Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-04-15
Colonel
TODHUNTER
Of Missouri
By RIPLEY D. SAUNDERS

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And the hearing Of testimony for
the state began.
1t went forward with merciless pre-
cision and dispatch. a certainty, and
rapidity 90 well ordered as to be over
wheiming IN moral effect
The evidence was cruelty against
Tom Strickland. Two witnesses, a
farmer and his son. testified to finding
the dead body Of STAN Tucker by the
roadside. at q point midway between
the Tucker homo and the town of
Nineveh, at daybreak ON the morn
ing Of the 9th day Of July Just past.
They were on their way into town to
sell garden produce. The dead man
lay On his back Just at the edge Of the
road. There was 4 bullet hole in his
forehead. A pistol, with one chamber
empty lay an inch or two distant from
his right hand. Tho witnesses had
hurried into Nineveh and notified the
authorities.
Simeon Birdsong testified that bad
feeling had existed between Thomas
w. Strickland and Stamford Tucker
sines the night Of the clash between
the strickland and 'Yaucey factions at
the opening rally Of the Strickland
campaign. The witness stated that tho
accused e that time made threats to
get even" with Tucker for attempt
ing b break up the Strickland meet
ing. On the following day the accused
had openly i1sulted Tucker h the bar
Toom Of the Nineveh hotel and had
knocked him down q short time later
when they again met in the Same place.
II was generally believed that there
would be Q bloody encounter between
them before the campaign closed. Other
associates Of the dead man and the &C
cused testified to the same facts.
Mrs. Todhunter. whose appearance
a. q witness for the state was . dra-
matte surprise and who was pitifully
agitated testified to the fact Of the
accusation made against Thomas W.
Strickland b. Lotde-Aiay DoSEett At
the reception and bop given BY the
Nineveh Light Infantry. and her testi-
mony was supported By that Of several
other ladla0 who heard the accusation.
Nicholas BIedsoe, the bartender In
the saloon frsqusnted b. the Yancey-
Tucker faction. testified to the facts Of
tho two visits to his place made by the
accused on the forenoon and evening
Of. the 2eth day Of July just past On
tho occasion Of the latter visit tho ac-
oused had told him that Stamford
Tucker was the man whom Lottie- May
DoSgett should r1shtfully have charx-
ed With her ruin: that the girl had
told him, the accused, Of fuckers
meeting her secretly. and that he
meant 10 make Tucker acknowledge
the truth publicly OF else kill him.
This witness testimony established
the hour Of $50 on that night as the
exact time 1T which Tom Strickland
had left the barroom to 90 out to the
Tucker home for tho purpose Of COM
pelling Stamford Tucker to agree to
make such an acknowledgment or Of
forcing Q hostile meeting In the event
Of his refusal.
White hatred Mrs. Tucker, the dead
mans mother; Katherine Tucker. his
sister, and Ellen Barry. domestic in
the Tucker home. testified that SIAM
ford Tucker had left the house at OF
about $50 o'clock on the night Of the
2eth Of July past. saying that he might
be late in returning. He had not told
them where he was going. They had
believed he was going into the town
Of Nineveh.
DR.. LongSord, the county coroner,
TESTIFIED to the stablished facts Of the
inquest that had resulted in q verdict
holding Thomas W. Strickland for the
killing Of Stamford Tucker.
Luther Bradheld, proprietor Of a
hardware store in Nineveh, testified
that Thomas W. Strickland had pur-
chased Q revolver from him on the
morning after the opening Of the
Strickland campaign in the Nineveh
town hall. He identified the weapon
taken from the accused at the time Of
bis arrest Is the one thus purchased.
and stated that the bullet found in
Stamford fuckers brain was fred
from a pistol Of the same caliber.
Colonel Thurston T. Todhunter and
Miss Lottie-Atay Doggett had not an
swered to their names when called as
witnesses for the prosecution. The
deputy sheriff sent to bring them into
court had returned later and announced
that he had been unable to find them.
This had occasioned much surprise:
but, AZ both the state and the defense
felt assured OF their appearance at al
most any moment, the examination Of
other witnesses proceeded.
The case against Tom Strickland be-
ran to assume It's most ominous aspect
Immediately following the testimony
Of Bradneld, the hardware dealer.
The prosecuting attorney turned.
smiling, from a whispered consulta-
ton with old Ephraim Tucker.
"Call Abraham L. Tolliver" he said.
A negro man about forty years Of
age took the stand in answer to the
aherirs cry. He seemed frightened
and reluctant to testify.