Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-20
MRS FRANK w. SMITH. WIFE OF
{. Z. kooNrz's VICTIM, swooNs
IN COURT.
STATE RESTS CASE
IN MURDER TRIAL
Motive For Crime Insane Belief That
Smith Was the Destroyer Of koontz's
Home, According to Concluding
Statement Of Case-Eeesntrieitiss Of
Defendant Shown to Court.
pecial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Omaha, June 20.-Overcome by the
sight of the ugly revolver that dealt
death to her husband when Ezra E.
Koontz pulled the trigger, Mrs. Frank
w. Smith tainted yesterday afternoon
during Koontz's trial for murder before
Judge Willis G. Sears.
Witnesses of the shooting were about
to be asked to identify the weapon.
Paul F. Steinwender, assistant to
County Attorney James P. English, Sc
cured the gun from the exhibit case
and handed it to his chief. With
little cry Mrs Smith sWooned She was
assisted to the courts chambers. where
she was resuscitated. The state rested
before noon and the defense offered
testimony of neighbors and fellow en-
ployes of Koontz that he acted queerly
during the weeks preceding the killing
of Smith
Motive is Shown.
The motive for the killing of Smith
by Koontz was an insane belief that
Smith was the destroyer Of his home
This was clearly indicated by the con-
presentation VI lIlt SdSC W SAAS
Jury by Koontzs counsel, who related
at great length incidents illustrating
| Koontzs alleged insane actions and &C.
centricities and following the state
ment that there had been insanity on
both sides of Koontzs family for sew
eral generations.
| According to the statement OF coun-
sci, Koontz had fits when a boy, and
was subject to severe headaches, ne
! cessitating that he be confined in
darkened room for days at a time. At
! the birth Of his last baby 1t was shown
! that he again became subject to fits Of
melancholy and delusions and, without
! the slightest foundation. suspected his
friend Smith Of being an intruder in
his home.
Once a young woman was visiting
at the Koontz home and a young man
who called TO see her left his rubbers
on the front porch. When Koontz came
home he insisted upon looking under
the beds and thru all parts Of the
house Notwithstanding protests from
the members of the family and the
Young woman Other similar incidents
were related.
Jefferis Outlines Defense.
A. w Jefferis, counsel for Koontz.
went into detail in outlining the de-
tense in the opening statement on be-
half of his client. Jefferis occupied
more than an hour in a careful outline
Of a tragic story of the life of Koontz.
He told Of distant strain Of insan-i
ty in the Koontz family. naming his
great grandfather. several uncles sew
eral cousins. and several nephews who
were or are insane He related how
Koontz, as an engineer. and Smith,
as e conductor. met and became almost
inseparable friends; how they intro
duced their wives and strong bonds OF
friendship between the two couples
We're welded.
Suffers DsIus;on.
delusion that Smith was the father
of Mrs. Koontz's children took pos
session OF the engineers mind. Years
before he had suspected others. His
wife and Mr.. and Mrs. Smith labored
with him to drive out the deluston. but
; they labored in vain. For year this
delusion preyed upon the mans mind
and then there came other troubles =
l sickness Of several members OF the
family. railroad accidents, brutal
attack upon a little girl of the family
I For a week before the shooting Koontz
read his bible and prayed MS W11e anc
children joining him. They begged
! God to clear his mind Of the black de-
fusion regarding his wife, but 1t woulc
y not he driven out.
At last Koontz took the revolver HI
had bought when fearing an attack o.
a man whose arrest he had caused, ane
sought out Smith. His intention wal
81 to point it at Smith and make hin
apologize for or deny what koont;
thought he had done. While he HEX
the gun pointed at Smith he pulled tn
trigger, not realizing what he was do
liz. He went home and was taking
bath when the officers came for him.
State Calls Il Murder.
County Attorney English told tn
simple story of the shooting.ecsliing
calm and deliberate murder. He sal
one witness would testifyT that ate
shooting Smith Koontz turned to
man who had rushed up and told hir
to keep his nose OUT or nd would &c
the same thing" Then Ko2ntz disap
peared behind some cars and ned t
= homo