Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-16
JONES SLANDER
CASE DRAMATIC
Opening Statements of At
torney Furnish Many
Thrills to Spectator.
PLAINTIFF SHOWS
STATEMENTS MADE

Mansfield on Charge Of Numbering
Moore Family, in Which He Charged
Jones With Financing Murders.
Special to Times Republican.
Red Oak, Nov. ia. W.. Hill,
farmer living near Villisca, was put on
the stand this morning to tell OF what
occurred at a third meeting which De-
tective J. N. Wilkersons of Kansas
City, is claimed to have addressed and
made statements connecting the name
Of Senator F. F. Jones with the famous
Villisca AK murders of 1912 and for
which Mr., Jones is now suing the de-
tective to recover 100000 alleged dam
ages. Hill said he attended meeting
one dark night last August, held on
the farm Of John Montgomery, father
Of the murdered Mrs. Moore, and at
which Wilkerson said he had evidence
that F. F. Jones had furnished the
money to pay, for the murder Of Joe
Moore.
Hill also testified that Wilkerson de-
clared the grand jury which refused 10
indict Senator Jones had on II warm
personal friends of the senator. Les
ter Scott, shoeman, and c. M. Orr, pro-
duce merchant Of Villisca, were also
on the stand this morning and further
corroborated testimony Of Gill Roth,
given yesterday, of the" meeting held IN
the Pryor pasture south Of Villisca. D.
w, Noel villisca photographer, was
the only other witness OF the morning
and merely told Of Wilkerson seeking
photographs of Albert ". Jones and
wife from him. On motion Of Wilker-
sons attorney this testimony was
stricken out.
AS court convened this morning Will
kerson gathered about HIS counsel ta-
BILE Mrs. Mary Moore, mother OF Joe
Moore, Mrs. Alice Fisher, sister OF the
murdered man, John Montgomery, ia
ther Of the murdered woman, and Mr
and Mrs. w. B. Stillinger, uncle, and
aunt Of the two stlllipger girls, who
were murdered In the Moore tragedy.
It IL said that the chief Of police o.
Blue Island, Il.. arrived in Red Oak
this morning with the ak used In tbs
Blue Island murder and which Is de-
Ec4areds to>rhave been done by, the same
man who did, the Vilisca Job. He will
testify for the defense. The prosecu-
ton may conclude their first inning OF
the trial today. Much interest centers
IN the testimony Of the defense.
E The Pasture Meeting.
Gill Roth, q villisca farmer, declared
he attended a meeting held about Aug.
8, 1916, in pasture on the Pryor farm,
three or four miles south Of Wiliisca, at
which he said Wilkerson spoke "prac-
tically the entire afternoon" Roth was
in the witness chair for nearly an hour
and a half and was questioned at
length regarding the statement the de-
tective is claimed to have made at that
time. Questioned as to the factE
whether Wilkerson said anything to
connect the name of Jones with the
deceased, Joe Moore. Roth was finally
permitted to state that Wilkerson used
the words 'F. F. Jones furnished the
money to pay for the murder OF Joe
Moore" In attempt to show malice
Attorney Beeson of Jones counsel
asked, What if anything. was said
there by ]. N. Wilkerson, with refer
ence to people patronizing compe'
titor of F.. F. Jones7"
"He spoke Of Joe Moore being the
competitor of +. f. jones'" responded
Roth.
Tells Of Alleged Night Plot.
On cross examination Ed Mitchell
attorney for Wilkerson, drew from
Roth the story Wilkerson told the
crowd at the meeting OF the alleged
murder plot" on the bank of the
Nodaway, Roth declaring that Wilker-
son related what Vina Tompkins said
she overheard. This story, which the
Tompkins woman is said to have tolc
Wilkerson, was to the effect that she
was a member Of camping party n
the fall of 1911,<on the banks of the
Nodaway river. While going to gather
kindling she is said to have told OF
oyerhearing some men talking In low
tones. She dropped behind the bushes
40 the tale goes, and told the detective
that she heard the men plotting the
murder Of Joe Moore. f. F. Jones, his
son Albert v. Jones and one Jakt
Weems according to this story, were
the plotters. Mr.. Mitchell also drew
from the witness the story man BY
the name Of Thorp is claimed to have
told the detective. This story in ques.
ton was that Thorp boarded train
at Shenandoah the morning the Moore
murder was discovered; that two mer
got on the train there and engaged In
a conversation, one Of them telling him
that villisca was in great commotior
over murder and that they had lef1
town because all strangers would be
suspected. The men were very ner'
vous, the story gees. and dropped of
the train in the railroad yards at New
Market. According to the story Viii.
kerson is claimed to. have told at the
meeting one Of these men were identi'
fed as William Mansfield, whom 9
Montgomery county grand jury failed
to indict in connection with the Moore
tragedy.
Said Rumor Was Old One.
During his testimony Joe Aldrich, q
dairyman, said, There had been 9
rurnor ever since, the Moore murder
that the Joneses had something to dc
with It,"
"And you were telling the. truth 2?
continued Mr.. Mitchell.
"Yes, sir responded the Witness
Details Of the meeting WiIkerson is