The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-10-13
THE SlDERS SUICIDE
Homer Woofter is Exonerated by
. the Coroner's Jury.

sisting oil James DeBoaFd, John Gum
and Chas. A. Williams, came to this
decision Friday afternoon shortly AT.
ter 500 o'clock. This verdict was
made within a short time following
the introduction of the evidence.
Only few witnesses were examined
and everything pointed toward sui.
eide. ~.
'aE The Letter Left
The first evidence introduced was
the letter written by the deceased.
IL was read very carefully and the
father of the girl identified the writ
ing as that OF his daughter Hattie.
Bert Siders, eldest brother of the de.
ceased, was examined. He could not
swear that the writing was that of
his sister. Following the examination
of Bert Siders, two post cards were
introduced; one was signed Ralph"
and the other Homer .fia tas. .
At the Hotel.
The evidence of ]. r. Gentry, pro-
prietor of the Gentry Hotel, was intro
duced. Mr.. Gentry told of the entry
of Woofter and Hattie Siders at the
hotel at about 7:45 p. m. That Wool
ter appeared in a hurry and a little
excited. He asked for a room and
was assigned to No. l. While the
room was being arranged Woofter
and Hattie Siders left the hotel and
went to Dolls restaurant for supper.
They reappeared at the hotel at 500
and were shown to their room. Wool
ter asked Mr. Gentry to call him in
time for the 500 o'clock train on the
Iowa Central. All was quiet in room
No. l until $3.50 when Mr.. Gentry
heard shot and then a womans
scream. He at once notified the DO.
lice. Mr.. Gentry told the jury how
Woofter appeared at the door scantily
dressed and with his clothes covered
with blood. She shot herself and
tried to shoot me-" were the first
words Woofter uttered The woman
was not dead at the time and Mr..
Gentry went in search of a physician.
While he was away Woofter rushed
to the hotel register and tore OF
the sheet on which he had registered.
The sheet was torn up and later
found in small bits scattered about.
Mr.. Gentry told of the entry of tho
officers and the physician and the
condition Of the woman. She gasped
five times following the entry of the
doctor. ..s.
Answered Long Distance.
The& next witness examined, was
Mrs George Workman, No. 315 9th
avenue east, a neighbor of the Siders
family. Mrs. Workman stated that
on Wednesday Miss Siders answered
a long distance call over her tele.
phone She stated that a converse.
ton similar to this was carried on by
the girl: Hello, Homer, is this your"
Il wanted to know when you were
coming up" Where will see your"
Il am going away and want to talk
to you"
A tablet was produced, upon sheets
OF which the girl was supposed to
have written the letter which was
found after death. J. NJ. Siders, faith
er of the girl, stated that the tablet
was purchased by the girl and he had
noticed her writing in it several differ
ent times. Mr.. Siders positively iden.
tilted the writing as that of his
daughter. She had waited tables at
both the Downing and the Lacey Ho-
tel within the past few weeks. He
stated that during the past few days
while she was at home she seemed
nervous about something and on
Thursday she was UP town nearly all
day.
Attorney o. N. Downs was exam
ined. He has had charge of legal af-
fairs of the deceased. He told of
the appearance OF the girl at the court
house Thursday afternoon. She was
very excited and asked Mr.. Downs if
he had seen constable from Abba. |
Mr.. Downs was familiar with the !
writing of the deceased and identified !
the letter as her handwriting.
rf Woofter Examined.
Homer Woofter was examined and |
in the course of the examination was |
asked point blank, Did you fire the |
shot that killed that woman?" Woof- |
ter answered No" He was exam
med very closely and gave a full de-
tailed account Of everything he knew
Woofter has resided in Abba for Is |
years and claims that he has known
Hattie Siders for 10 years. He was
IN the city Thursday as a witness on
he divorce case of Baker VS.. Baker.
Woofter made the statement before
he jury that Hattie said that sho
wished they were both dead H0
lid not attach very much importance
o the statement at the time. He told |,
u the registration at the Gentry, Ho-
eel as Joe Fisher and wife" the sup i
'er and retirement, He carried a
'un in his hip pocket and when un.
lressing placed il on stand in the
Dom and layed his clothes over Il.
lie was partially awakened by the
hot and fully awakened by the
cream Of the wounded woman. He
ave a detailed account OF the posi-.
ion of the girl following the shooting
nd his own position in reference TO il
Iers. His testimony closed with the
tatement that he was constable and
light watchman at Abba.