Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-16

Centerville. Dec. 16.--Murder in the
second degree was the verdict brought
in by the jury before which the case
of Frank Smith, charged with having
killed Alice Gerlach, his cousin. had
been tried. The jury reported its ver-
dict at shortly after midnight after
having deliberated since 500. The re-
port came as a great surprise to the
defense.
A family feud, which possessed all
the features of stored strife among
mountaineers OF the Cumberland. and
which allied virtually every family in
the section on one side or the other, led
to the shooting, at Cnionville, near
here. of Mrs. Alice Gerlach, by her cou-
sin. Frank Smith. known turnout APP
panoose county as the "feudist OF the
Soap Greek hills"
Preceding the shooting, according to
testimony given by witnesses for both
sides at the trial a series of misfor-
tunate incidents occurred which. since
Smiths arrest have assumed an IN
omened Significance and been cited,
alternately by the prosecution and de-
Tense in an effort to prove, on one hand
that the shooting Of Mrs. Gerlacb was
a deliberate, premeditated.murde and
on the other that the defendant was IN
sane when the shooting occurred and
that he has no distinct recollection OF
the occurrence. The incidents included
various and frequent visits to the Smith
home of a bird Of Ill omen" the burn
ing of several homes and schoolhouse.
finding of anonymous and threatening
letters written in blood. wire fence cut
tings and the deaths Of three Of Smiths
immediate family.
Dominated keighborhood.
Since boyhood. Frank Smith, the de-
PENDANT. has had reputation In and
about Unionviile. and in the hills where
his family dominated weaker neighbors
after the feudal plan Of the middle
ages for recklessness. He caused
trouble In school, later broke up re-
vivaI going to the
mourner's bench himself-and engaged
in half dozen GUN fights. none Of
which. however. terminated fatally.
Near his fathers home in the Soap
creek hills lived another branch OF the
Smith family, the two elder Smiths be-
ing brothers. Samp Smith. the father
of Frank, and Dick Smith. Mrs. Ger
iach's father. lived on adjoining farms
Within a mile and half Of each other.
and az far AZ can be learned from old
settlers. dominated the district
The trouble between Frank and his
cousin Alice started about two years
ago following the burning OF a house In
the neighborhood on which family dis
tasteful to a brother Of Mrs. Geriach
were to move. The brother was arrest
ed and charged with arson. At his
trial Mrs. Gerlach testified for the pros-
ecution. Frank Smith. on the other
hand stood by his cousin thruout the
trial and even took the stand for the
defense. Following Smiths conviction.
Frank Smith upbraided his cousin for
what he termed 'treachery" to her
brother, especially since at that time
Mrs. Gerlach and her two sons. and
10 years old, were living at the broth
er's home.
Mysterious. Fires.
After Walter Smith had been sent to
the penltentiary. Ares began to be dis
covered at intervals In the Poker
Hill" schoolhonse, near Mrs. Gerlach's
home. Witnesses testined IN the S;:-eess--
ent trial that there were rumors circu-
lated that Frank Smith was setting
the fires and endeayoring to throw the
blame on Mrs. Gerlach in an effort to
revenge himself on her for testifying
against her brother.
Shortly after Smith began to re-
ceiye and reported the receipt OF
threatening letters. some unsigned and
some signed with the letter re" Frank
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