Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-13
DR. WEBSTER
PLEADS G| IT.. :.
NOT SENTENCED
Changes Plea Previously
Entered and Throws Self
on Mercy of Court; To be
Sentenced Next Week.

Webster pleaded guilty to murder in
the Ogle county circuit court here to-
day on the first anniversary Of his
marriage to Bessie Kent Webster,
whom, by his own confession he killed
near here last September. Webster
withdrew plea of not guilty previously
made by him. "a
Attorney John l.. Erwin of Web.
ster's counsel, in brief statement af.
ter the defendant was taken before
Judge Farrand, announced formally
that his client desired to enter the
plea Of guilty. Webster, in response
to Interrogation by the court, then
made the plea of guilty in person.
Judge Farrand asked Webster if the
defendant understood that he was en-
titled to trial by jury and II the plea
of guilty was made with Webster's
own free will.
To each question Webster replied
Eyes" In an even tone of voice.
States Attorney Emerson placed
several witnesses on the stand to
present certain features of the states 8
case. The first was Matthias Mayors,
who found Bessie Kent Webster's
nude body in the Ogel county woods
between Dixon and Polo last fall
Mayors was followed on the stand
by DR.. L. M. Griffin, Of Polo, who made
an examination Of Mrs. Webster's
body at the time it was discovered.
He testified that Mrs. Webster's death
was due to knife or scalpel wound in
the neck which had severed the jug.
ular vein. Dr. Griffin also described
an operation which he said had been
performed on Mrs. Webster some time
before her death. III -.
Sheriff Delaney of Ogle county then
testified about the confession which
he said Webster had made imme-
diately, after arrest. Il. s
IN 'its essential points, the confes-
sion was the same as that made public
at the time OF Webster's arrest. The
confession was long and detailed Web
ster's trip from Chicago to Dixon and
thence to the Ogle county woods with
Bessie Kent Webster, where the MUIR
der took place. It was read into the
records.
Briefly the confession said that after
driving out of Dixon on the morning
of the murder he and his wife quar-
relied; that he drew small knife
from his pocket. ~
Bessie jumped out of the buggy"
stated the confession, "and threw her
hand bag at her. She ran, screaming,
down into a wood, sort Of ravine. l
ran after her, several blocks, guess.
She stumbled and fell as I neared her
and fell over. ''@ -.
"She was yelling or screaming and
slashed at her head with my knife,
first. Then I cut at her throat. l
hacked at her until she stopped yell
ing, don't know how long. The next
thing ! remember, was lying on the
grass, exhausted Then I climbed back
into the buggy and drove back to
Dixon. I don't remember whether I dis
robed Bessie's body or if I covered it
with leaves"
During the reading Of the confession
Mrs. Webster's mother broke down
and wept aloud. Webster, at the other
end of the room, stared directly ahead
and did not look toward Mrs. Kent.
Judge Farrand said he would defer
imposition of sentence until next
week, probably.
Mrs. n4. w. Kent and Mrs. J. B.
Strainer of Chicago, mother and sister
of the slain, woman, were in the court
house when the plea was made. They
were escorted by Dr.. H. E. Thomas
and Mr.. Stainer. brothers in law Of
Bessie Kent Webster.
Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. w. Webster of
Dixon. father and mother of the de-
fendant arrived early from Forreston,
where they had spent the night with
relatives. The Websters were accom-
panied by Rev. Divans and Mrs. Divans
of Forreston, uncle and aunt Of Harry
Webster. Webster's two sisters were
not present