Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-03-13
.necial to Times Republican.


Adams, of Liscomb, now serving life
sentence for the murder of his uncle
Charles Russell, in 1898. Such was the
A decision of the committee late Friday
Afternoon, following the hearing held
In Des Moines.
The hearing Of the Adams case was
by far the most sensational ever Civ
en- before the pardon committee, but
1t convinced not member that Adams
should be given his freedom.
When James Ogg, who declared be-
fore the committee Friday afternoon
that it was Ezekiel I. Eyerist, of Lis
comb and not William Adams. who
poisoned Charles Russell, the scene In
the committee room could not have
been more intense.
| Everist Denounces ogg as Liar.
| Everist, when called, made the clear
est kind Of statement Of his knowi-
edge of the case, and demanded that
he be permitted to testify under oath.
When sworn he denounced Ogg as
liar in plain terms.
| Everist testified that the next day
after Russelfs death Adams told him
that he, Adams, had said he would be
all right if Ogg didn't give him up.
Everist denied he had been intimate
with Mrs. Adams which had been tes-
titled to by Ogg. He absolutely denied
any completely in the murder. 1t was
brought out on examination that Ever
| list was run off the place by Russell
with q gun and he had demanded 5000
for his services as detective, when
Russell was after a divorce. He had
never gone back to the Russell farm.
MahIon Russell on Stand.
DR.. Mahlon Russell, of Bangor, son
Of the murdered man, told Of the trou-
BILE which preceded the separation OF
his parents, and declared that Adams
was the cause Of their estrangement.
He pleaded with the committee not to
free Adams and told Of a protest,
which he has circulated in Marshall
county, obtaining signatures of prom
inent citizens to a communication ask
ing that Adams be kept in prison.
Attorneys Denounce ogg.
Hon. 3. F. Cummings, Of Marshall
town, who Yves member of the house
in the Twenty ninth, Thirtieth and
Fhirty-first general assemblies, and
who is among the most prominent at
torneys in the state, grew dramatic IN
denouncing Ogg. In his testimony Ogg
declared that Mr.. Cummings, as coun-
ty attorney, and Thaddeus Binford,
also prominent attorney of Mar
shalltown, had intimidated him in
making confession declaring Adams
to be guilty Of Russell's murder. Point
ing his finger at the young fellow who
had accused him of forcing a lying
statement from his lips, Mr.. Cummings
cried:
"This Ogg, gentlemen of the commit
tee, Lies when he tells you Of this
bugaboo that held up before him in
order to make him swear falsely. He
lies! He lies! he lies! If he tells the
truth then Binford and ], and Jack
MCPHERSON, who was then sheriff,
should be in prison, and Adams should
be free. never fixed up a story on
anybody. don't practice law that way.
This boys story is a lie, nothing more
and nothing less
Own Father Believes Son Guilty.
Mr.. Cummings described Adams as
an outlaw and told Of his arrest on a
charge of highway robbery shortly be-
fore the murder. The attorney and
Mahlon Russell both declared that all
the people in the rural community
where Adams lived feared the man,
and as final clincher Mr.. Cummings
read a letter from Joshua Adams, an
aged man still living near Marshall
town, in which he asks that his son
be kept in prison.
u am afraid that if he is released
my own life, will be in danger" the
letter says. Further, the parent says he
believes his son is guilty of, Russell's
murder and should pay the penalty.
Binforel's Testimony.
MIR. Binford swore that he had never
used coercion to secure the confession
and that Ogg had never mentioned |
any name but that of Adams in talk |
ing. Of the murder. II have never I'M
til today heard him say that Everist !
was the man who was guilty of the |
crime" declared Mr.. Binford, land mis- |
charges against me are utterly with |
out foundation" Mr.. Binford testified |
as to his various conversations with
Ogg before he made his confession and |
IF the preparation of the written con-
.ession. The confession was written by |
Birford himself.
egg declared in his statement t.lat |
ne was arrested within a few days aft
sr the murder Of Russell, and confined |
n the Jail at Marshalltown. He was
aiken from the Jail to the office of At
.orlley Binford and questioned about
his connection with the case. Mr.. Bin
ord fastened upon him the fact that
1e had bought the poison which caused
2ussell's death, and finally obtained
confession in which Ogg accused Ad-
inns Of committing the crime
II was fairly hypnotized." declared
0gg yesterday, "when I wrote that
confession in Mr. Binford's office He
old me that If didn't do it I would
,e hanged, and he frightened me by
me hanging on a gallows in
he jail yard, where all my friends
night come and look at me. He made
ne accuse Adams, and he dictated the
onfession while wrote it. would
write a sentence at his dictation and
q and Mr.. Cummings would talk to
ne about it. Then if I would say 1t
,as not true they would point to the
aper and say, You wrote it. It must
e true" +
In his denunciation Of Ogg Mr..
,,,nr ,ines defied r, r, tMeeker Adams,