Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-01-21
ADA NJ 'CORMICk
To Face TRIAL?
WIFE OF FORMER oTTUMWAN
MAY BE CHARGED WITH MUIR
DER If HUSBAND DIES.
SHE is IN ASYLUM


Woman is of Normal Mind and
That Insane Story is Ruse
of Parents.
The fact that Mrs. Ada Mccormick,
wife of Joseph Mccormick and daugn-
ter Of j. M. Long, a millionaire or
Denver, may have to face trial on
murder charge if the wounded man
dies, Is the latest development in the
case of the former Ottumwan who
now lies in critical condition IN a
San Francisco hospital. Mr.. McCor-
mick is we'll known all over Ottum-
wa, having occupied a position in the
local postoffice for years. He was mar
ried here to Miss Cea Jordan, who
later secured divorce from him,
and for the past several years he has
been working in the far west A San
Francisco paper has just issued the
following in regard to the case:
AS a last measure to save the life
of Joseph Mccormick, the waiter who
was stabbed in the thigh by his wife,
Ada Long-Vincent Mccormick, daugh-
ter of J. NJ. Long. a millionaire syrup
manufacturer of this city, surgeons at
the University hospital yesterday am
putated the leg above the knee.
At the bedside Of the patient during
the operation, which was performed in
the theater of the hospital by four sur
geons, were his mother, Mrs. Martha
Mccormick of Ottumwa. Ia, and his
two sisters, Mrs. J. S. Hammersmith
of Los Angeles and Miss Eva McCor-
mick of Chicago, all of whom had
fastened to his assistance on being no.
titled of his condition. The patient
was conscious throughout the ordeal
but his condition is at present criti-
cal
Refuses to Prosecute.
Since the night of December IL,
when his wife in a frenzy rushed at
him and gashed his thigh with a
butcher knife and then fled, leaving
him to die, Mccormick has steadfastly
refused to prosecute her, and the
her wealthy father, has vouchsafed
no explanation of her murderous
deed. She is at present in the Napa
asylum for the insane, although the
relatives of Mccormick believe that
money and influence have been used
to place her there instead of in prison.
and Miss Eva Mccormick asserts posi-
lively that the woman is of sound
mind.
Mrs Martha Mccormick, the mother
who Is a daughter of the late United
States Senator James Gray Of Ken
lucky. and whose husband, McCor-
,mick's father, was the son Of William
Mccormick, former United States SEN
ator from Iowa, declares that in the
event of her sons death the Long
millions will avail nothing against
bringing the woman to justice, and
that she will call upon influential
relatives of the Grays and McCor
mick's to have the woman punished
Mccormick will not allow his wife to
be prosecuted during his life but in the
event of the operation failing, the
mother and sisters will take matters
into their own hands.
Stabbed One Month Ago.
Over a month has elapsed since Nc
Cormick was found by his landlord,
Dr. Biehle, huddled upon a blood
soaked cot and moaning in agony.
plunged a butcher knife into his thigh
and fled from the humble cottape at 16
Vulcan place, and he had crawled into
the corner and tride his best to stanch
the squirting wound. For two nights
and a day the wounded man lay with
out food or warmth and would have
died but for the arrival Of DR.. Biehle,
who had him at once conveyed to thf
central emergency hospital
Bieble notified the police and the
next day, the woman was arrested and
taken to the city prison, but when the
wounded man heard of this he wrote
to Police Judge Shortall asking that
sho be discharged, as he would place
no charge against her. The woman
was released on S100 bail furnished by
the attorney whom she had engaged.
and she went her way, never inquiring
about the man who lay friendless and
at the point of death, Charity patient
in hospital. but who, weak and in
torture as he was, had no thought of
revenge, but only struggled with the
authorities to prevent her being pun
ished.
Mccormick was removed to the Uni
versity hospital. but his case became
critical, blood poisoning setting in.
When it was thought he was about to
die Assistant District Attornev Duke
was notified and came to take his an
temorten statement. Mccormick,
with indomitable courage, still refused
10 lDCrllllHate MS VIE anu ueCldi eu
he would not die. Mrs. Mccormick
was re-arreste '. however, and her bail
set al $4,000 1t then developed that
the woman was the daughter of j. NJ.
Long. the millionaire syrup manufac-
turer
Wife Sent to Asylum.
Soon afterwards the woman was re-
moved to Napa insane asylum, and on
Christmas day McCormict's brother in
law, who had arrived from Los An
geles, consented to having an artery
opened and quart OF blood nut into
McCormick's veins so that the suffer
er could rally from his weakened con-
dition. This measuere failed, how
ever, and the mother and sisters Of the
patient were summoned and arrived
/ from various cities Then there were
revelations on McCormick's side.
1t developed that Joseph McCormick
the waiter, was the grandson of two