Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-19
Is Seeking to Show Preach
er Insane When Con-
fessiOn Was Made.
ADMISSIONS FORCED
IN DRAMATIC WAY
Bogus Crooks Put in Cell With Kelly
and Influence Used to Induce Him to
Confess-Editor Present Admits He
Believes Kelly Was of Unsound Mind
Tells of Dramatic Setting to Force
Kelly to Admit Crimes.


the defense today in the trial of Rev.
Lyn George J. Kelly. charged with
murder in connection with the Villisca
ak slayings of 1912, were asked to de-
tail the apparent mental condition of
the defendant during their contact
with him.
Horace Houghton. probation officer
Of Sioux City, the first witness today,
testified it was his belief that Kelly
was mentally unsound" when the wit
ness talked with him In March and
in August, 1915. Kelly had told him,
Houghton said, of his confinement in
the federal hospital for the insane in
Washington, D. c., after his arrest on
charge Of sending an improper letter
to young girl.
While Houghton knew Kelly second
charge of writing improper letters was
made, and to this the clergyman said:
They say I've asked girls to pose in
the nude. But l didn't do it. It's all
a lie."
State'S 6vIdence concluded.
L. J. Irwin, clerk of the court of Har-
rison county, was the last witness used
for the state. He simply testified %
administering the oath to Kelly when
he made his confession. He said it was
ttabout Z o'clock when he was called to
do this. After the confession was
safely in evidence, Mr.. Faville quietly
announced to the court that the state
rested. The declaration came like
bolt from clear sky, and caught the
defense almost wholly unprepared to
enter upon the presentation Of their
case. The state had only used the tes-
timony Of forty-six witnesses, and 1t
had been believed that they would call
at least half hundred more.
However, Mr.. Mitchell announced he
would use what witnesses he had, and
Mrs. w. j. Ewing, wife Of the Rev.
Mr.. Ewing, who testified for the state
yesterday, was called as the first wit
ness for the defense.
Mrs. Ewing said that on the Sunday
night Of the murders when Kelly stop
ped at her home, she thought he was
wearing Prince Albert suit with
white shirt and collar. It was a very
COlu cNCIllS dllC Odl n, SlIC Sc1lS, ILSIS
being no street lights. Mrs. Ewing
said she was up during that night look
ing after a sick child, but that she
noted no disturbance in the house.
How the ak murder, caught the peo-
pie and held them all in fear for days
afterward was revealed in Mrs. Ewing's
testimony. She said she did not 60
upstairs that eventful Monday to make
the bed in the room which Kelly oc-
cupied because she was Struck with
horror" On the following day, Tues
day, she did make the bed, however,
when Mr.. Ewing went upstairs with
her. "The bed looked just like any bed
would when somebody had slept In It,"
Mrs. Ewing said. She declared she
never saw anything about the house
that resembled blood stains, and the
bed clothing was unspotted.
Two weeks after the tragedy Kelly
was again in Villisca, she said, and
was at their house on Sunday after
noon, remaining in Villisca until noon
Of the following day. E
This last feature had an important
bearing, according to the Defense as
was significantly brought out during
the testimony of Rev. Mr.. Ewing, who
again took the stand following his wife.
The minister, also corroborated his
wife's statement that they found no
evidence of any stain resembling blood
anywhere in the house after Kelly went
away.
Attack on Confession.
The defense began their attack on
the accused preachers confession thru
r. C. Lahman. their third witness, who
was one Of the two men purposely dis
guised as highwaymen and placed in
Kelly's cell the night before to watch