Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-02
NE1aHBORs TAKE THE STAND
Members of Hendricks Family Talk
of Fatal Day,
DEFENDANT SHOWS REVOLVER
Accused Man Seen with New Weapon
Before Tragedy.
HIS ACTIONS ARE QUESTIONED
says susupect betrayed Unusual ARxi-
ETY. In MRnner-COrOher and
sheriff Tell of Finding
the Body.

PONCA. Neb., Dec. l.-Cspecial Tele-
gram.) .)-Takng OF evidence against William
Flege, charged with the murder OF his
sister Louise on June 80. began this after
noon with the testimony OF witnesses early
on the scene OF the murder, Nineteen wit
nesses have been sworn by the state. Evi-
dence thus far introduced relates to the
finding Of the girls body near the home,
the arrival Of nelghbors on the scene, the
coroner's investigation and the purchase
Of a revolver by the man on tril.
The jury was completed at 1O;SO o'clock
this morning after ninety veniremen had
been examined All challenges were ex-
hausted by both the prosecution and the
defense.
The opening statement occupied the ses-
sion after the completion OF the jury until
noon. The prosecution early raised objec-
ton to the argumentauve nature OF the
presentation Of the case by the defendants
counsel. The contrversy over this point
often grew heated.
Witnesses for the state were sworn at
the opening OF the afternoon session.
Henry Lesser, executor of the estate Of
the defendants father, first 10 arrive on
the scene after the rumor Of murder had
spread over the countryside, told Of the
AiHulilb u NllN h1ngs AdS9HSA was AAAN AAAeN
witness called by the state.
Body Lying mt Gate.
The body of Louise Flege was lying near
the gate inside the yard on her back, with
hands extended and limbs straight, ac-
cording to the witness There was a bullet
hole near the center of the left cheek and
one over the right breast. The clothes
were burned around the wound and the
was blood on the dress from below the
knee to the bottom.
DIR. Williams OF Wayne, DR.. ]. r.
Graham of Allen, coroner Of Dixon county.
County Attorney Kingsbury and Sheriff
Maskell were called They arrived at /
o'clock the morning Of July /.
Henry Hendriek, sr- testified that June
30 William FTege was at his home and
came into the field where he and his boys
were plowing corn. The witness said F1ese
went home and later came back. saying his
sister Louise had been shot Hendrick and
his son, Henry went to the Flege homo
and saw the body lying in tho yard. Dr.
Graham testified that a post mortem was
held after midnight and the wound in the
cheek was found to extend thRough the
head to behind the right ear. The bullet
could not be found. The wound in the
right breast showed that the bullet entered
just above the nipple and lodged in the
spinal column just below the stomach,
passing by the fifth rib according to the
coroner.
John c. Graetner, formerly an undertaken
at Wayne arrived with Mr.. BeckenhRuer.
his successor in business. at II o'clock and
applied enough embalming fluid to check
decomposition.
FleEe Ordered Weapon.
Henry Hendrsck, jr., testified that some
time last spring Flege had written letter
ordering a revolver from Chicago mail
order house. He said William had shown
him the letter sealed and ready to be sent
Hendrick bantered him to open II and
let him see the contents and offered him a
dime, which Flege accepted. Hendriok says
he tore the letter open and threw the order
away, telling Blege he was foolish.
This ended that deal, but Flege three
weeks later exhibited revolver such as
was named in the order he had torn up.
The afternoon of June 80. he said. Flegs
came out where he was plowing corn and
acted In a very strange way, looking down
cast. All the witnesses testified to strange
actions by the defendant, at the home on
the fatal night and at the funeral and on
| other occasions.