Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915, 1914-10-07
ATTY, COMERFORD BRINGS
OUT CHAIN Of EVIDENCE
|NPERSON CASE
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY WITNESSES
CALLED TO STAND DURING TRIAL
MISS HELEN JONES STAR WITNESS

LINCOLN H. Oct, 5-Miss Halen Jones of
Clinton caused a sensation at the Person murder
trial when she stated on the witness stand that
she had been asked by States Attorney L. O..
Williams OF Dewitt county to suppress some of
the knowledge she had of the tragedy. She was
an eye witness Of the tragedy and the states
attorney asked her to not say anything to the
attorneys for the defense about what she knew
After Miss Jones testimony had been given. the
Jury vas convinced that Williams was persecuttng
In the Person case. instead Of prosecuting.
d.. b. n Puch. city physician OF Clinton. who
performed the post moftem examination OF Tony
Mussers body was not put on the witness stand
By the uton. although he alone was in POSI-
OUT by his examination Of Musser's body. He Was
called to the stand by the defense and told
truthful story OF the tragedy and OF the examina-
ton During his testimony the Jury and people
10 the court room were again reminded that there
something wrong inasmuch a. he had not been
called on to testify for the prosecution
Try - l.pseeA vssss.
The state tried to impeach the evidence Of Bert
Fost the bartender who testified for the defense
sad told OF Mussr using the telephone In the
saloon where he was working to call up Person
and giving the name OF Kirk OF Decatur
The following are some of the statements MADE
By witnesses In the chain OF evidence In the Per-
son trial This evidence showed that Person wa:
deooyed to the place OF the tragedy ana siuxSed
and beaten by the deceased.
ness Sssss
vas bartender at Bryant and csekiys saloon
Tony Ausser came into the saloon on the seth day
OF December, 1913 hung up his oyercoat and used
the telephone heard him say In the telephone:
This 10 Kirk Meet me at the interurban station.
have to leave town on the next car
Heses M~Csss
Ny occupation Is teI.phon. operator. I worked
on the afternoon OF Dec. 30th. 1913. l connected
W the telephone number So. which 10 Bryant and
cacklys saloon. with number '3S which n the
number Of the strike Bulletin office ! connected
thsss numbers about O'Clock In the afternoon
heard about the tragedy some time after That
vas the first call had had for 7as for that day
CLAUDE BssA.
h.. .hnns TIM hat
Carl Person came In and looked around. II was
between and s:30 on the afternoon Of December
ssn. l stayed inside OF the depot until after the
snoounE WAS In the ladies waiting room
w. In the back freight room when the shooting
occurred.
EAss netthewa
saw Carl Person that afternoon He tipped his
.st to me In the waiting room II WAS between
and AIS. This occurred In the l. T. s. station
YrsA kisk-
live at Decatur. Ill I knew Tony Ausser In
ne NE time. Deceassd worked for me prior to
os'obsr l. 1914. At Decatur. In the railroad round
sesse shops had mentioned Carl Person to him
. hsd taken up subscriptions for Person At the
seoca ! have known Person for seven or eight
yeefa ! vas not IN Clinton. Illinois. on the after
e ssoa OF December 30. 1919. l did not call up
a. to telephone conversation between Person
sad someone At number ss7. heard Person say.
IL Ais KIRK All right Kirk. III be down"
to 20 down to the depot" You say that you are
sesn At the interurbanr' Took his hat and went
IRON the office
Fpask nssAsss
"a, sas about is feet from the telephone booth
Al right, Kirk. I'll be down" That fellow kirk
a. lots OF nerve to ask TO go down TO the
=. station" Matthews and were there.
Ernest ID. Mitchell
Vas In Dean Wilson's cigar store. next TO the
.aasfaroan depot ! saw Musser there about
s.'eck lie asked me " knew Carl Person. and
Issd me to point him out l then stepped around
eouhter and Musser wanted to know for sure
hnew that that person was Carl Person
ynoed out Carl Person from the south window
heS Person by sight Person started north on
east side Of the street. husser crouched back
- me recess. The receas WAS q foot deep. Per-
~. zane directly opposite. He sprang out at Per-
sno struck Person the right temple. Person
~ Knocked to the ground and Ausser on top OF
Aasser had hold OF Person by the neck with