The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-14
Mrs. Tennysen on the Stand in
the Marysville Court.
Told of the Killing of Her Hus-
band Two Years Ago.
WAS QUICK TEMPERED
Father and Son Had Not Had
Quarrel for Some Time.
other Interesting Testimony in
the Murder Trial.

Marysvi1le, Kan, Feb 14.-The taking
or testimony in the trial Of George Ten
nyson, charged with the murder of his
father. David Tennyson, the night of
February q, 1906, began late Thursday
afternoon. The mother of the defend
ant told of the killing of her husband
and the coroner and sheriff also testi-
hed. The state presented thirty-seven
witnesses and all were sworn in. The
testimony began after George Mayer
had been selected to fill the vacancy in
the jury resulting from the illness of
John Lundberg.
Mrs. Matilda Tennyson. mother of the
defendant. said that she and David
Tennyson had been married forty-seven
years at the time Of his death She is
65 years old. Mrs. Tennyson answered
all questions promptly and distinctly.
She described the Tennyson premises
and the house in particular. She had
been doing her usual work about the
house the day before the murder, she
said. She, her husband. their son,
George, and daughter, Flora. had sup
per together After supper she and her
husband were sitting in the dining
room. Mr.. Tennyson was reading and
she was knitting. Suddenly the lamp
was extinguished and there was a noise
like an explosion. She thought the lamp
had exploded She called to her daugh-
ter, Flora who had gone upstairs some
time before. She stood at the door
while her daughter brought a lamp and
came down the stairs. When they en-
tered the room they saw that Mr.. Ten
nyson had been shot and noticed the
window had been broken by the shot
She said that Mr.. TennySon was
quick tempered but had always been
good to his family. She had never
heard him quarrel with George, but
had heard Mr.. Tennyson find fault
with George sometimes as other
fathers find fault with their sons. He
also found fault with the other
children. She had not heard him find
fault with George for year or so.
George had been farming the home.
place on shares for his father. but
had decided to work for his brother
the next year. She did not remember
what time George left the house that
night She paid no attention to the
time as it was the usual thing for him
to go to Frankfort every night.
DR.. r. L. Lays of Herkimer, the coro-
ner, told of being notified of the murder
and of going to Frankfort to hold an
inquest. He described the nature Of
David Tennyson's wound. DIR. Lays said
that when he conducted George Tenny-
son through the room where the body
of his father lay, the young man held
his handkerchief to his eyes. He be-
lieyed this was too keep from seeing the
BODY as he did not believe George was
crying.
Mrs Twidweli. a neighbor. testified
that the night of the murder Flora Ten
nyson ran into her home and threw
her arms about her and said that her
father had been shot. Mrs. TwidWell
had heard the dinner bell at the Ten
nyson home ringing 10 or Is minutes
before Flora came in. Flora arrived
there about 8:15 o'clock She did not
tell Mrs Twidwell how long 1t had
been since her father had been killed,
hit said she rang the bell and no one
came. so she started to get help.
Mrs. Charles Kaufman of Frank
fort testified that she saw George
Tennyson at her home the night Of
the murder. AS near as she could
tell it was about $50 O'Clock when
he came there to see MISS Mauoe
Sylvester, who roomed there Wnen
Tennyson knocked at the door Mrs
Kaufman admitted MIN. She notlceo
nothing unusual in his appearance.
He did not appear to have hurried
asnecialIy He was in the habit OF
accompanying Miss Sylvester nome
each night from the restaurant in
which she worked. George was mold
ing Mrs. Kaufman's ittfe glri IN ms
Ian when a young man. Edward Fla
herty. who also worked in the restau-
rant. came to the house and told
George that his father had been shot.
George took his hat and coat and
started at once. Mrs. kaufman was
In an adjoining room and did not hear
him saw anything as he left.
The sheriff, Fred K Barrett. told of
finding a gun leaning against some
salt barrels in an old house near the
sastdence 1t was single barrel.
breech loading shotgun. A dog was
tied in the room where the gun was
found. 1t was tied with a rope long
enough to permit it to reach any part
of the room. The dog made no dis
tnrbance when he entered the build
ing. The gun contained an empty
shell. He put his finger into the muz-
sIa of the gun and found damp burned
hlack nowder From this he judged
that the gun had been recently dis
charged.
Court adjourned until O'Clock this
morning before the sheriff had finish
I'd testifying and his examination Will