Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-13
Mitchell Charges ''Inquisit-
orial Methods" Secured
Kelly's Confession.
SLAPS HIS HANDS
IN HAVNER'S FACE
Prosecution Will Depend Much on
ke!Iy's Confession and Evidence
That He Told Of Crime Before 1t
Had Boon Discovered-Defense En-
ters General Denial With Saving
Clause Of Insanity.
tBy a staff Correspondent
,cia1 TO Times-Republican.

! Special to Times-Republican.
| Red Oak, Sept. 1s.-The Villisca Ak
murder trial Is now on in full swing
here. With a jury completed yesterday
afternoon, opening statements on be-
half of the state and defense were made
this morning and the introduction of
the evidence by which the state seeks
to show Rev. Lyn G. J. Kelly guilty of
! the crime was begun.
! Contrary to yesterdays announce
ment, Attorney Generar H. NJ. Havner
presented the states case to the jury.
W. E. Mitchell spoke for the defense.
Mr.. Havner spoke only for about twen-
Testimony which the state expects to
offer against the preacher. that Kelly
was in Villisca on the night of the
murder: that on the morning follow
ing the murder Kelly told of the fact
that eight people had been murdered
before it was discovered in Villisca;
that within day or so after the mur-
der Kelly sent a bloody shirt to a
Council Bluffs laundry; that within
thirty days after the murder he made
discriminating statements regarding de-
; tails of the crime, and that Kelly of his
own volition made q signed confession.
| Mr.. Mitchell entered general de-
NAL of the states evidence. He said
the defense would show that Kelly did
not know a soul In Villisca save the
Rev. w. ]. Ewing at the time of the
murders. 'If the man committed the
murders in the way the state of Iowa
claims he did. that man Is an insane
man." Mr. Mitchell declared. Regard
ing the several confessions Kelly is
said to have made of the crime, Mr..
Mitchell charged that detectives. in
Guiding the state agents "who swarm
about this court Eoom," bounded him
until "he was the easy victim Of sug-
gestion." Mr. Mitchell promised that
the jury would see the inside" Of the
Logan confession.
! Inuuistorial methods were used at
Logan. Mr.. Mitchell declared. IT charge
! it here openly and I charge it of the
attorney general" Mr.. Mitchell shout
ed, as he struck his hands together in
front of Mr.. Havner.
Mitchell said the 'inquisition" began
at o'clock In the evening and did not
end until o'clock the following morn
| ing, when the Harrison county sheriff
WAS seen leading Kelly back to Jail,
f"more dead than alive, more insane
than sane"
1T is our claim that it Is physically
impossible for Kelly to have done the
things they claim he did there" Nit
! chell said. "This alleged confession is
! worth absolutely nothing only as it re-
veals the attempt of the state of Iowa
! to shield another" Mr.. Mitchell de-
clared. Counsel for Kelly did not go
into their evidence in the opening
statement.
Or. J. G. Cooper. of Villisca. was the
first state witness. He was among the
first to go thru the Moore house after
the murders were discovered, and told
of the gruesome scene revealed. Only
one body gave indications Of strug-
gle. he said That was the body of lit
tie Lena Stillinger, the person whom
Kelly is accused in the indictment of
numbering.