Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-13
BELIEVE BOY
WAS NOT ALONE:
NEW VIRGINIA CITIZENS WOULD
lMPLIcATE OTHERS IN CAR.
RAHER MURDER.

lndianola, Nov. 11.-Firm nj the be-
lief that someone, other than 12-year-
old Harry Hutchinson was implicated
in the murder of T. j. Carraher, who
was found dead in a hog lot on his
farm last March, citizens of New
Virginia have engaged Judge w. A.
Spurrier of Des Moines to assist in
the trial of the boy, which begins here
today
Ever since the mysterious murder
was committed, and even after the boy
had confessed to the crime, large
number of people in Virginia township
where so many unsolved murders have
been committed, have believed that
Harry Hutchinson was not the only
guilty party.
AS result, collection was taken
up few days ago, amounting to $780,
and Judge Spurrier was retained to
assist in the prosecution.
The jury was impaneled and the
trial has begun. The fate Of the boy
is in the hands Of the following men,
D. H. Kirk, S. G. Lukenbill, AL Biting,
j. q. Huff, Edgar Thompson, L. L. Mil
Ter, s. NJ. Miller, Lee Flesher Geo.
Shultz, S. D. Moffitt and F. c. Taylor
Mrs. Brand Testifes.
Twelve witnesses were examined by
the state yesterday, among whom was
Mrs. VIM. Brand, mother of the boy,
who became the wife of ''Wild Bill"
Brand a few months after the murder
was committed. Brand was employed
on the farm as hired man after the
crime occurred. They moved to South
Dakota two months ago.
Mrc nd ,oi+ .,to
made by the boy that he had killed his
stepfather. She said she had gone to
Delaware before the murder and upon
her return was not given an oppor-
tunity to see the boy until after the in
quest was held. The coroner's jury
did not fix the crime upon anyone.
Immediately after the inquest the
boy came to her and admitted that he
had killed Carraher. She said he told
her that the murdered man ran at him
with butcher knife and threatened to
kill him and that he shot him in self
defense She also said that Carraher
had driven the boy from the house two
or three times.
Sheriff himer. to whom the boy con-
fessed the crime, was also put on the
stand. He told of the confession the
boy had made. According to the
story told Sheriff Kimer, Carraher had
been drinking the night of the murder.
He had abused the boy and the latter
seized the gun and shot him dead.
Other witnesses merely told incl
dents of the coroner's jury hearing
Self Defense the Plea.
Self-defense will be the plea of the
boy. In the opening statement to the
jury, Judge J. H. Henderson declared
that without the confession of the bow
there was no evidence against him. If
the confession went in they would be
able to establish that the crime was
committed in self-defense.
The boy is represented by Hender-
son & Henderson, and the state by
County Attorney w. M. Wilson and
Joe Watson
Only twice in the trial yesterday
did Judge Spurrier take part, and
that merely in the form of suggestions
to the states attorney
The boy continues to maintain the
same demeanor which has character
lied his actions ever since the indict-
ment. He will be put On the stand
probably today
The crime for which the boy was In
dicted occurred last March. Carraher
returned home from New Virginia and
on the following day his dead body
was found near the house. No one
but the Hutchinson boy and his year
old brother were at home at the time.
The younger boy has since died Of
diphtheria. For four months the crime
remained a mystery. In August the
boy made the confession, and the
September grand jury indicted him.