The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-06
HALE TRIAL DRAGS
Witnesses Tell of Actions of
Accused Boy.
Husband Relates Incidents of
the Day Of the Tragedy.
NIGHT SESSION HELD.
Prosecution Not Yet Through
Introducing Its Evidence.
Trial OF Case May Consume Re-
mainder of the Week.


Carl Hale, the 17-year-old boy who is
charged with the murder of Mrs.
Jerome Hoover. is dragging along with
out the sensational testimony which
was promised shortly after the murder
was committed. At the request of B.
p. Waggener who is conducting the de-
Wednesday night when several wit
nesses We're examined though their
testimony was unimportant.
Josephine c. Rich an eight-year-old
girl. was examined this morning and
gave testimony damaging to the de-
PENDANT as she corrOborated testimony
to the effect that the defendant was
seen in the vicinity of the Hoover farm
about the time the killing occurred.
The witness is the daughter of Ida c.
Rich, who also gave damaging testl-
mony against Carl Hale.
Boys Confession Is introduced.
Roy Hale, an uncle of the defendant,
told of being present when Roy Hale
confessed that he fired the shot which
ended the life of Mrs Hoover. The
manuscript confession was identified
when placed in evidence by the county
attorney, Thomas Moxey and Sheriff
John Taylor.
DIR. M. T. Dingess, who is coroner of
Atchison county and who decided at
first that Mrs. Hoover came to her
death from heart failure told of
afterwards seeing the wound in the
back of her head when it was called to
his attention by the undertaken. He
testified that it is his opinion that
whoever fired the shot must have
stood close to the window through
which the bullet passed.
A Western Union messenger testified
that Hale had told him. as he sharpen
ed a knife, that he was going to get"
Mrs. Hoover for saying that he was
drunk if she did not take it back. The
defense is making an attempt to prove
that the shot which ended Mrs. Hoov-
er's life was fired by some one else who
might have benefited by her death. the
case will in all probabilities drag along
the remainder of the week in spite or
the fact that B. P. Waggener, the at
torney for the defense who is a
farmer, is attempting to hurry it so
that he can get back to work on his
farm
Following the. opening of court We'd
nesday Charles Woodwork, county
surveyor and engineer. was called as
witness. He appeared for the state.
His testimony was. purely techincal,
dwelling the dimensions OF the
rooms, windows and doors of the Hoov-
er house He said that a man of his
height, which is ) feet 1012 inches,
could not stand in. the middle of the,
road in front of the Hoover residence.
and shoot through the lower sash of
the W1nQON, WHICH the OuiiCl
killing Mrs. Hoover was supposed TO
have passed. Mrs. Hoover was found
dead in her kitchen with a bullet
wound back of her ear
Husband Takes the Witness Stand.
Jerome Hoover. husband of the muir
dered woman, was then called to the
stand. He related his various move
ments on the day of the tragedy. He
left his home early that morning to
go to his work in a tin shop in this
city. He did not learn of the killing
until that evening while he was going
home Carl Hale, the defendant. met
him on the road and gave him his first
news of the tragedy. Several times
while he was testifying Hoover broke
| into tears. He added that previous to
the killing there had been a number
of depredations about his premises and
that a gun had been stolen from his
house two years ago. Several boys
told Mr. Hoover that Carl Hale had
it, Several times clothing had been
stolen from the Hoover house.
J. H. Scott. who lives near the Hoover
i farm, was the next witness. He said
that when he passed the Hoover house
on the morning of March 3, he saw a
boy near the house with a target rife
in his hand. He was unable to recog-
nize the boy.
| Accused Was Seen Near Hoover Home.
Mrs. Ida Rick, who also lives near
1.-THE Hoover farm, was then called to
the witness stand. She testified that on
the morning of March 8. while she and
lher son Earl Is years old, were on
their way to town, they met Carl Hale
near the Hoover mail box, which is be-
side the road and in front of the Hoov-
er home Carl had a rifle In his hand
at that time. Mrs. Rick claims she
saw Carl Hale take Mrs. Hoover's mail
I from the mail box. Mrs. Rick return
ed to her home at o'clock that after
noon, but her son Earl did not return
luntil an hour later. and he brought
Carl Hale with him. Earl complained
Iof being sick. Carl remained at the
Trick house an hour before going to the
home of his uncle, Roy Hale, with