Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-03

the state and that told by Mrs. Booth
are unchanged from those told at the
coroner's inquest the day of the muir
der. The states witnesses were Desk
Sergeant Smith and Chief l.. ". Eek
hart of the police department; Mrs. L..
R. Bland, and Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas
Cummings, occupants or the house in
which the murder was committed; Miss
Dina Ramser, the police matron; DIR.
F. ID. Paul, who was called to make an
examination of the child after the po-
lice had arrived on the scene; and F.
j. Bortsch, photographer who took
a picture of the murdered child the day
of the inquest.
The state presented as material evil
dence the razor with which it is alleg
ed Mrs. Booth cut the baby's throat;
pictures of the murdered child show
ing the character of the child's wounds;
a piece of the blood-stained carpet cut
from beneath the chair where the baby
was found; and diagram showing the
location of the different objects in the
room at the time the examination was
made by the coroner six hours after
the discovery of the murder.
No additional light was shed on the
case by the testimony, and the facts
of the tragedy of Feb. 10 were made no
clearer than at the inquest.
The evidence went on smoothly, and
very little time was lost in arguments,
although the objections, particularly on
the part of the states attorney, were
frequent.
Mrs. Booths Story.
Mrs. Booth stated that she was born
July 5, $780, and was married Feb 5,
1907 She admitted that she gave her
age as Is in order to secure the mar
riage license. Mr.. and Mrs. Booth
came to Rock Island in November,
1907, and in February their little
daughter was born. The child was
just two weeks old when it was muir
dered. The couple occupied a room
on the second floor of the house on the
east corner of Thirteenth street and
First avenue. Mrs. Booth told of the
night of the murder. and of the differ
ent times she had been awake and at
tended the baby during the time be-
tween 1880, when she retired, and IL
o'clock, when she placed the child in
a rocking chair in front of the stove
She said she had not been awake again
until about 3 o'clock, when she found
that the lamp had been extinguished
She awoke her husband, and he arose.
Mr.. Booth, the defendant stated. found
the door open, a drawer of dresser
pulled out, and when he lighted the
lamp, he found the baby lying on a
small chair with its throat cut She
admitted that she did not touch the
baby or make any effort to learn
whether it was dead or not, but sum-
moned the police when told to do so
by her husband.
States Attorney Scott had not COM
pleted the cross-examination at noon.
In the direct examination it was
shown that Mrs. Booth when. about s
years old sustained a fall on, the ice.
and that she had once walked in her
sleep, some years ago. These facts
were brought out by the attorneys for
the defense.
The Two Theories.
The state is trying the case on the
theory that Mrs. Booth regarded the
child as a burden and an annoyance,
and killed it to be rid of the necessity
of caring for it.
The defense maintains that the state
has not shown directly that the woman
committed the murder, and will also
-erdeavor to prove that the woman was
at the time suffering from pnerperal
insanity.
The states attorney, ]. X. Scott, is
conducting the prosecution alone,
while George c. Wenger and City At
torney j. F. Witter appear for Mrs.
Booth.