Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-06
Senator Remains Cool
Under Grilling of,At-
torney Mitchell.
EMPHATIC DENIAL
OF ACCUSATIONS
Says He Had No Part in Ak Murders,
Was at Home on Night Of Crime and
Did Not Learn q u Until Following
Mornins-Denies He Ever Met Mans.
field or Was Present At Plot Confer
eneee Related by Mrs. Tompkins.
[By a staff Correspondent

=
Red Oak, Dec. 6.-"Joe Moore and I
never had word of trouble" Senator
F. F. Jones declared this morning from
the witness stand in answer to a ques-
ton on cross examination regarding
trouble between himself and Joe Moore.
The question followed an inquiry from
Attorney Mitchell of Joe Moore's en-
ployment with the Jones store in VIII
lisca from 1905 to 1909.
Senator Jones' cross examinatio
which began yesterday afternoon at 4
O'Clock, was practically completed at
noon today. Not once during the grill
ing to which he was subjected by Will
kerson's attorney did Senator Jones lose
his poise on the stand.
Interest In Mansfield.
Mr.. Jones' examination this morning
dealt almost entirely with his alleged
interest in Bill Mansfield, before and
after the grand Jury failed to indict
him More particularly did Attorney
Mitchell take Jones to task for the let
ter he wrote to c. eft Wilcke. of Blue
Island, nl.. In September, inquiring
about the truth Of Mansdelds alleged
connection with the AK murder there
.'What objections had you to the in
dictment of Mansfield ?" Senator Jones
was asked.
"None whatever" he answered.
Mr.. Jones said he wrote to Blue Is
land to ascertain II Wilkerson was tell
ing the truth in the published newspa-
per stories connecting Mansfield with
the Blue Island AK murder. I was de-
,termining the reliability Of Wilkerson,
said the senator.
..why didn't you go to Wilkerson ?"
asked Mitchell.
..Mr Wilkerson and never were on
speaking terms" Jones replied.
! Jones was also taken to task for using
the word "jokingly" yesterday in his
testimony in regard to remarking to
Harve Willett that he was one of the
suspects. Jones said he intended to
ridicule Willett's suggestion to take the
hounds to the home of another suspect.
Robert Gourley,: Villisca barber,
testified briefly this morning that ne
had done tonsorial work for fhe sena-
tor for ten or fifteen years and that Mr..
JONES w WlllShSlS "SAc SAS seAaASt ASA'o -
and style for the last nine years.
His Trip to MarshaIltown.
AS to the conversation testified to py
DIR. Cooper, Mr. Jones said he told DR..
Cooper, Senator Arney was making In
quiries about Vina Tompkins IN Mar
shalltown.
Senator Jones explained that he had
gone to Marshalltown about Oct. IS
and saw Judge Cummings who took
him to Mr.. Van Law. Van Law, he
said, called Mrs. Tompkins by tele-
phone and made arrangements to meet
her at 1890 o'clock that noon. Van Law
got the statement from Mrs. Tompkins,
he declared
Counsel for plaintiff sought again to
get the reply of Chief Otto Wileke, of
Blue Island, ILL.,, sent in return TO MI.
Jones' inquiry, into the records but an
objection from the defense was si-
tanned. ~ rs
In order TO expedite the proceedings
OF the trial and finish as quickly as
possible, Judge Rockafellow intends to
begin court twenty minutes earlier In
the morning and not adjourn until $50
O'clock in the afternoon. CallinH OF
Senator Jones to the stand marks the
beginning of the end Of the plaintiffs 3
case But few witnesses will follow Mr..
Jones on the stand before the plaintiff
will rest.