Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-31
STATE WILL URGE FORMER
HAMPTON MAN WAS KILLED
~ coNsP,RAToRs.
TRIAL FOR DOUBLE MURDER
IN PROGRESS At WHEELER, 8. b
Robert Brooks Charged With Killing
Menxie and His sookksepsr, Miss
Blanche Signal, At Gsddes, Because
Of Msnxis's Activity Against Gam
biers.

Wheeler, 8. D., Dec. 31.-.A motive fof
the murder Of w. H. Menzie, former
resident Of Hampton, Iowa, manager
of the Farmers Cooperative Lumber
Company, and Miss Blanche Signal,
bookkeeper, in the office oe the com.
pany, on April II, will be produced at
the trial Of Robert f. Brooks, charged
with the double murder according to
States Attorney A. 3. Beck. Attorneys
connected with the prosecution go far
Their and say evidence of conspiracy
will develop, involving several persons
and interests we'll known in South Da-
kota, and that the murder was care
fully planned and an alibi framed in
advance,
A. B. Beck, states attorney, made the
opening statement to the jury. Beck Is
assisted by E. E. Wagner, of Sioux
Falls, representing the attorney gen.
erals office. d. II. Sullivan, of Sioux
City, and John Upton, Of Geddes, are
attorneys for Brooks.
Conflicting Testimony.
Witnesses will testify that shortly
before the fire was discovered which
consumed the buildings Of the lumber
company, two automobiles were seen
to leave the place. and that Brooks, the
defendant, was later seen in Platte, Z
short distance away.
The bodies of Menzie and Miss Sig
nal were found In the ruins. The heads
of both had been crushed by blows
with a hammer and a bullet wound
was found in Menzie's skull. Both
bodies were bound with wire. A re-
volver, one chamber of which had
been fired, was found near Menzie. The
latters hands were free; the prosecu-
ton claims he freed them by
struggling.
The defense claims proof that Brooks
was in Niobrara, Neb., on the night OF
the murder.
Menzie, who was radical reformer,
Is said to have quarreled with Brooks
over gambling layout, which Brooks
ran on the streets here at an old
settlers picnic, several months prior to
the crime.
Menzie also acquired some active
enemies in bitter legal fight against
the so-called South Dakota lumber
trust. Several persons Of wealth were
heavily fined in the state courts as q
result Of Menzie's activities.
Lived in Sioux City.
Mrs. Birdie Brooks, at one time q
waitress in the Padley hotel here, until
recently stayed at the Arcade hotel in
Sioux City, where Brooks lived with
her. The state will try to prove that
Brooks spent money lavishly In Sioux
City after the crime, explaining that
he had inherited it from relative.
Sioux City friends are known to
have contributed money for Brooks
defense.
Charles Mix county is seriously
bitter that timid ones hesitate to voice
opinions, even privately. Members Of
the reform element are strongly in
sympathy with the prosecution, but
citizens who favor wide open town
are opposed to Attorney Beck's fight
on general principles.
w. G. Kinser, proprietor Of the Had
ley hotel, and those about him are out
spokenly hostile to the prosecution of
Brooks. Kinser was indicted for boot
logging thru Beck's activity. kinser
also is under indictment in the United
States court, at Sioux Falls, on q white
slave charge due to transporting wait
resses from Sioux City.
Geddes Is running wide open" now.
except for the gambling ,ayouts. The
hotel Is overlooking with guests, at
tracted by the trial. Wheeler Is very
cramped for hotel room and strings Of
automobiles leave Geddes each morn
ing. bearing court visitors.