Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-16
PUTTING MANSFIELD
THRU SWEAT Box
MAN ACCUSED OF VILLlScA MUIR.
DERs LOSING SOME OF HIS
BRAVADO.
CONTINUES TO RElTERATE
THAT HE is INNOCENT
Iowa Must Secure Extradition Pa
Jail Under Bonds of $1o,000-Fusi-
tive Warrant Issued.

Kansas City, June 16.-Thru hours
of sweating by detectives and O. I.
iillett, prosecuting attorney of Mont
gomery county, Iowa, William Mans
field arrested on charge of commit
ting the NillisCa, Iowa, murders and
killing eight other persons. is in the
Kansas City, kans, jail clingng stub
oornly to his denial of the charges,
out hourly becoming more entangled in
an attempt TO conceal something which
he seems to consider necessary 10 keep
from the officers.
Two new bits Of evidence have been
developed in the course of the inves-
tigation which the police believe may
finally lead to breaking down his story
completely.
He has admitted that he told fell
low employe in the packing plant in
which he worked that he had been ar
rested for wife murder and taken back
to face the charge but had proved an
alibi and had beaten the case.
His present wife. living on the Kan
sas side with their little daughter de-
clares she never knew that Mansfield
was married before until one of her
friends told her Of the ak murder in
which his wife and baby were killed
at Blue Island. His wife says that
Mansfield told her that 1t was very
bad for such talk to get around for the
police would hear of it and then he
might be arrested for the murder He
told her to keep her mouth shut.
Mansfield Loses His Bravado.
Under the grilling. Mansfield has lost
his early spirit Of bravado and it has
given place to one of covering fear.
He declares that he did not go back 70
Blue Island when he heard Of the muir
ders there and did not attempt to COL
lect the insurance carried on his first
wife for fear of arrest. explaining this
fear by stating that many an innocent
man had been arrested for something
he had never DONE
At first he even attempted to deny
knowing that his first wife had been
killed but when he was confronted with
statements Of his fellow employees at
the packing house and the story his
present wife had told the police. he
altered the tale. clumsily attempting to
smooth his early statements as lies in
vented to save time
"A comparison OF the handwriting of
Mansfield and that on a post card re-
ceived at Blue Island from Iowa is be-
lieved by the detectives to prove con-
elusively that Mansfields denial Of ever
having been at any place in Iowa ex-
cept Washington Is lie Another
comparison of his handwriting was
made with that upon match box in
the possession Of the woman who over
heard the plotters planning about the
Fillisca murders and the officers hold
this as proof that the same man wrote
both. the similarity being striking.
Another angle in the accommodating
evidence against Mansfield came from
VillSca with the statements that sew
eral residents there had identified the
picture o. Mansfield as being that of a
street worker who had been in that
town at the time of the Villisca MUIR
ders. They expect to confront the &C
cused man with these people before the
third degree is completed
Must Extradite Him.
Mansfield was taken from the Gus
L'tS Va liit ppIINe tSttI Jay by the us
trict court and placed in the county
jail in default Of $4,000 bail. A war
rant charging him with murder in con-
nection with the deaths of six members
Of the Moore family Of Villisca. Iowa in
1912, arrived yesterday from Iowa but
neither it nor the fugitive warrant
which o. 7. Gillett. prosecuting attor-
ney Of MontS omery county, Iowa, swore
out, was served.
Mansfield was Jailed on state
charge which has been lodged against
him. Hearing on a habeas corpus
writ. taken out by his attorney was
set for June 20 and meanwhile the
Iowa authorities are expected to start
extradition proceedings. Mr.. Gillett
left for Iowa last night after announc-
ing his intention to take steps for ex-
tradition at once.
Mansfield, according to Judge Nc
Camish, was held by the Kansas City,
Kan, police without authority fol-
lowing his arrest by detective agency
operative. While in the police station
Mansfield Is said to have signed a
waiver declaring his willingness to re-
turn to Iowa without extradition. This
Judge Mechanism declared Mansfield
was not authorized to do as il consti-
tuted signing away of his legal
rights. Mansfield was arrested with
out warrant.
Gets Fugitive Warrant.
Habeas corpus proceedings were in =
stituted by Mansfields attorney. q. T.
Gillett, prosecuting attorney of Mont
sovery county, Iowa, Immediately OBJ
tanned fugitive warrant which he
said he expected to use in case Mans
field obtains his freedom.
June 20 was set for the hearing of
the fugitive warrant by Judge Nc
Canish.