Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-18
WIFE 10 ASSIST brown
Cause of Quarrels Will Come to
Aid of Husbands Defense
in Murder Case
WILL TESTIFY TO ABUSE
Woman Will Relate Stories of Mis-
treatment on the Part of Murdered
Daughter in-Law = Jury Secured
and Opening Statements Are Made
Outline of Defense.
'pecial to Times-Republican

Rockwell City, Nov. 1S.--Late yes
terday jury was secured in the muir
der trial of ]. NJ. Brown. the aged
man who killed his daughter-i law
with an Indian club following a quar-
rel A majority of the jurors are farm
ers. Following the empanelng of the
jury, the opening statements were
made, which were concluded today.
The jury follows:
i. L. Madden, teamster; A. Il. Taps.
farmer; W. F. Smerdon, farmer; G.
H. Gabraith, farmer; Nick johnson,
farmer; Henry Ringgenberg, farmer;
Paul Jurgenson, implement dealer;
Herman Lusman, harness maker; Hen
ry Hout ST., farmer; f. f. Miller, far
mer; w. A. Strain, farmer; Ben Bass,
tiler, Lake City.
Aged Wife to Assist Defense.
The defense will have for it's star
witness the aged and crippled wife
OF the murderer. Two years ago
this woman, the mother of a large
family and woman who has always
borne the respect and admiration of
the community where she has made
her home for years, fell upon an icy
walk at the Rock Island depot in the
town of Palmer, the fall breaking her
hip. She has never recovered from
the injury, but has been helpless ever
since. No husband could have been
more devoted and loyal to suffering
wife during all that time, than John
ministered to her every want and
wish, never leaving her side when she
needed his attention and always being
kind and thoughtful of her needs. The
elder Mrs. Brown says she heard her
husband and his daughter-in-law
quarreling about the key to the back
door of the house.
Brown" said Mrs. Brown in speak,
ing of her husband, "did not like the
idea Of being locked in the house at
night. He felt that he should go and
come when he pleased. Emma (Mrs.
George G. Brown) thought she should
have the possession of the key and
that was what the quarrel was about
Mrs. Brown further states that the
language of her sons wife was vio-
lent, profane and threatening on the
morning of the tragedy. .tShe swore
she would cut the, heart out of her
mother in-law and used some very OPP
probrious epithets to her. When she
heard the renewal of the quarrel down
i ,er1Nf
safety in a closet. She had just
gained the closet and had not yet
succeeded in closing the door when
her daughter-in-laW rushed in upon
her and seized her by the wrist, drag
ging her from the closet and striking
her in the breast, meanwhile Shrek
ing that she would kill her, cut her
heart out, etc. Old man Brown rushed
into the room, and the young woman
turned toward him, saying she would
kill him too These were the last
words she ever spoke, for the old man
gave her her death blow and beat her
head to a pulp. His wife sank into a
chair and says she saw nothing after
the first blow was struck and Emma
fell, but she heard the terrible blows
OAAA
his terrible work.
QuarreIs of Long Standing.
The elder Mrs. Browns testimony
will be used 10 show that for months
before the crime, Emma Brown had
abused both the old man and the old
woman, the latter especially, also that
she had at. divers times done them
personal violence. This the defense
will try to prove, finally brought the
old man to a condition where he was
absolutely beside himself with rage
when the young woman would abuse
his invalid and crippled wife. The
old mans peculiarities, his views on
religion, and other little eccentricities
will be used to show that he is not
mentally responsible. 1t is also high
,ly probable that the Brown family tree
for generations will be searched to
find evidences of insanity in the blood
of the progenitors of John M. Brown.
There are whisperings, also, that
every scintilla of evidence that can
be secured will be brought to light in
an attempt to show that the old man
was actuated by an impulse to cleanse
his sons household when he struck
the fatal blows that made MIN muir
derer and placed him, for the first
time in his life, behind prison bars.
The state, assisted by the brothers Of
the dead woman, will fight this fea-
ture of the case most desperately.