The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-08-04
NOVEL DEFENSE OF ALLEGED
ASSASSIN ON MURDER CHARGE.
EACH ACCUSE The OTHER
owing to Popular Interest IN the
Crime II VIII Be Exceedingly
Difficult to obtain 4 Jury Who
Have not Fixed Opinions.
Ardmoreite snccial.

Ardmorcite Special.
Narronsburg. Mo. Aug 3-Charr
ing thai his former sweetheart. Anna
Bently committed the murder OF
which he is accused by the GIRL Robert
Sassaman will present the most novel
defense in the criminal history of 1II7
souri, when he is placed ON trial Mon
| day. The case was called in June
but the veuire OF sixty men was oN-
/ haustod without securing a jury and
| "A continuance granted to August =.
Owing to the great popular interest
/ in the crime It will probably be- cX.
ceedingly difficult to find twelve men
who have not formed decided opin.
! ions.
The case against Sassaman rests
upon the assertion of Anna Bently
| that the accused man who was once
her lover. killed Carl Miller for pur.
poses of robbery Against this charge
Sassaman will declare that Miss Bent
ley committed the deed and informed
the authorities that he did 1t, through
anger at his marriage to another wOm-
an. It is only the old story of a won.
on scorned. If Sassaman Is TO be be-
lieved-a woman who did not stop at
murder and perjury to obtain revenge.
Sassaman is of wealthy family and
some of the best attorneys of this
section have been employed to defend
him.
Carl Miller, aged 60, was killed May
80, 1904, two and one-half miles west
of Holden, and his body thrown into
an abandoned well Nearly five
months had passed before any inkling
of the crime became public, when An
ma Bently made the startling accusa-
ton against Sassaman. Oficials went
with Miss Bently to the scene of the
crime, and in the slimy water of the
abandoned well the decomposed body
VI Ah' plu hihh i'''i's Di' ~
evidence of the girl the coroner's jury
rendered a verdict that the victim had
come to his death at the hands OF
Sassaman.
According to the story told the on
GERS by the woman, she and Sassaman
made the acquaintance of Miller at
Holden and persuaded him to accom-
pany them on camping trip to Kan
sas. They We're delayed by swollen
stream and on the night of May 30,
at the camp fire. Sassaman slew the
old man, crushing his skull with an
AK. The alleged motive was the pos
session of Miller's team and wagon.
4 heavy stone was fastened to the
body and Il was thrown into the old
well. Sassaman and IT, woman pro-
ceeded to Kansas, speL lI. ONE time
in Topeka. In September Sassaman,
according to .Iiss Bently, deserted
her to go TO North Lakota with the
intention of killing n sweetheart of
hers of whom he was jealous. She i'm
medlately returned to Missouri and in
formed on him.
Sassaman's story of the crime puts
the crime on the woman. The night of
the murder, as the old man leaned ov-
or to light his pipe, the woman, ac-
cording to Sassaman, struck him on
the head with an aX, killing him In.
stantly. She said to Sassaman: From
now on, Bobby, you must do what
say or you will get dose of the same
medicine. am woman, and II you
should tell that killed Miller nobody
will believe you. If | say YOU did t.,
they'll believe me and hang you. II
you marry that girl in St Louis or
have anything more TO do with her
I'll lay this murder on you the day
you get married"
After several quarrels with Miss
Bently In Topeka, Sassaman left her
and went to ST. Louis, whore he mar.
ried the girl OF whom the Bantly wom-
an had been jealous. The couple We're
married in Kansas City, and notice OF
the issue of the licnnse was published
in the Kansas City papers. Miss Bent
ly read it and Immediately made good
her alleged threat to accuse Sassaman
of the murder of Miller.
Owing to its unique features, the
case has attracted wide attention, and
popular opinion is about equally di.
vided as to the guilt of the man or
the woman, while many believe that
both had a hand in the murderous at
fair and are now attempting to shift
all the blame On their partner in guilt.
An, hnnr upft liVal.s