Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-20
STATE MAKING SLOW PROGRESS
IN SECOND HEARING, Az (. MA
oLENWooD.
HELD FOR MURDER OF
e. 4. N. w. FIREMAN,
Case Probably Will Not Go to Jury
Until End q Wssk-Fssiins Aaainst
Prisoner Subsidies Since First Trial
State Believed 70 30 Weaving
Strong Wsb Of Evidence.

to prove that Francesco .Guidice, alias
Henry Wiley, cut the throat Of Howard
Jones; Council Bluffs Northwestern
locomotive fireman, near the North
western roundhouse In that city on the
night Of May 27,s1913. is slowly being
spun in district court here before
Judge Thomas Arthur. Two days spent
in the selection Of q. jury, during which
nearly half hundred prospective.
jurors we're examined before men be-.
lieyed competent to serve as q jury
were chosen, delayed the starting lof
the trial and on Saturday noon when
adjournment was taken until 10 o'clock
Monday morning. the prosecution had
placed but, five. OF its witnesses on the,
stand. The testimony OF these five
persons has been, largely Of a nature to
get before the Jury the circumstances
surrounding the death Of young Jones
and the setting in which the crime is
alleged to have been committed. Thus
far no testimony has been introduced
to shed light on the motive prompting
the killing, but 1t Is expected witnessed
for this purpose will be placed in the,
chair early during the coming week.
Saturday, the second day of actual
trial. saw but two witnesses called to
the stand. William McGruder. night
clerk in the roundhouse office the night
Jones was Killed, who was on the stand
Friday afternoon, resumed his testi-
mony Saturday morning at the OPEN
Ing of court. McGruder's testimony
yesterday was largelya continuation of
that which he made on the preceding
day. BY direct and cross examination
minute and detailed description Of
the roundhouse and surroundings was
given to the jury and pictures intro
duced as evidence are intended further
to familiarize the men who will de-
eide Guidice's fate, with the setting of
the crime McGruder spent over four
hours on the stand.
0uidiee Asked For His Mail.
McGruder told Of seeing Guidice two
or three nights before Jones' death
when he came into the roundhouse
office and asked IL there was any mail
for him. The witness said that accord
ing to his own observation no mail had
ever been received at the .roundhouse
office for the defendant. Efforts made
by the defense to get the witness to
admit that pictures which have been
to one not actually acquainted with the,
piar, OF the Northwestern yards were
not successful Objections On the part
OF the state being sustained.
Perhaps the most important testi-
mony introduced Saturday was that
given by William III. Skaith locomotive
engineer whose engine Jones fired on
the night he was murdered Skaith
told of having asked Jones as he quit
work for the night, IL he was going up.
town and getting the response he,
(meaning Jones) was going up Ave-
nue. !. Testimony previously given has
been that Jones lived on Avenue I. 1t
has been brought out that there were
two worn paths leaving the round,
house. one going south, the one Skaith
took in going home, and the other
leading east toward Avenue and pass
ing the wood pile near which the state
alleges Jones came to his death at the
bands of Guidice.S Testimony given
Friday by Dr. J. II. Cole. OF Council
Bluffs. was to the effect that he had
traced a trail of blood on the night Of
the murder, leading southeast from
the east door of the roundhouse and in
the direction of the wood pile.
Skaith Did Not SEQ Murderer.
Mr.. Skaith on cross examination de-
ciared he recalled seeing no one loiter-
ing near the roundhouse as he was
walking home.
Persons who attended Guidice's
former trial in June, 1913, have takek
occasion to remark concerning the
marked difference in feeling shown at
this and the first trial. 1t was re-
called that at the first hearing it was
necessary to keep close guard on the
prisoner at all times on account Of the
open resentment shown toward him by
many railroad men and the bitter feel
ing shown against him, which at times
was thought would lead to mob TAX
ing the law into its own hands. The
surroundings and setting OF the pres
ent trial are considered tame when
compared with that Of two years ago..
Al Guidicess other trial q strong guard
was kept around him when taking him
/ from the jail to the court room, but
now is UNNECESSARY.
Guidice is the first prisoner to be
confined in the new Mills county Jail.
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