Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-30
YOUNG MAN ACCUSED OF MUIR.
DERlNG ELIZABETH WATTS
GIVEN FREEDOM.
PROVES AllBl IN
DIES MONIES COURT
Rival Of Widener Aids Him and Tells
Of Telephone Conversation in Which
Miss Watts Threatened to Commit
Suioide-Girl Had No Quarrel With
Widener.

Des Moines. Dec. 30.--Klmmage Wild
ener Of tayettc, Mo. was released
from Il charge Of numbering his sweet.
heart, Miss Elizabeth Watts, 2l-year-
old telephone girl, by City Judge Mer-
shon yesterday.
Widener's release came after long
fought preliminary hearing, follown.
his arrest three weeks ago on informa-
ton sworn out by Mrs. Anna Cunning
ham, mother of the girl.
Miss Watts died early in the morn
| ing of Nov. ~ of carbolc acid pois-
| oning. She had been found on a SOFA
IN her mothers room at her home l5il
Twentieth Strete by her mother
the morning before, unconscious from
the poison. Beside her lay an empty
| calbolc acid bottle, bearing the la bel
Of the Scnatfer Drug Company, TWEEN
| tieth and Clark streets.
Had Roomed at Home.
\ week after the girls death Mrs
Cunningham asked Widenel's arrest
Widener, who is &c years Old, had been
roomer at the Cunningham home
and had been friendly with the Watts
girl.
The mother said her daughter had
told her Widener had 70. ced her to
drink the poison; that he had ruined
her life; and asked that his life be the
penalty.
In the hearing Widener provided
alibs to prove he left Des Moines on
a Wabash train at els the morning
bn Oil RI n
mother had testified the gill was wei!
at 10 o'clock.
Tells of Phone Talk.
In the finish of the hearing yeSter
day Pearl Robinson, 1900 r.. ancis
street, former fiance of the Watts Cir,
took the stand in his rivals defcNse.
he told OF a telephone c0:lVersati,n he
has had with the girl for an hour be-
fore her body was found by ner
mother. in which she told him If her
plans to kill herself. He also tod of {,
talk he had with her after he regained
consciousness at her home tn same
night.
She asked me to see her" Robinson
said when telling of the telephone
conversation. Il told her | would at
1880, that l would meet her at the
drug store. That will be too late she
said" I'll be dead then
Il asked her jokingiy if could send
her some flowers. She said they
wouldn't be permitted. Then l told
her I'd go to her funeral
Was there any reference to kim
mage Widener?" he was asked.
No"
That evening, he said, he heard OF
her poisoning, and went to see her.
m Visit at Sick Bed.
Il was in her room about 8 o'clock
when she became conscious" he said
Il asked the. nurse to leave. as the KID
and | wanted to talk privately. | asked
her if she thought she'd get we'll, an
she said she did. I'll try to get We'll,
she said. But next time | won't use
carbolic acid"
Did you and Red (Widener) have
fuss, last night" Robinson said he
asked her. NO. Red and parted
good friends was her r,piy, he saiu
Shortly later the nurse returned. he
said, and sad she didn't want hel
patient worn out by talk .ng. Nv nen
left, the girls flarcc said, Il said, ri
see you lated, kid She replied Come
up tomorrow night
The next morning when | got t.
work they phoned me and said the KID
was dead he said.
d. Miguel &C Jerk at the SchaffcI
drug store, declared the label on the
bottle was of type not used for sew
eral months.