Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-24
.k|MN|EL| 4 !! | ON The
WITNESS STAND
At ST. LOUIS
Mysterious Witness Says ne
is Son and Brother of the
Women Who Disclaimed
Relationship With Him.

at. Louis, Feb. 23.-Andrew J.
white. the Kimmel claimant, who for
1 four years has declared himself to pe
George A. Kimmel, former Arkansas
City. Kan, bank cashier, made tnat
J; assertion before the jury for the tlrst
time in the Kimmel insurance suit TO.
day.
White sitting in the witness chair
he faced Mrs. >Estelle Kimmel Wnom
he claims as his mother and VINO re-
pudiated him before a jury few days
ago. Mrs. Kimmel gazed keenly at
his face but he did not return her
look. a
Dispositions bearing on the suit were
being read when the claimant entered
the court room. When his name was
called he went to the witness chair,
and addressing Federal Judge Amloon
said:
"Judge, I'm nervous this morning
and hardly in condition to stand tnls
ordeal" .4
''Do the best you can" said Judge
Amidon a''and don't be afraid
The claimant said he would like to
have a physician examine him but
Judge Amidon said he thought that
was not necessary. The claimant
gave his name as George Alfred Kim
mel, said he was brother Of Edna
Kimmel Bonslet and son Of Mrs.
Estelle Ki1nmel. On direct examina-
5tion he said he was born in Niles,
Mich, Feb. /, 1867.
On cross examination he seemed de-
fiant rather than nervous. His an
swers were sharp and snappy. He
was asked about his deposition which
Me gave in Auburn prison in 1908. He
Hestified he did not remember the
llate and that he told g6he attorneys
X s;;;l Hen f tie deposition was taken, that
al1s wa, not competent to testify. He
accused the attorneys Of having put
data in the deposition that he did not
say.
He testified in reply to question
that he was not able to recall any part
of the deposition he gave IN prison.
Many statements in the deposition
are opposite to the sworn testimony
given by other witnesses.
1T is unfair to read that deposition
before the court" the claimant said,
because 1t shows me up In raise
light The reading of it shows man
who was not mentally strong. All my
memory was practically wreck.
After reading numerous questions
from the dispositions an attorney for
the plaintiff asked the witness If ne
made these replies to questions ask.
ed him. The witness replied: i
''It must be mistake" II
Before ordering recess Judge Ami
don said to the claimant:
"Mr Witness, lot of this may
seem unnecessary to you, but 1t is
most necessary that we reach a solu-
tion OF this case" " =, s
"But, your honor" said the claim
ant, cit seems foolish to read de-
position l gave when l was not in my
right mind"
"That is all right" said the Judge.
"It is not foolish to us. Do the best
you can"
That the end of the trial is approach
ing was evidenced this morning
when Judge Charles F. Amidon told
the counsel that his instructions to
the jury would be exceedingly brief.
He said practically all the law he
would instruct the jury on would be as
to the death of Geo. A. Kimmel, whose
mysterious disappearance from Ark
ansas City, Kan, in 1898, occasioned
the controversy between Kimmels
heirs and an insurance company OF
New York, finally resulting in the
present hearing. The jurors will be
told to return verdict in favor Of the
heirs If they decide Kimmel is dead
and for the insurance company If they
believe he Is alive. -1