Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-10-26
MCCORMICK ON STAND

ueSScS WHICH III IudUy cases lle DlUJeI-
ly resented. the suspense that has been
his for all these months since the day
his wife died, has left their mark on
nerves and physique.
Mccormick Less Nervous
But in the perfect sunshine of the
winter day Wednesday there was more
spring in his step and more battle in
his demeanor than since week ago
when the first witness went on the
stand. The defense was to begin. The
state had made it's case. What it had
to offer was before the jury. What
that jury knew was that Ida J. McCOr-
mick had died of strychnine poisoning
on August 8, 1914. They also knew
much shade and shadow in the lives
of many people involved, both princi-
pals and some of the witnesses.
Mr.. S. A. WRIGHT" called Mr.. Nc
Gill.
He was the first witness for the de-
Tense He had been in the court room
all week sitting most of the time by the
side of Mr. Mccormick. He said he
was an attorney and had for a number
of years represented the defendant in
legal matters. He testified that Nc
Cormick was in the loan and real es-
tate business in Seattle in 1911. He was
secretary of the Independent Order OF
Buffaloes and Chief Herder of the
Supreme body and as such handled $15,-
coo or SO, a year in money. The de-
fendant was also president of the
Washington Coal Co. with mine To-
Gated few miles from Centralia,
Wash, 70 miles from Seattle.
Mccormick introduced Mrs. MathesOn
Mr. Wright said he met Mrs Ida j.
Matheson in the office of Mr.. McCOr-
mick in October, 1911, and was intro
duced to her by the defendant Mrs.
John Dumas and her husband had
testified that the first that the defend
ant heard Of Mrs MathesOn was when
Mrs Dumas had told him of her after
the White Cloud widow had returned
east from her Seattle visit. This called
for some cross examination from Gen.
Sturdevant and Mr.. Wright said that
when Mrs. Mccormick came to his Of
flee at the time she and Mr.. Shaw
were after Mccormick she had re-
called the incident of her having been
introduced at the time named
Mrs. COey Starts Something
Mrs. Adela COey was called. She had
lived in Ladysmith on the corner OF
Second street East and Fritz avenue,
at the time of Mrs. McCormick's death.
Mrs Coey came to the stand in a heavy
plush coat, wore white shirt waist,
a grey skirt and a wide-brimmed hat.
She said that she knew both defendant
and Mrs Mccormick well. She helped
in the house when Mrs. Mccormick was
i'll. Remembered when Miss Hotter
came and was frequently at the house
after she arrived She saw DR.. Lund-
mark go to the Mccormick home. A
short time after, she saw Mrs. Hewitt
going rapidly by. She followed, cut
across the lawn and went in the kit
chen while Mrs. Hewitt went in the
front door and they met in the dining
room.
Mrs. COey rather dramatically re-
called the scene in the room Mrs. Nc
Cormick had just died. Mccormick
was on his knees at her side. DR..
Landmark was next towards the foot
and the nurse at the foot of the couch.
Mrs Hewitt went to her sister bumped
into Mccormick and threw herself on
the body and cried"
Forgive Me Jennie"
'For Gods sake forgive me Jennie.
You often said you would but we
never thought you would :"
The doctor had gone out to the t0i-
let, Mccormick had risen and was sit
ting at the table crying. The doctor
returned with the phial. He held it
up and said There is the cause" She
positively stated that Mccormick had
not left the room before the doctor
went out to the toilet.
She testified the defendant said
''Jennie's gone I'm alone! Oh, Jennie
Jennie -
'What effects if any did the visits
Of Mrs. Hewitt have on Mrs. McCor-
mick?'' asked Mr.. McGill who did the
examining for the defense.
Mrs. Hewitt's Visits
The witness replied that she was al
ways worse, rolling her head back and
forth on the pillow, vomiting and end
ing in fainting spell. The visits left
her excited. When Mrs. Hewitt came
she had unbuttoned two buttons of the
bosom of the dress of her dead sister,
witness said, and searched her. She
saw her next in her sisters bedroom
with the drawer of the dresser open.
Mrs. Hewitt did not hunt for any
clothes until later and they were not
in locked trunk or closet, nor did she
have to get the keys from Mccormick
and there was no bag and no papers.
She helped dress the dead woman and
remained at the home until evening and
came back after supper and stayed un-
til 10 o'clock.
A Ruthless Cross Examination
The % people in the court room sat
back and listened to what would hap
pen when Gen. Sturdevant cross-exam-