Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-01-16
EVA RICHARDSON, WHO SAW
MOTHER SHOT DOWN WHILE
HER FATHER WAS QUARREL
ING WITH SAMPLE, TEsTlFlEs
EYE WITNESS TO
BELKNAP TRAGEDY
DAUGHTER ALSO TEsTlFIEs
THAT AFTER MOTHER WAS
KILLED SAMPLE FIRED SEVER
Al SHOTS AT RICHARDSON

bloomfield, Jan. 1b.-(Special) -
The prosecution in the trial Of Ora
Sample, charged with the killing Of
Mrs. Joseph Richardson, near Bel
knap on May 80 last, played its trump
card today when Eva Richardson,
daughter of the slain woman, was
placed on the stand. 1t developed at
the hearing that not only was the
daughter a witness of the quarrel
which ended in the killing of her
mother, and was probably the direct
cause Of her fathers suicide a short
time after, but that she was present
when Sample forcibly entered the,
home and attacked Richardson.
The Daughters Story.
The girl testified that it was about
8 o'clock on the evening of Decora-
.tion Day that Sample and a compan-
ion, Will Locker, drove up to the
Richardson home Sample she said.
called loudly for her father to come
out, that he wanted to settle with
him" the two men having had trou-
BILE over sale Of corn.
Her father refused, she said, where
upon Sample went to the front door,
pounding and demanding admittance.
When told he could not enter the
house, asserted the witness he went
to the side door. and. finding it latch
ed. broke the LOCK- and forced an en-
trance.
Her story Of the quarrel between
the two men and the death Of her
mother was dramatic in the extreme,
and the spectators in the court room
We're profoundly moved Her words
were simple. There was no attempt at
elaboration. But when she referred
to the prisoner before ne, her voice
shook and tears came to her eyes.
When Sample entered the room he
grappled with her father, she said, un-
til finally the two men wrestled to a
corner of the room where shot gun
was hanging on the wall. Sample
wrenched this from the wall, she as
serted, and attempted to turn 1t on
her father, but the latter kept the gun
pointed from him
1t was at this juncture that her
blind mother, alarmed by the noise
of the quarrel, CROPPED her way into
the room, only to be shot down when
the gun was discharged. I'll
Sample then wrested the gun from
his opponent and ordered Richardson
from the house. AS her father ran,
testified the daughter, Sample fired
three shots at him. She had run to
a neighbor's when her mother was
felled, she said, and wnen she return
ed in company with others 1t was to
find her mother lying dead in a pool
Of blood.
Other witnesses who were heard
were DR.. Heady, the coroner who pre-
sided at the inquest; Squire Kelsey
who held the preliminary hearing
Will Locker, Samples companion
the afternoon of the shooting, and
Ed Dye. next door neighbor Of the
Richardson's. Their testimony was not
important. G. Llewellyn, W.. H
Black Henry Howell, Tom Miller and
Ed O'Brien, the Ottumwa officers
summoned yesterday to impeach the
testimony of witnesses for the de
fense. were excused and will be re
called later. during the trial.
Personnel Of the Jury.
The trial is being held before Judge
Vermilion. The jurors are B. H. Sci
man, E. T. Grinstead. Martin Ellen
berger, ]. w. Dunfrund, A. J. Wis
dom, Sherman Grant, A. G. Blackwell
John Ernest, Warren Hill, W. G
| Swift, w. T. Campbell and James Ro
minger.