Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-10-28
FINISH OF WlLkERS0N
Detective in vLiisea Case Has charae-
ter Effort Smashed by Affidavits Of
His Wife-Havner Turns Trick and
Wilkerson Loses Following.

Red Oak. Oct. 2s-The career of j.
y. wilkerson, detective who gained
notority in :he villisca ak murder
cases, is believed to have been ended
SO far as this community and Iowa Is
concerned by a coup On the part o.:
Attorney General Havner. He is de-
clared to have lost his following when
his character. which ne was seeking
to uphold. was shattered in afidavits
taken here Saturday.
wilkerson, who is under indictment
in Wapello county on the charge of
conspiracy to commit adultery" ar
ranged for the taking OF six deposit
tons to be used at the Wilkerson trial
at Ottumwa some time In November.
Wilkerson summoned six persons to
depose as to his good character, and
Ross Moore, brother Of the murdered
Joe Moore, was at the Eead of the list.
Attorney General HaTner, who will
prosecute the case at Ottumwa, was
present to assist in taxing the deposit
tons
Moore solemnIy testified that the
character OF Wilkerson was good"
after which Attorney General Havner
took the witness in charge for cross
examination. Neither Moore nor
Wilkerson dreamed what the attor-
ney general had up his sleeve. One
question only was required to COM
pletely upset Moore and plunge VIII
kerson into 4 towering rage.
Ross" said the attorney general,
TOW that you have testified that the
character Of Wilkerson is good, I want
to ask If should show you the petit
ton Of Minnie G. Wilxerson filed in
Tarrant county, Texas, against J. N.
Wilkerson, her husband, alleging that
although the plaintiff was In every
respect a dutiful wife. and true to her
marital vows and always treated him
with kindness and consideration, the
said defendant was on divers occasions
untrue to his marital VOWS and treated
plaintiff with extreme cruelty anu
abused her on many occasions. threat
ened her with physical violence and
succeeded by his cruel treatment in
wreckins her mind health and spirit;
that the defendant absented himself
from home for long periods without
accounting to plaintiff for his where
abouts or contributing to the support
of herself and children: that defend
ant was living during such period in
adultery with notorious woman and
his conduct and his relations with
such woman were ever humiliation,
chagrin and shame upon the plaintiff
and her children and II l should then
show you the decree OF the court
signed by the presiding judge at the
trial in which both the plaintiff and
the defendant. ]. N. .Wilkerson, were
present, and the court declaring that
the allegations of the Plaintiffs petit
ton were true and sustained by the
record, Ross Moore. or the testimony
of ]. y. Wilkerson?'
And Moore solemnly answered. Il
would believe the court record"
As Attorney General Hsvner> placed
the certified copies of the Texas court
records in Moores hands, Wilkerson,
white with anger. told Notary Public
c. II. Frame, who with District Court
Reporter Jesse Camp. vas taking the
evidence, that he did not want the
DISPOSITIONS.
" do" responded HaTner, and the
| testimony which Wilkerson expected
would be of much value to him will
be a part Of the evidence which he
| will have TO face at Ottunwa-
| Attorney General Havner. in his
cross examination of Moore. also pro-
duced the affidavit OF Archibald c.
Sweet, serving a life sentence for
murder at Leavenworth, alleging that
| Wilkerson visited the jail at Dodge
| City before his conviction. urging him
to assist in laying the murder OF
| nellie Byers TO different prominent
citizens. promising to secure his
| (Sweet's) acquittal and to divide the
| offered reward.
For the first time In his long and
| sensational career as an actor on the
Montgomery county stage, Wilkerson
was without following. The crowd
which had followed in his steps and
championed his cause had completely
dwindled away.