Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-05
R0FHWELL IS GIVEN
LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Aftcr Nearly Four Hours Dclibera-
tion. Awarded Heaviest Sentence
In Power OF State.
WAS AFRAID OF DRAFT LAW
said Ho would Kill Roth Himself
and VIE Hather Than Go In
Army Nearly Did Both.

Fred Rothwell was sentenced 10
spend the balance OF his life In the
| penitontIary for the killing Of his
slfe az skh,took April IA. Tesii-
mony was concluded at 1895 Tues
day night aud yesterday forenoon
WAS occupied In arguments by the
attorneys Tho Jury went out at
noon and at Si45 yesterday afternoon
returned It's verdict OF guilty of first
degree murder.
hothwel s,t calm all through the
trial. During the taking or tasu-
many Tuesday afternoon. no seemed
10 find great deal OF enjoyment In
the statements OF some OF the wit
nesses. His mother sat beside him.
occasionally pattlng him on the
shoulder. but he seemed 30 conf
dent OF ultimate victory that he paid
hut little attention To- the little gray
haired woman who was staying
ataunchly with him. when the verS
diet was rendered. Rothwell calmly
thanked the Judge and jury for their
fairness. embraced his weeping
mother and calmly left the court
room.
d. q. Elliott John s. Hale and a.
r. Nelson were tho attorneys repre-
sentlng Rothwell, while A. ". Mont
gomery and George w. Reeves took
the part OF the state.
In testimony II was brought out
that Rothwell had been examined for
the draft and had made the state
ment 10 the keeper OF q pool hail
IN skiatook that the morning would
not find him there to 10 In the army.
lie had tried 10 persuade this man
70 let him have a revolver ha knew
him 10 be In possession OF. That
Rothwell had already packed up MS
gooda preparatory 10 sending his
wife 70 her parents was established.
Mrs. Hanson. sister ~ Mira. Roth
we'll, said that on tho day Of the klll-
ing Rothweii had stated that brfur1
he would 80 20 war he wouid XIII
both himself and hts wife. 4 few
minutes before the shots were heard,
Misa Ida Mlzer said, Rothweil had
told his wife that as this was their
last night together. he would like To
spend II with her. and suggested that
they No 10 a rooming house rather
than TO the home OF some one OF
the neighbora Shortly after that,
ElizR Brown. who lives near the
house whore the killing occurred.
said that Rothwsll went TO her house
and offered her ten cents TO get his
wife to go over there when she
returned from her errand. she tes-
titled, she missed a revolver that had
been IN the tray OF trunk. The
gun belonged 60 her brother, whose
name ls Meeksf This gun was idea
4 titled as the one found by the, body
hys Capps. the marshal and BY
Meeks aa hia gun.
Testimony introduced by ltothweil
] Nra IN hss ..Ff 81
shooting eliza Nicer, who was In the
house at che time, went back IN the
house after Jack Forman, who owns
the house, had gone down tho street
after help, This testimony did hot
seem 10 produce much effect on tho
jury. however, "a II did not seem 20
have very direct bearing on the
case. In THIS Instance the Effort on
the part OF the defense 10 throw the
blame on Ida Mizer became appar-
ent. especially after the testimony OF
the defendant himself
On the witness stand Rothwel
made dental OF his fear OF the draft,
and stated that he had ALREADY
Joined company OF the Oklahoma
national guard lie denied that
thore had ever been any trouble be-
tween himself and his wife Roth
/ well said that instead OF bringinK
I his wife In tho Kitchen. he had gone
| In TO get a drink OF water and his
wife had followed him In. whtR
| they were talking, according to him,
Ida Mixer appeared at the doorway.
Then he says somebody fired. He
did not remember a thing until the
20 Of May; then he learned that his
wife was dead.
Arguments by the attorneys took
all forenoon. Al ~ o'clock the jury
went out. returning their verdict OF
murder In the first degree az a;tb IN
the afternoon.