Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-17
TO TRAP
JONES FAILED
Witnesses in Murder Case
Slander Suit Tell Of
Detectives Plot.
SOUGHT TO SELL
HIS EVIDENCE
Senator Jones Refused to Buy Evidence
and Came Back With Letter From
Attorney General cosson Saying
Jones Would Not BE Prosecuted -
Bulk Of Evidence in-Witnesses Corr
roborate Others.
Special to Times-Republican.

Kansas City newspaper reporter nam
ed DAILY going to Senator Jones and
offering to sell him evidence acquired
by the Burns detective Agency in theil
investigation Of the Villisca AK murde,
was told this morning to the jury
which is hearing the $4,000 damage
suit Of Senator F. F. Jones, of villisca,
against Detective ]. ~ Wilkerson.
Elmer Hyde said that Wilkerson told
the crowd the story at the Montgom-
cry farm meeting that Ddly had gone
to Senator Jones thru an arrangement
with himself and Sheriff Jackson. of
Montgomery county. According to the
story, Senator Jones refused to buy the
evidence and showed the reporter a
copy of letter from George Cosson
declaring that the investigation of the
murder would be dropped. This letter,
according to the witness, Wilkerson
said the reporter reproduced for him.
Harry Minnick, Of Des Moines, was
on the stand to tell of conversation
he had with Wilkerson about six weeks
ago, when the detective told him that
the reason the grand jury failed to in
dict Bill Mansfield for the murder was
because of three men on witness stand
was because they did not accuse Sem
ator Jones of committing the murder
but only Of having it done. Jim Keyte,
Of Red Oak, Bert Porter, John Smart
and Joe Kenworthy, all of Grant were
put on the stand to tell OF meeting at
which Wilkerson connected the, name
OF Senator Jones with the, Moore mur-
der. In examination of witnesses plain
tiff il placing emphasis upon speeches
made at Wilkerson's meetings by men
who were personal enemies Of Senator
Jones and whose remarks were Of a
character to show personal hatred OF
Jones.
Wilkerson's wife came today to at
tend the trial. It Is thought the plain
tiff may rest his case late today.
& Wilksrson Well 70 Do.
Two witnesses were called by the
prosecution and gave their testimony.
They were Charles Callahan Of Red
Oak. q. horse buyer, and Jack Seefeldt,
Of Red Oak, proprietor Of granite
business. Both had been present at
one Of iWilkerson's meetings held at
Grant, Iowa, over garage there.
Seefeldt said that at this meeting
Wilkerson said: g
Senator Jones furnished thei money
for the murder Of Joe Moore. We got
the man who welded the ak (meaning
Mansfield) and the grand jury turned
him loose"
y have been called a vagabond and
a tramp and irresponsible" Seefeldt
testified that Wilkerson said. At the
same time Wilkerson produced and ex-
h!bited a deed to 200 acres Of land,
worth 10000 He said that the
Burns agency, for which he worked,
took in more money in a month than
the villisca bank" said seefeldt
Make Up 81 Sra.a !.-yy !.-yy.
Seefeldt said that at the Grant
meeting. following statement on
Wilkerson's part that anyone familiar
with the makeup Of the grand Jury,
could easily understand why Mans
field was not indicted, Clarence
Knenedy, q member of the grand jury,
present at the meeting interrupted
and spoke. Knenedy said that the oath
of the grand jury prevented him from
verifying Wilkerson's charges. He
gave the impression, however, that the
charges were true, according to wit
ness Seefeldt.
Both seefeldt and Callahan, who fol-
lowed him on the witness stand, testi-
fled that Wilkerson began his talk as
follows:
II don't want to injure any one, but
I want to tell you what evidence we
have uncovered. You men can do as
you please as to further investigation" !"
Cross-examination Of witnesses ap-
pears to be for the purpose Of showing
keen business rivalry between Jones
and the slain Joe Moore, once business
associates. It is also for the purpose
Of making itappear Jones is popular in