Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-02
HAUSER MAKES A
SLIP OF TONGUE
AT HIS HEARING
Makes it Apparent to Spectators 2 :
He Was the Man Who Kill ),
the Woodmen of Y
World Cashier,
HE IS HELD w1THoe IS .oKD
Bound Over on First Degree Murder
Charge and May Be Tried
Within Two Weeks.
HORTON MAY BE DEFENDER

see the person have a gun?"-Hauser.
This question. put to Miss Grace
Slater by Arthur HauseI, arraigned
in police court for the murder of w.
H. Smith Of Council Bluffs, was the
one startling slip made by the de-
fendant during his preliminary ex-
animation. He was bound over to
the district court without bonds on
charge of first degree murder
while attempting to rob-"
Miss Grace Slater, 2017 Howard
street, in whose name the complaint
was filed, was the only one to testify
against the man. She related the
circumstances of the hold-up in
which her escort, w. H. Smith of the
Woodmen of the World. was shot
down by a bandit. During the hear
ing both she and County Attorney
Magney referred to the highwayman
as Hauser.
| Says Hauser the Man.
Hauser was brought into court by Cap
! tain Maloney, and listened in an indif-
ferent manner to the reading of the COM
plant Miss Slater was accompanied by
her mother. and stood alongside of
Hauser while in court.
! The latter pleaded not guilty and asked
for a preliminary examination.
rs this the man who shot Smith,"
asked Magney.
/ "It is," replied Miss Slater, emphatic
ally, and looked Hauser In the eye. He
smiled with a slight sneer, and shifted
| his gaze.
| Following her recital of the incidents
| OF the holdup Hauser asked Miss Slater
several questions-if the man was masked
what kind OF a mask he wore, and,
! finally, made the slip that caused the
crowd which packed the court room to
stir audibly.
! He offered no testimony himself, and
was without counsel, owing to lack of
funds.
| Hauser is Gloomy.
I 'I guess they all wHnt me to go 70 the
( chair--so the sooner it's over the better
Hauser Is said TO have remarked to Ma
loney as he was led from the court room.
| Besides the big crowd OF idly curious,
numerous county and city officials and
! victims of Hauser's depredations as rob
her. were in court. He was taken to the
! county Jail in Sheriff Mcshane's car Inn
medlately after the hearing.
| County Attorney Magney will be ready
! TO put Hauser on trial within two weeks,
he said. following the preliminary hearing.
Horton Assy Defend
If Hauser does not secure an attorney
prior to his arraignment I'm district court.
and IL he informs District Judge English
that he is unable to hire a lawyer, Rich
arc Horton. public defender, will be as
| signed to defend him
Several attorneys, however. have signf-
fled their willingness to defend Hauser.
! without much regard to financial remu-
neration. on account of the prominence
| Of the case.
story of Crime
! The crime for which Hauser Is to be
tried is briefly as follows:
| On the night of Sunday. October 16. w.
H. Smith. cashier OF the Woodmen OF
| the World. met by chance, Miss Grace
Slater, an employe OF his department, on
downtown thoroughfare and offered to
escort her to her home. at 1922 North
AhAItg~lohINn olAtGls Near InlTIN-LlTSt
and Dodge streets, they were held up
by masked bandit. who shot Smith
down. when the latter was slow in rails
ing his hands. He then walked Miss
Slater about the neighbodhood. for more
than an hour. making indecent proposals
to her. Finally he put her on a Cunning
street car. at Fortieth street. and disap-
peared.
The police later suspicioned Hauser, and
some weeks after the shooting Of Smith
I he was arrested in Indianapolis, and
taken to Wichita, Kan. where the Of
ficisls Of that city asserted he was
wanted for a string Of outrages and rob-
berries.
With the Omaha police confident that
he was wanted here for first degree
murder. the Wichita authorities de-
mands were satisfied with money and he
was brought to Omaha for trial. Here
he confessed 10 the robbery of the w. T,
Hause household, and guests. and inti-
mated that he had done other jobs here.
He denies all knowledge Of the Smith af-
fair.
! Brought 40 County Jail.
Arthur Hauser. confessed holdup man
and assailant of women. accused OF the
murder of w. IA. Smith, Woodmen OF the
World cashier, placed In the county jail
pending trial. declined to deny a report
that, under a different name. last sum
mer he had beeen arrested and arraigned
in police court on a vagrancy charge.
Were you not arrested in Omaha last
summer" Hauser was asked.
you can't find it In the records" he
replied.
More than that Hauser refused to say
concerning that incident
Police court officials say they have a
recollection that such a man as Hauser
passed through police court. Their belief
never has been directly corroborated by
Hauser. but his manner Of answering the
question Is considered to give color 10
their statement. What disposition was
made OF the case is not known.
Seen by Effie Hawkins.
Another statement which threw new
light on Hauser's history In Omaha was
an assertion made by Effie Hawkins. a
negro woman. that she had frequently
seen HRuser. and that he had lived with
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