Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-14
Witnesses For State Heard
in Villisca AK Murder
Case at Red Oak.
TELL OF DISCUSSION
OF CRIME BY KELLY
EvideGce Indicates Defendant Was
Party to Discussion Of Case Forty
Miles Away Before ViIisca Was
Aware Of crsme-keliy Unmoved by
Presence Of Deadly Ak in Court.

Red Oak, Sept. 1.-two witnesses
for the state today in the trial Of Rev.
Lyn George ]. Kelly testified that the
Villisca ak murders were discussed in
town forty miles from Villisca more
than thirty minutes before the crime
generally is known to have been dis
covered.
Both witnesses testified that Kelly,
who is charged with murder, was q
party to the discussion, but one wit
ness said somebody else" was talking
about the murders before Kelly Joined
the discussion.
Kelly Keeps Nerve.
If Kelly Is guilty of killing the eight
persons in the Joe Moore home at VIII
lisca five years ago, he gave a most
remarkable exhibition Of nerve this
afternoon when witness after witness
detailed the murders.
For two hours Kelly sat within a few
feet of the ak, rusty with the blood of
the victims, the handle still showing
the dark red stains, without betrAyins
more than passing curiosity towards
1t. He did not finch when Attorney
General Havner of Iowa brought the
instrument past his chair and actually
brushed against the little preacher. he
did not finch as the witnesses told OF
the condition of the Moore home when
they broke in the doors the morning
after the murder and found eight dead
lying on the beds.
:.;1=a - s:~:1'''s"ss.
Kelly did finch, however, when the
attorneys for the opposing sides were
making the opening statements to the
Jury. Once when Attorney Mitchell de-
tailed the manner in which the mur-
derer with his ak in his hand. must
have crept to the crib wherein BABY
lay sleeping and raised the instrument
to kill the child Kelly raised his right
arm and brought it down just once, as
tho he was striking the blow which
slew the little boy. Then he sank back
in his chair in state of collapse.
During these opening addresses
Kelly sat with one hand covering half
his face. He breathed heavily and
RAPIDLY. His face usually so rN1 went
WQlCe at uillSkGill llAAASS 90
General Havner detailed the crime.
When Havner told Of Kelly's telling
about having heard the killing blows
Kelly shook his head vigorously and
gripped his hands until the knuckles
grew white.
When Attorney Mitchell told Of
Kelly's ministry and spoke Of him as
"this man of God" tears filled his eyes
and several times he appeared on the
point Of rising from his chair.
T,hruout the arraignment Mrs. Kelly
sat close to her husband, her hands in
her lap. her fingers twisting and un-
twisting.
ALERT albert Fitch, employed III an inlpie-
ment store at Macedonia at the time
of the murders and Bertha Barnett,
were the witnesses who told of dis
cussion Of the murder in front OF the
implement store. Ross Moore, brother
of Joe Moore, one Of the ak victims,
preceded Fitch and Barnett on the
stand and testified that he and Mar
shall Horton were the first so far as
they knew to enter the murder house.
Time was about $3.50 in the morning
OF June 13, 1912. Fitch testified that
somebody started telling about the
murder when Kelly Joined in the con-
versation. He said he heard Kelly
tell Of the crime between Z and 8
q clock. r.
Mr.. and Mrs. Zimmerman, formerly
Of Carson, testified that Kelly was
aboard the train on which they trav-
cied between Hastings and Macedon-
la before Z O'clock the morning Of the
murder and that he appeared excited
and talked Of the crime. Il