The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1918-02-28
NUMBER 20

Claud Norwood testified he was
present when the piece of iron was
cut from the range.
F. f. Pattee-of the Amsterdam En-
terprise testified as to Wallis condi-
tion the night OF the fire.
~ George Vail, the defendant, was
called to the stand and testified that
he was 28 years of age, and during
the year 1917 he had engaged in the
dray business and auto livery. That
he never went with Anna Harris as
her company TO pie suppers and
dances; when she was taken out in
his car livery hire was paid. He tes-
titled that he never had intimate re-
ations with Anna Harris and never
bought her ring nor gave her a
ring Said she never gave him a
watch. In regard to a note it was
alleged he sent her, he said that he
was requested by the parties she had
worked for in Merwin to notify her
she need not come back and he sent
her this word in a note. He denied
that he had told of intimate rela-
tions with woman named Robinson
and that he had ever entered an i'm
moral house with Jack Jared in Kan
sas City. Regarding the flour which
he was said to have had in the house
at the time of the fire, he testified as
to its purchase by himself and John
Mcdonald. and stated that he had
put forty sacks into the house and
previous to the fire had used three
and sold ten.~
Regarding the occurances the night
of the fire, he testified that on that
evening after supper he saw Herman
Blake and they talked of going to
church. He went in to ask his wife
if she cared to go. but She was bak-
ing bread and could not leave. He
then decided to write some letters
and asking for the tablet she told him
it was upstairs, and asked him to fill
the coal oil stove. lie took the Oil
tank out of doors and filled it,
brought it back and lit the fire. She
called his attention to the time, which
was sos and asked him to remind her
to take out the bread at nine o'clock.
| lie then went up stairs and fifteen
or twenty minutes later she came up
and sitting down at the table oppo-
site him, took a pencil out of his
pocket and also began to write. At
nine o'clock he called her attention
to the bread. and she picked up the
baby and started down stairs telling
him that she would turn out the
burners and asking him to take out
the bread when he came down. In
Just a few seconds he heard a loud
explosion and rushed down stairs to
the Kitchen Flames were gushing
through the kitchen and he called to
his wife but got no answer Picking
up 4 heavy duck coat 10 throw over
his head ior protection he started to
enter the kitchen, when he heard his
little daughter. Nclma,, in another
room cry 30, mamma III choking.
lie ran in and got her and carried her
out OF. the house. calling for help.
John Braden and Jesse Thornbrough
ran into the yard and asked him what
to do He replied that he thought
his wife and baby were in the kitchen
and ior Gods sake to get them out
He led the way around the house
with the little girl i'll his arms and
Braden and Thornbrough followed.
All the time he was trying to quiet
the child. When they arrived at thc
kitchen door Thornbrough and Brad
en- went in and brought Mrs. Vail out
and began to tear oil her clothes.
Vail then carried the child to the
road and set her down and started
back to his wife, bur the little girl
ran back toward the burning house,
and VIII Dye told him to go take
care OF the little girl and they would
care for his wife. He asked Jim
Clark about his vile and baby and
was told they were taken out. He
then saw DIR. Amyx and asked how
his wife and baby were and Dr. Amyx
replied, Son. she's dead" At this,
he said, he fell into the road and Jim
Clark and others picked him up and
took him TO the Porter home. He
asked for water, and then asked that
his mother and Herman Blake be
sent to him. Asked point blank by
his attorney if he had killed his wife,
Vail replied with emphasis, NO, sir,
did not
DR.. Amyx, Geo. Pahlman, Louis
Kershncr, Frank Archer. Mrs Por--
ter and Mrs. Jesse Thornbrough were
then called by the state in rebuttal
and to testify to remarks made by
Vail and others after the fire.
AT the conclusion of the testimony
he court gave his instructions to the
Jury, and w. o. Jackson made the
opening argument for the state. Mr..
Jackson was followed by E. B. Sill
iers of counsel for the defense, and
T. w. Silvers made the closing argyll
nent for the defense. Prosecuting