Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-06
Horse Used on Farm.

This horse was blind, but was other
wise fairly sound, and had been used on
the farm regularly, neighbors say. The
harness door, where the saddle and
bride were kept, was open and the
barn door had been left open.
Raymand Hardy spoke of this pc
culiar incident. according to the story
told by his sweetheart, Miss Mabel
Starnes, when he called on her Sunday
night. She said he could not explain or
account for it, and he remarked to the
young woman during the evening that
he would have to go home as he and
his father were going to watch and
see what they could learn.
Who was it that made this horse
ready for travel during Saturday night,
and why? Was he preparing to flee
from the scene Of a. murder planned? ?
These are some Of the unexplained but
important details.
Robbery Motive Shaky.
Was the motive robbery? Apparent
ly not, and yet there is a detail that
points to such being the case. A watch
and something over So in money were
found on the clothes of Earl Hardy, as
he lay stretched on the bare kitchen
floor. Mr.. Hardy had "a little over 81
| in his trousers when the body was
| found.
Yet, and here is the incident that
points to robbery, the two drawers OF
a sort Of bureau, and the doors Of It,
which stood in bed room off the par
lor, were open and part Of their con-
tents were on the floor. These includ-
ed two large and one smaller pocket
book. They were found lying open on
the floor, whatever contents, if there
were any, being gone. Otherwise the
furnishings and furniture Of the house
were apparently not disturbed. But the
fact that there is no member of the
family living. but the son Raymond
makes it difficult to learn the exact
condition of the house Immediately fol-
, lowing the murder.
Alarm Was Evidently Prompt.
Taking the statements of the young
woman, Miss Stearnes, and those of
neighbors, there was apparently but
little time intervening between the hour
when Raymond Hardy left his sweet
hearts side and when the rural line
began to buzz along it's entire length
with the alarm that young Hardy
shouted over it. Miss Stearnes is GER
tain it was about 12: 80 when Raymond
left her. Earnest Toedt, Herman Eli
EFT, and Ginger Pischel are equally GER
| tain that it was not far from ! o'clock
when the alarm reached them over the
wire. Raymond went to the Starnes
| home in a buggy. He returned the
same way, and the distance is little
over two and one-half miles.
Found Mother; Gave Alarm.
The Hardy home, six room, one
one-half story dwelling, stands eight
or ten rods from the main Travelled
road. The house was dark. so Ray
mond says, when he reached home. The
house has four outside doors, one thru
the front, which faces the south, two
thru the east, one leading into the din
ing room, and anotfl ler- which opens in
to the kitchen, which is one the north
side Of the house. Another door opens
from the dining room to the west
1t was thru the dining room door or
the east that young Hardy entered. II
was the direct route up the path
from the barn, and thru the door yard
that one would have taken after put
| ting a horse in the barn.
According to Messrs. Toedt ant
| Pfsched, who were the two first to ge
| to the house after the alarm was given
Raymond said he entered the door
struck match, and saw his mother
| lying dead. He then gave the alarm.
Mother Lying on Couch.
! Just inside the door, and against the
south wall of the room, there is ar
old fashioned sofa. It was on this thai
Mrs. Hardy's dead body was found
| lying, SO Raymond says, and it was il
that position when Elicit. Pischel, ant
Toedtt first saw it.
| Mrs. hardys body was iiizif iyiiiiS oi
the sofa and half resting on the floor
From the hips down it dragged on the
carpet. She was on her right side
and the right side Of her head was or
the pillow. The right arm stretched
from under the head out its full length
She was fully dressed, even to hel
shoes, and her clothing was not torn OF
| greatly disarranged. There was no evi
dence on the body Of attempted crimi.
nal assault.
The pillow corner on which the heai
lay was soaked with blood, and bloot
! was splashed on the wall paper bacl
q. = What appeared te be the print.
Of bloody thumb and forefnger wer,
found on the wall paper Just abov.
| the sofa.
There was = deep wound on the tol