Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-09
ATTORNEYS NOW CLAIM THAT
MAN WITH BLACK MousTAcHE
KILLED WIFE.
WEBSTER WAS FOLLOWING
WITH WOMAN DETECTIVE
Farmer Makes Affidavit That He In
terfered in Quarrel With Bessie Kent
Webster and Moustaehed Stranger
Webster to Refuse to Plead When

/ Oregon, ILL.,, Oct. 9.-When Dr.. Harr!
Elgin Webster. accused ot numbering
his wife, Bessie Kent Webster. is az
raigned in court today. it is said he
will refuse to PLEAD. The court Will
then be required to enter a plea Of no.
guilty for the prisoner.
! Attorneys for the defense say they
expect to prove that Bessie Kent Web.
ster was murdered by a mysterious
person with black mustasche while
| Webster and a woman detective We're
following the couple in pursuit OF evil
dence the alleged murderer expected to
| use in reopening his divorce case.
At Dixon rivalry has sprung up be-
tween two liverymen. according to the
defense, both concerns claiming owner
! ship of the rig that conveyed Webster
ana the woman to the pasture where
the body was found. The defense will
F., contend tina tboth liverymen are right
j about renting vehicle to Chicago
people and that two different couples
| hired rigs.
| Tells Of Black Mustached Man.
! Webster's new defense had its in
| ception in Chicago when Webster in
+, formed Captain Baer that he had re-
ceived a telephone message from an
Unnamed woman to the effect that
| Bessie had been in the company Of
the mysterious black mustached man.
and that Bessie then stated she had
given up Webster for rich guy who
intended to take her to the country"
Then the scene shifts to Dixon,
; where the rivalry between 1iverymen
has resulted in two different firms
claiming ownership Of the rig that
conveyed Webster and the woman to
Schoor's pasture. where the body was
found. The defense will contend that
both liverymen are right about renting
a vehicle to Chicago people, and that
two different couples hired the rigs.
The climax is reached at Castle Rock
thru Charles Bishop. a farmer, who
has volunteered to furnish affidavit
that he interfered in a quarrel between
Bessie Kent Webster and a man with
"black mustache and long black hair"
a description which under no circum-
stances could be fitted on Webster.
AN innocent man is under arrest"
said Bishop to reporter. land l feel
it my duty to save his life. I will 20
into court with my wife and daughter
and the three Of us will swear to 1t.
if the court will listen.
THE three OF us observed buggy
drawn by q big brown horse coming
up the road. The two occupants were
quarreling. The woman was hysterical.
Finally the man shouted to her: You
WILL II you don't I'll kill YOU At this
juncture I rushed over to them and
reprimanded the man for his conduct.
He apologized to the woman as she
wept Between sobs she said she was
the wife Of a Chicago physician named
Webster. The couple finally patched
up their differences I withdrew and
they drove on. 1 didn't view the body
of the dead woman, but the one l saw
answers the official description Of Bes-
sic Kent Webster
Black Mustache Man in Divorce.
In the divorce suit Of DR.. Webster
against Bessie Kent Webster the imam
with the black mustache'' is mentioned
in the affidavits OF Mabel Sexsmith and
Harry Tracey, who acted as detectives.
There seems to be no doubt Webster
and woman hired a horse and buggy
from Liveryman George Clark at Dixon
the night of Sept. Is. Clark also says
Webster hired 4 second rig the mex.
morning at 10:45 But Reed and Bur-
right. opposition liverymen, have as
sured the authorities the rig was hired
from them for the morning trip. The
"alibi' letter Webster wrote his mother
excused the writer for his inability to
visit his folks as he had promised, and
it stated specifically that Webster spent
the night of Friday, Sept. Is. at the
home Of his cousin, Stanley Webster
in Chicago.
States Attorney Emerson is conceal
ing the names Of two witnesses who
saw Webster and Bessie on the Lowell
Park road between Dixon and Schoors
pasture at 11:15 a. m. on Sept. Is.
Another Identifies Webster.
Additional strength was given the
states case by G. r. Garland, night
telegraph operator at the Northwest
ern station in Dixon. who identified
Webster as the man who alighted from
a train on the night Of Sept. Is
Sheriff Delaney and States Attorney
Emerson insist the murder was planned
deliberately: that Webster's only pur-
pose IN effecting a reconciliation after
the divorce suit was to arrange for her
death. They have the word Of Mrs.
Agnes Kent, mother Of the slain
woman. that Bessie feared Webster
They contend 1t was his purpose TO
murder her when he drove her into the
country upon their arrival at Dixon
Friday night, but something interfered
with his plans and he had to return
and spend the night at the Dixon inn.f
Prosecutor Scouts Story.
States Attornl Emerson. who will
prosecute Weh.Aar secuted the story. |
of the mysterious man with the black |
moustache. who was said by Charles
Bishop. a farmer. to have attempted to |
kill Mrs. Webster on the Dixon road |
Webster will be arraigned this after !
noon.
DR.. Webster pleaded not guilty when |
arraignel in conrf