Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-03
SMITH Is A WITNESS
In HIS OWN BEHALF
Accused Of Murder of Mrs. Camp
bell, Details Struggle in the
Rooming House.
oHoKED BY THE HUSBAND

Reilly NJ. Smith. 69-year old de-
fendant, accused of the murder OF
Mrs. Frences Campbell, on the wit
ness stand in his own defense yes
terday afternoon told the story Of
his relations with the woman dur
ing her lifetime and Of a struggle
with her husband, October 81, which
he said, resulted in bullet being
fired accidentally into her body.
Smith was a strong witness in his
own behalf, returning direct and
positive answers to questions.
Shortly after the noon recess
Judge Sears admitted in the evi-
dence few sentences of the death
bed statement made by Mrs. Camp
bell, after she had been taken to a
hospital on the night she was shot.
The court eliminated from the state
ment references TO threats, which it said
Smith had made to shoot the woman II
she refused to ''run away with him. -
Tho following sentences were allowed TO
| go into the record:
II did not SEQ him shoot I did not
see the gun before he shot. II was dark.
know I arm dying"
State Rests Case.
The state rested and the defense
opened Its case with the testimony OF II.
A. Glenn of East st. Louis, to TESTIFY
to Smiths previous good character. Five
affidavits OF other witnesses were read
for the same purpose.
Mrs. Smith. wife OF the defendant, was
called to the stand and was asked sew
eral unimportant questions.
Smith was called and on direct examin-
alton and on cross-examination testified
that he still considers himself a deputy
United States marshal. although several
years have elapsed since he was ap.
pointed.
II first saw Mrs. Frances Campbell In
1909 at Marion. Ill.," he testified. "shS
was Fanny Mitchell then. She was help
ing 70 care for child that had been in
jured by the train.
'In January. 1914. somebody touched
me on the arm on the street. It wal
the woman. who said she was then Fran
ces Campbell. She said she was in dis
tress. 1 gave her 81 In March, 1914
1 saw her in a store in East ST. Louis
|
gave her $40.
In October. 1914. and in April. 1915,
saw the woman again. In May gave
her SO for a bond and in June gave he
$40 twice for two other bands. July 2
gave her $26 for clothes and money u
attend her mothers funeral Later II
; July 1 gave her 800 for room rent AM
, board. In August 1 gave her so 70
room rent and board. In September
gave her $50 for payments on an In
surance policy. She said her HUSBAND
was dead and she would have INSURANCE
money due her. In September ais
, gave her 500 to pay costs OF a lawsuit
She owed me altogether pT.
''I was to meet Mrs. Campbell, Thurs
day at a lawyers office In st. Louis
She was not there, but had come L
Omaha.
smith Comes 10 Omaha.
came to Omaha. October 81, went I
, go North Nineteenth street at o'cloc
: and asked for Mrs. Campbell. ] aske
her for a power OF attorney 20 collect 81
Il which she said she was going TO Civ
q me. from her lawyer. she agreed ant
q as It was Sunday I said / would com
It Monday and get It.
/, 'I went back at o'clock and as
e stood IN the hall talking TO Mrs. Widenel
the proprietor. Campbell walked by an
went into Mrs. Campbells room. The
he came out and came directly towar
me. He took me by the throat an
, Jammed me up against the door. III
choked me. My throat II still sore frOr
the effects.
Il got out my revolver and tried I
q strike him on the head. He grabbed m
e hand and tried TO twist the revolver away
9 Then Mrs. Campbell came out and struc
. me. Just then the revolver was dis
II charged. I never said I would kill he
and never tried 70 kill her"
e Detective Dunn testified that Smith
o throat showed marks the night he wa
e arrested.
Mrs. Frank Moore, 2ls North Nineteent
1 l--
IfT,Yffrstaa Tuun On.