cover
was weighted with rock too heavy for
any woman to have lifted, there was
not window in the house which could
nave been raised sufficiently for the
to have passed out over the
sill. Stranger than this, there are resi-
lents in the neighborhood who allege
The clothing of the little one was not
wet at the time they arrived at the
nome on the morning of the murder,
and there was not a sufficient quantity
If water In the we'll to have drowned
he daughter had she been thrown to
he depths below, Openly they allege
hat early morning and the resulting
insanity was from the terrible sight
he saw and to escape a similar fate.
t is believed she will totally recover
Ind will tell a story which will startle
he community, but will free her from
blame for the terrible deed.
At times of late there are moments
when he mind is clear and she has Of
en- said to her family: Il have some-
hing to tell you, and it is terrible"
Then, to their queries she would reply:
1t was terrible, but cannot remember
t all now; I cannot see it all clear yet"
When questioned in regard to the
story OF there being little water in the
WE'LL Coroner Lowry stated he did not
make measurement of the same at
he time Of the inquest The body
vas removed from the we'll before his
trivial, contrary to the usual custom,
md he said there were many rumors
nd conjectures Of the affair, even in
he house at the time Of the inquest
Further than this he refused to COM
nit himself, altho it is safe to believe
rom the actions of certain of the
ther county officials when questioned
n regard to the rumors they are not
onsidered entirely groundless and the
Investigation of the same is but delayed
I the hope the cloud will lift from the
lother's mind and she will be able to
ell Of that terrible night.
oTTER8AcH NOW DEFEATED.