Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-18
.V|ID|GL1bN SOUGHT
!. BY senator jones
ISLANDER SUIT AGAINST DETEc.
TIVE VIEWED IN LIGHT OF !
DEFENSE.
sREPuTATioN STAKE
INSTEAD OF MONEY
interest ia WiIksrson's Story, in Which
He Will Attempt TO Justify His
Charges - Defense Will Attempt
10 Show Absence Of Malice - vsna
yTempkins Expected to Make Denial.

10 Show Absence OF Malice - Vena
,Tempkins Expected to Make Denial.
LBy Staff Correspondent
Red Oak. Nov. 1s.--While the suit
brought by Senator F. F. Jones. Of VII
Iisca, to recover 100000 damages from
u N. sWilkerson, the Kansas City Burns
detective, makes Wilkerson the de-
PENDANT in the trial now being heard
before Judge Rockafellow in district
court here, in the minds OF the many
hundreds OF people who are following
with the keenest interest all the pro-
eeedings Of the case it Is not J. N.
! W4lkerson who is the defendant. In
their minds it Is Senator +. +. Jones
who is really on trial. It Is his repn-
tation which is at stake In this. the
most talked-of trial to be heard in the
MONTGOMERY county court house in
years. Jones has said he wanted a
vindication and protection from fur
Their attacks on bis name and reputa-
ton.
i These people Hook beyond the dam
ages which Senator Jones is asking for
The connection Of his name by the de-
t,ective with the famous Villisca ak
murders Of 1912. Wilkerson said that
tE. F. Jones furnished the money to
Play for the murder OF Joe Moore" He
limits that he made the statement.
AID says that he said so because he
thought It was true. In bringing the
slit the senator says 4he wants VIII
kfkrson to SHOW his hand" The yelled
citoud Of guilt which has hung over
tnfe name Of his family, the senator
hints cleared away as far as the YER
let of jury can do so. And that $
hat this trial is expected to do. That's
hat the hundreds who are watching
u are waiting for. Was Senator F. +.
fnes party to the conspiracy that
Sought the destruction of Joe Moore
and which resulted in the untimeEy
Gath OF his wife, his four children and
two daughters OF Mr.. and Mrs. Joe
lillinger? This is the question the
frdict of the twelve men is expected
answer. A favorable verdict for
eenator Jones would mean, In the
inds Of many, that the senator was
nocent Of completely in the villisca
&agedy. ~ adverse finding Of the
Jury would snly tend to convince the
Abubting ones that Detective Wilkerson
Was justified when he said Senator
Jpnes paid for tho murder of Joe
core. Whatever the verdict sof the
?tsry. some point out this trial is Civ
! s wide publicity to stories which will
" gossip for generation.
lntsrsst in Wiiksrson's Story.
Wilkerson. the detective, says he well
.fmes this opportunity afforded by the
i.f'ial brought by Mr.. Jones to produce
shh open court the chain OF evidence
'~shich he succeeded In placing together.
i 7 said It and meant every word Of
" y Gays Wilkerson. For this reason,
hief interest in the trial lies in the
testimony to be offered by Wilkerson
Z hstifyinE him to make the statements
ne did. Witnesses put on the stand by
.lhe plaintiff have told largely OF the
meetings addressed by Wilkerson when
ie made the public statements con-
ecting Senator Jones' name with the
Moore tragedy. No effort is made on
.Ithe part OF Wilkerson's attorney to
Keep these statements from the jury.
Pm the contrary his counsel seeks to
'fring out In detail everything that was
lfaid at any Of these meetings. The jury
js being made acquainted with every
1irk in the chain Of evidence Wilkerson
Plains to have welded together in his
tearch for the murderer of Joe Moore.
s q murder plot" on the banks Of the
tiNodaway river which the y detective
pays he learned of from vena Tomp-
kins has been told to the jury time and
5again. It was here, according to the
Tompkins story, the murder Of Joe
Moore WIS planned by Senator Jones,
his son, Albert v. Jones. and one ] axe
Nveems. si ~,
Story Never Given crsaenes. n
No one of Senator Jones' hundreds;
sot friends in Montgomery county and
sthrutl;t the state, where he has be-
Ga,ne well known by reason, of his ac-
Invites in affairs affecting the public.
has believed q word of the story Of
.vcna Tompkins and all are looking to
this trial to vindicate him and remove,
any possible suggestion Of suspicion Of
guilt.
That Mrs. Tompkins identified for
sNviikerson picture of Senator Jones
tas being one OF the men she overheard
TALKING Of the murder Of Joe Moore
has been brought before the jury by
more than one witness. So on down
the line al OF, the evidence which VIII
kerson gathered together and told to
his audience at the public meetings
held last August is being brought to
the attention Of the jury. Mr. Mitchell,
Wilkerson's attorney, recites the whole
story Of the detectives Investigations,
goes over for the witnesses OF the
plaintiff the substance Of his clients
proof to connect the name Of Senator