Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-29
OSCtO[A MAN
CHARGED WITH
WIFE MURDER
JOHN EWING, FOUND UNcoN-
CONSCIOUS BESIDE DEAD WIFE
AFTER SUPPOSED SUICIDE PACT
MUST FACE INVESTIGATION.

Des Moines, Oct 2S.-The police to-
day filed charges of murder in the first
degree against John Ewing OF Osceola,
found unconscious in the same room in
which his wife lay dead in the Rex ho-
tel Wednesday. Ewing claimed suit
eide pact, but the police say they have
evidence warranting them in accusing
him of numbering his wife while pre-
tending his own suicide,
The police claim Ewing wrote the
farewell note found in the bed and
signed his wife's name to it.
A patrolman was sent to Ewing's
room yesterday, following a long con-
ference between Coroner Iver G.. New
len and Acting Chief of Police w. D.
ing chief are probing into the circum-
stances surrounding the tragedy which
resulted in the death of Mrs. Ewing. 4
Sensational developments are OK
pected at the coroner's inquest over
the body Of Mrs. Ewing to be held to-
day. Coroner Newlen has secured
witnesses to appear at the hearing
who are said to have told him that EW-
ing had threatened repeatedly to Kill
his wife.
Damaging Evidence.
Evidence that will be most damag-
ing to Ewing was given by Mrs. Flor
ence Strait, housekeeper at the Rex
hotel, who was the first to break into
the death chamber Wednesday morn
ing.
According to Mrs. Straits story, Ew-
ing was engaged in frenZied attempt
I, \ Hfe,sx yI,<Nv 10 p1
dead, with pillow, when she burst IN
to the room. She said that the man
was sitting up in bed and was jabbing
the pillow down over the face Of his
dead wife She asked him what, WIS
the matter and he Is said to have re-
piled, Don't bother me.
When the police reached the room
less than ten minutes later, Ewing;
was gaspfng for breath. with q hand
kerchief tied tightly around his throat.
A little laudanum was found later In
his stomach. It is the theory Of the
police that he tide the handkerchief
around his neck and drank the laud-
anum between the time he was seen
by the woman and the time the police
arrived.
Not enough laudanum was drunk by
the man to do any serious damage.
The impossibility Of mans choking
himself to death is well known to the
police. These facts, coupled with the
statements Of the wife's relatives that
Ewing had repeatedly threatened TO
kill her, led to the decision to arrest
the man pending further investigation.
Refused to Answer.
Ewing was sullen, refusing to
answer questions piled to him an hour
after the tragedy, when he was at the
police station. When asked by Off
GERS If his wife had taken her own life,
he is said to have answered:
..You have no right to ask me such
question"
The police could get nothing out OF
the men yesterday.
Mrs. Bristow, who scouts the idea
Of her daughter having committed
suicide, stated to Coroner Newlen last
night that Mrs. Ewing had feared for
her life for several months. She said
that suit for divorce had been filed
against Ewing because the girl was
afraid that he would carry out his al
legged threats to kill her.
Mrs. Mae Martin, sister of the
dead woman, with whom Mrs. Ewing
has been living recently, told the cor
oner that Ewing had pulled revolver
from his pocket at her home short
time ago and threatened to kill his
wife. she identified the revolver found
in Ewing's overcoat yesterday as the
one which he had exhibited at her
home.
That the crime, whether suicide or
murder, was probably premeditated.
was learned by detectives when 1t was
discovered that Ewing had purchased
the laudanum several days ago at the
Lloyd Coon drug store, West Fourth
and Walnut streets. The fact that
Ewing made the purchase and stated
to the drug clerk that he wanted the
drug for toothache, strengthens the
policies murder theory.
DOGS USED IN CANCER TEST.