The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-03-19
attorneys Say That Testimony Will
Hardly be- Finished Before
Friday Morning In
Murder Trial.
KEEN INTEREST IN CASE
court Room is Crowded When the
Eighth Day Of Lochhead Murder
Case il Begun In
District Court.


The eighth day of the Lochhead
murder case began this morning be-
fore another packed court room. The
rebuttal testimony, offered by the
state, which was interrupted yester-
day afternoon by the arguments OF
the attorneys, was resumed at the
opening of court and continued
throughout the morning.
County Attorney McManus declared
at noon that he had six or seven adj
dition witnesses in rebuttal and the
defense is expected to introduce sew
eral witnesses in sur-rebuttal.
The defendant seems to be the
least interested of any Of the specta-
tors in the court room and does not
show a bit of the strain which he
must be laboring under. His a.tor-
neys indicate by their emanner and
many objections that they have only
begun the fight for the freedom OF
their client and that they will exhaust
every legal means to accomplish tina.
end.
Wordy clashes were frequent be-
tween the attorneys for the state ana
the defense this morning, but they
were quickly silenced by the court
whose efforts to expedite the case,
without great expense ito the county,
have been prominent throughout the
trial.
1t was said by attorneys on both
sides today that the argument i OF
counsel could hardly begin before
Friday, although 1t is possible tina,
they may be reached by tomorrow
noon.
Henry Renyard was recalled to the
stand this morning as a character
witness for Marian Steidley. The wit
ness testified that he had known the
deceased for many years and knew
him to be man Of good character.
He denied that he had ever told Al
bert Miller and others that Steidley
had been stealing his chickens and
said that he had been good neigh
Dor. He also testified that Earnest
Steidley bore a good reputation in
that neighborhood.
Joe Bannon testified that he had
known Steidley for several years ant
had hunted with him several times.
The witness said that he had consid-
cred the deceased man of good char.
acter. Jake Fletcher and David Law
son testified about the same, and the
defense moved to strike from the rec
ord the testimony of all three, declar-
ing that their testimony had no bear
Ing upon the issue. The motion was
overruled by Judge Hamilton.
B. T. Larson was the next witness
He testified that he had known Steid-
ley for many years but believed him
to be man who was not violent
dangerous, vindicative or quarrel
some. On cross examination, the wit
ness admitted that he had furnished
information against Steidley some
years ago, when Steidley was convict
ed of entering house owned by the
mother-in-law of the witness
Mike Welsh testified to the good
character of the deceased, based up
on an acquaintance of about two
years
Mrs. Eliza Sims told of the life .,
Earnest Steidley at her home for two
years, saying that she considered hin
boy Of good moral character.
Louis Hanson was another charac
ter witness and told Of the good rep
utation borne by the deceased.
When court convened after tn,
noon adjournment, every seat in thu
room was occupied, interest in thu
case seemingly growing as the tria
progressed.
The opening of the afternoon ses
sion was delayed for some time by thu
non-arrival of the defendant, who hat
been sent in an automobile to hi
home for the gun with which Steid
ley was killed.
The gun, which has not been Ii
evidence during the trial, was re
quested by the state and the defend
ant offered to go to his home for II
1t was not known whether or no
the defense would object to the intro
duction of the gun in evidence.
Lochhead returned to the cour'
room at 2:45, carrying the gun in
case. He was out Of breath and ha
evidently had to wade through mu
to get the weapon as several spotche
of mud on his clothing and shoes tel
titled .
Fred Hilpert was the first witnes
called this afternoon, testifying tina
he had never heard Of Marian Steit
ley being violent, quarrelsome, vii
dicative and dangerous man. On eros
examination. Mr.. Hilpert said that h
had heard OF steidley assaulting hi
wife, but knew nothing Of other al