Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-19

there.
After the testimony of Officer Cor
don was heard, the inquest was adj
journed to 2 O'Clock, when the hearing
|! of the evidence was resumed.
Tells of Dream.
Mrs. Booth was confined at the po-
lice station this morning and placed
in the womans cell, while her hus
band was detained in another part OF
the station. During the morning Mrs
Booth was visited for several hours by
Miss Dina Ramser, the police matron
and the mother of the baby told the
police matron of her delight in the
phases of the case.
During the morning Mrs. Booth told
Miss Ramser that last night she had
had dream of a struggle with a
snake, but could not recall the last of
the dream. She told one of the Off
GERS, however, that in her dream she
had killed the snake. Mrs. Booth ap.
peared to be very nervous all morning,
and she did not seem to realize the
situation.
Mr.. Booth had little to say of the
case. He gave only the one explana-
tion-that some one had entered the
room and murdered the baby. He said
| that so far as he knew he had not
been robbed
Mother on Stand.
This afternoon when the taking of
evidence was resumed. there was a
| crowd that fillel the main room of the
police station present to hear the de-
tails of the. terrible crime.
The baby's mother was placed on
the stand and after being warned that
any statements she might make might
be used against her later. she was
questioned by the states attorney. She
said she had been married a year age
this month and had come to Rock Is
land in November from Monmouth.
She explained that her husband had
been robbed a. Monmouth and that
this accounted for her statement re-
garding the matter.
She denied that she knew who had
killed the baby and said that she did
not think her husband had done it
| adding that it was too terrible, and
that no one but a coward could have
killed it.
Is Shown Body.
| Mrs. Booth was confronted with the
| dead child and seemed about to faint
| but she regained her composure in a
| few minutes and responded clearly to
| the questions of the states attorney.
The scene was most dramatic one
by it.
Might Have Becn Asleep.
In answering the questions put to
| her. Mrs. Booth admitted that either
she or her husband might have done
the crime without the knowledge OF
the other, but declared that if she did
kill the baby she did not know any
thing about it. She suggested that she
might have done it while asleep.
Seeking to break down her story
the states attorney asked her what
she would say if told that her husband
had testified that he had seen hel
hunting for the razor, and had seer
her kill the baby. Promptly she re
piled, 81 should say it was a lie
She maintained her story absolutely
and positively denied any knowledge
of the crime.
| Husband Gives Evidence.
Mr.. Booth was placed on the stanC
before Mrs. Booth testified, and re
peated the story he had told when tht
murder was first investigated thi
morning. He said that it was possible
that his wife mad committed the dee(
without his knowledge of it, ant
added that it might have been posi-
: BILE for him to have killed the bah,
, without his wif9's knowing of it, HI
declared emphatically that he had III
knowledge of the crime and had no
himself taken the child's life. H
| said that his wife had been very font
of the baby. a statement which sh'
made about him when she testified.
After Mrs. Booths testimony ha
been taken, Mr.. Booth was recalled
and his examination is in progress a
late hour this afternoon. Mrs. Boot
said that they had been married a
Sycamore, ILL.,, when she was 16 year
old, and that she had given her age a
IS, as her mother had NOT consente
to her marriage. Her mother lives a
Beloit, Wis.