The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-07-07
:. ,roed with Murder Of His Mother
who Was Found Dead at the
bottom Of Elevator
Shaft.
TO BE HELD AT MT. AYR
rraoedy Of May 6 Was One Of the
Most shocking In Community
Where Family is
Prominent.

PRESTON, Ia, July THE trial o
nov emerson, who is charged witt
the murder of his mother, Mrs. Kat'
emerson, opens next Tuesday a
M AYR, where the case was takel
On the request of the defendant
attorneys for a change Of venue.
attorneys for both sides have made
extensive preparation for the trial
Nth prosecution and defense have
an able array of legal talent, and the
hardest fought murder case in thu
history of this section of the state IL
axnected. County Attorney E. l.. Car
roll of this city, will be assisted ir
the prosecution of the case by D. w
Hipbee. of Creston, and Frank Fuller
Of MT. Ayr, brother of Judge Homel
Fuller, who will occupy the bench
The lawyers for the defense are
THOMAS l.. Maxwell and Kenneth
Davenport of Creston, Judge Mitchell
Of Council Bluffs and Robert Spence
and H. C.. Beard of Mt. Ayr.
The tragedy, Of which the trial is
the final chapter, was one OF the
most shocking that ever occurred in
this community. On the evening OF
Nav G. the body of Mrs. Kate Emer-
son was found at the foot Of the ele-
yator shaft in the undertaking estab-
lishment by the son. Roy, who with
a couple of his employees had gone
down to the basement of the build
ing~to examine a body which they
had kept for a number of days. Mrs.
E,aerson's skull was broken in three
places, one on each side and one in
the back of the head. In addition,
both legs were broken just above the
ankles.
The elevator was standing at the
second floor of the building, height
of about twenty feet from the foot
of the shaft.
Drs. j. w. and Orlo Coakley, joint
owners with the Emerson estate of
the building, in which their office
adjoins the undertaking parlors, were
called Immediately, and after an ex-
animation announced that death had
occurred two or three hours previous
to the discovery of the body. Both
physicians scorned the theory of ac-
cident and advanced opinions OF
murder.
For the greater part of two days.
with excitement running high in
erosion, a coroner's jury heard evil
dence of quarrels between Roy and
his mother, threats which Mrs. En-
erson had stated to several persons
OF Roy against her life. evidence of
Roy's prodigal spending OF the
receipts of the business, in which
his mother held q half interest, with
resulting financial difficulties.
The verdict of the coroner's jury
was murder, and Judge Fuller imme-
diately summoned the grand jury and
ordered Emerson's arrest, which took
place two days after the tragedy. On
he following day the grand jury re-
.urned an indictment.
During the coroner's inquest 1t de-
'eloped that a blood-stained rag was
ound near the bottom of barrel OF
waste on the second floor Of the
building in which the tragedy oc.
Nrred, and Emerson was discovered
o have sent bloodstained suit OF
,lothes to the cleaner to be cleaned. !
blunt iron instrument bearing
races of hair and blood was also
discovered on the second floor. Finger !
rints on Mrs. Emerson's arm were !!
eclared by physicians to have been .
Inflicted before death.
Mrs. Emerson was last seen alive
bout o'clock on the afternoon of /
ne tragedy by friends who called at I
er place of business to visit her.
20 evidence has as yet developed as
any person seeing either of them
rom that time until just few min
ties before the discovery Of Mrs.
merson's body.
Charles Emerson, father of the man
no will this week be placed on trial,
led on January 10. last, after having
uiit up one of the best undertaking
businesses in the state. He was one L
the leading politicians OF the
ounty and was prominent member
several lodges, including Masons,
ks, Woodmen and Eagles. He had
zen twice president of the Iowa Flu
sfai Directors association and was 1
en- OF the city. Mrs Emerson, too, /,
as an active lodge member
The state will attempt to prove by {
Numstantial evidence that Emer- s
n Killed his mother in order to get I
II possession of the estate, which, 1
addition to the business, included t
farm. the estate having been left I
The terms of the fathers will {
ntly to Roy and his mother, and S
IL ask that the death penalty be c
ID for the crime.
emerson vehemently denies his
ut, but the defense has not yet
zen any hint of the means by whicn
y hope to unravel the net of dam
ing evidence spun around the de. :,
ldant at the coroner's inquest