Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-07-15
|DARK'S WIDOW TO
DENY LUR|D TALE
OF IOWA MURDER
Sister of States Chief Witness
Appears at Trial to Give
Testimony For De-
PENDANTS.
| NEVER HEARD OF MURDER
Mrs. Maria Porter Repeats
Story on Witness Stand
Anderson Tells of Search
For Treasure Chest.

Bedford. In, July 15.--Samucl An
derson. rlie aged pioneer who was the
cause OF his neighbors being brought
into court on charges of murder in
connection with the Siam murder and
buried treasure. is on the stand this
afternoon at tine hearing of Bates
Huntsnlan before Justice Sawyer. An
derson followed John a. Mckenzie, of
Omaha, on the witness stand. and his
evidence is expected to take up the
greater part of the afternoon. The
witness story ON the stand did not
vary greatly from that which he told
Ia public statements recently. He de-
tailed his almost continuous efforts
during the last 20 years to dig up a
treasure chest on his farm. which was
the scene of the alleged murder and
robbery of Nathaniel Smith. a Mis-
souri, cattleman. and his son in 1877.
was when Mrs. Elizabeth Benson. of
Dover, Olsla.i widow of Jonathan DARK.
who is alleged to have figured i'll the
Siam farm murder and robbery case
told Attorney General Cosson that hei
sister. Matte Collins McAlester. was
acquitted of the murder of Jonathah
Dark at independence. Mo. on the plea
of insanity.
Mrs. Benson is to take the stand for
the defense and WILL it is said. deny
the statements of her other sister. Mrs.
Maria Collins Porter, the states chiei
witness. made in the hearing last night
and this morning.
The case of Bates HuntslHan. the
eldest of the four defendants III tho
case, was taken up first. The other
three defendants are Snmuel Scrivner
John and Henry Danewood. II is ex-
pccted the hearing. which began last
night. would last two more days.
sFl1n,s ,stais ists}ag t,1c psi'poses OF the III
vestigation Attorney General cosson
said: "'rhc aim of the state is not To
convict these men nor to free them,
but TO get at the truth" This is taken
here to indicate that the attorney gen
| erals department does not feel entirely
| convinced of the merits of the case. 1t
Is rumored around the courtroom that
Attorney General Cosson and his as
sistant, CA. Robbins. think that the
local authorities were too hasty in
| while the investigation still was in
progress.
Dark's Widow Appears.
A new feature OF the situation .oday
| Is the arrival Of Mrs. Elizabeth Collins
| Benson. sister of Mrs. Maria Porter
| chief witness for the state. Mrs. Ben
| son is the widow OF Jonathan Dark.
who was killed by another sister of the
| two women. 1t is stated that Mrs. Ben
| son will be one of the important wit
| nesses for the defense and that her
| testimony will giv. different eXplana-
/ tion to many incidents of the case and
| tend to discredit the material features
l in the lurid tale unfolded by Mrs. Por-
1 ter.
\ At the opening Of evidence in the
preliminary hearing last night. Mrs
y Porter was the first witness for the
state She told clearly and iii detail
how she was awakened on that Septem-
J.rI,t Wv, lI.
sounds outside the farm house; how
she went to the door just in time to
see band of men, among whom she
says we're the defendants. carrying 4
quilt containing the body of a man; how
| she saw them throw the body into au
they forced her to wash blood stains
from their clothing. threatening her
4 with death IL she ever breathed q word
of what she had seen.
i She was subjected TO severe cross
examination by Attorney Flick and
showed no signs of confusion She
answered the thrusts OF her quest:oncr
readily and at times displayed spirit
Occasionally she manifested temper
when her examiner attempted to dis
credit her statement.
Mrs. Benson's Claims.
Mrs. Benson. whose home is in Do
yer. Okla. declared that there had been
no killing on the Siam farm at the
time Mrs Maria Collins Porter he,
sister, stated in her testimony las
night. There had been no secret cave,
that she had never heard of any buried
treasure, and that she never knew o
band Of Taylor county outlaws.
Concerning the killing of Jonathan
| Dark, her former husband. Mrs Ben
son said he did not come to their hom
In Missouri for the purpose of KILN.
Maria Collins. hut that he had objected
to her other sister. Matte Collins. go
ing with certain man. and that tn
latter, fearing he intended to do he
| bodily harm, shot him down. Matti
Collins, Mrs. Benson said, was after
| ward tried and acquitted on the gro,In
| of insanity Mrs. Benson said she ha
not seen her sister Mrs. Porter, for 2
years. and could not understand wh
she had gone on the stand and teSti
| fled as she did
Alleged Relative Writes.
Before Anderson began his story thi
morning Mrs Porter resumed the stan
, and cleared up points passed over j
the hearing last night. new clew
: | the identity of Smiths daughter wa
furnished to Attorney Bulman toda
when he received a letter from Kansa
l City. A woman who signed herself q
, .IG." told of a relative named Nathanit
l Smith, who went to Kansas City fro'
l Indiana at the close of the civil wa
He invested heavily in land in an
, about Kansas City, holding it for spec
ulation. A year or so later he sol
the hnd and with his small fortur
5 | started for Taylor county, Ia. oster
8 | sibly to buy cattle. He never re
> | turned.
You can repeat what those dea
men said, can't you?" he asked, "bl
| you cannot repeat what these lviil
| defendants said"
"A yes, l can replied Mrs. Porte
Y 4 quickly. as she pointed "a finger
Samuel Scrivner. one of the defend
: | ants. Sam Scrivner said. lets dlFie
q the money now, and Jonathan Da,
e said. no, let's wait"
9 Scriyner smiled at the reply.
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