Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-12-04
SLAGER SIX, WOMAN One YEAR
Would-Be Assassin and Wife of Emil
Ruser Plead Guilty.
BOTH GET PENITENTIARY TERMS
Woman May He Sent to Milford
Home--she Cries, but Slayer is
Happy that His Fate is
No Worse.


PAPILLION, Neb., = Dec. 3.-(Special)-
John Slayer pleaded guilty to shooting
Emil Ruser with intent TO kill and was
sentenced to the penitcntiary for six years
and Mrs. Nathnde 14ccr, Eife.. of ESnll
pleaded guilty to ai9snG and abetting
Slayer and was sentehced to one year in
the penitentsry by Judge Lee Estelle of
Omaha in the district court of Sarpy
county here today. IA.
About next April az y3r will be taken to
have Mrs. Ruser gob -le Milford home
probably for the rerurEker of her term.
1t will be necessary :. - her sentence at
the penitentiary to be- suspended at that
time.
Mrs. Ruser and Slayer were represented
by their attorney A. u. Langdon of Papfl-
lion. The man maintained the same stold
Indifference in court that has character
lied him since he was cornered and made
to confess to his llaison with Mrs. Ruser
and their conspiracy which resulted in his
firing three bullets into the husband of
his paramour. The solemnity of the court
and the occasion had no effect upon him.
His only indication of feeling was one of
self-gratulation that he escaped with so
light a sentence, for as he was led out Of
the court room at the conclusion of the
hearing he turned TO call to a friend he
observed in the audience:
II only got six years
This fellow had made a sort of wager
with Slayer that he would get fifteen
years at least and Slayer was rejoicing
at his friends bad guess
Woman Breaks Down.
But the youthful wife was not stole.
The jury had been empanelled in the
morning County Attorney Ringo had made
his statement of what he expected to
prove, presenting a severe arraignment Of
the accused. The attorney for the defense
I had concluded his statement and the court
/ took a recess for noon. The woman 5
spirit broke under the lash of the county
attorneys statement. Both she and Slayer
had in the forenoon pleaded not guilty,
but when court reconvened for the after
! noon session Mrs. Ruser, showing the
! signs of remorse and emotion, changed her
plea to guilty and as this took the props
! from under Slayer he followed suit. He
| did so with as much abandon as if he had
/ been making the most trivial statement
! Mrs Ruser broke down completely
and cried like a child. She did this, too
before her sentence was pronounced. HeI
emotion was not easily curbed con-
| trolled.
! The spectators filled the court room and
were manfestly dissatisfied at the result
Evidently they had set their hearts on the
novelty Of a prolonged trial with its sala-
cious elements and they ill-concealed theh
/ disappointment.
Review of the Case.
John Slayer is a large, raw-boned, un
couth country boy, some "a years of age
He had been in the employ of Ruser q
farm hand for some months and was con
sidered a faithful worker. Evidently RuseI
had confidence in him and certainly Rusel
was ignorant of the atrocious way in which
I his confidence was abused.
Slayer and the woman both testified tha
they had carried on their Illicit love for q
long time and finally had determined t.
dispose of Ruser and get married assum
ing what property he left They laid al
their plans, even to the fine detail of thu
woman telling Slayer which side of tht
bed her husband slept on. This was for tn,
purpose OF making Slager's aim certain
for he was to thrust his pistol through Z
window beside which Mr.. and Mrs Ruse
slept one night and fire the fatal shot.
! The night came. Slayer had gone Z
| Omaha and bought his revolver. Tn,
| woman had retired as usual with her Un
suspecting husband, who laid down tire
with an honest days work for his wife an,
little one, laid down to be assassinated by
Ihe man who had stolen the affections o
his girl-wife.
The hour for the deed arrived. 1t wa
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