Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-12
FORMER HUssAND o. c90AIA
RAPIDS GIRL, SLAYER OF sGc-
oNo WIFE, Asks AegRcx.
soRRowMo MOTHER t@9AAo
ApMlss,oN or ovsIys
Webster Cool and Collected DsEln9
Court Frocssdinss-etaas Prsssnts
Evidence Briefly Covering csstaiR
Features Of cass-Wehseee Gays
Plea Was Made Of Own Frso VIII.

Oregon. H., Jan. 1:.-Dr. HAIRY
killed Mrs, Bessie Kent Webster short
ly after his bigamous marriage to Miss
Zoe varney. a respected girl OF Cedar
Rapids. Iowa. today entered a plea OF
guilty In court here.
DR.. Webster pleaded guilty to mur-
der on the first anniversary OF his mar
riage to Bessie Kent Webster. whom BY
his own confesston he killed near hare
last September. WebstAr withdrew
plea Of not guilty previously made ~
him.
When Judge Farrnnd opsusd cpurs
Attorney John L. Erwin. Of Weboeeeo
counsel. in a brief statement. an
nouncel formally that his client de-
sired to enter the plea OF guilty. Web
ster in response TO an Interrogation oy
the court then made the plea OF guilty
In person.
Judge Farrand asked Webster II he
understood he was entitled to eiaA ~
Jury and n the plea OF guilty was madS
with Webster's own free Will 70 eaeh
question Webster replied Yes In An
evon tone OF voice.
After he had entered his plea Wen"
ster seated himself at tho side OF nie
mother. who wept sorrowfully thruous
the proceedings.
state Attorney Emerson then placed
several witnesses on the stand TO pre-
sent certain features of the states
case. The first was Matthias Mayors.
who found Bessie Kent Webster's nude
body in the Ogle county woods be-
tween Dixon and Polo last fall
Mayors was followed on the stand BY
DR. T.. w. Griffin. OF Polo, who made
ar examination Of Mrs. Webster's
body at tho time 1t was discovered.
DR. Griffin testified that Mrs. Web
ster's death was due to knife wound
in the neck. which had severed tho
iugular vein. and also described an op-
Grafton which he said had been per-
formed on Mrs Webster somc time be-
fore her death. 4sss@ "a
Wsbstsr's certsssien. z.
Sheriff Delaney. OF Ogle county. then
Testified about the confession. which he
said Webster had made Immediately
after his arrest. In It's essential points
the confession was the same as that
made public at the time of Webster's
arrest.
Briefly the confession said that after
driving out Of Dixon on the morning OF
the murder he and his wife quarreled.
and that he drew small knife from
his pocket
Bessie jumped out Of the buggy"
said the confession. and l threw her
hand bag at her. She ran screaming
down into a sort Of ravine. I ran af-
ter her, several blocks I guess. She
stumbled and fell and / fell over her
"She was screaming and I slashed at
her head with my knife first. Then
cut at her throat. l hacked Mt her
until she stopped yelling. don't know
how long. The next thing l remember
was lying on the grass exhausted
Then climbed back into the buggy
and returned to Dixen. don't re-
member whether I disrobed Bessie's
body or covered II 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.