Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-11-11
STATE DEPENDS ON TESTIMONY
OF KIN OF ACCUSED IN
y MURDER TRIAL.
BRIGGS. WAIT CASE
or WIDE INTEREST
VISIT Called 10 His Door and Shot on
Night Of April S-Aeeussd Briggs
Brothers on His Dsathbed-Allssed
Confession Of James Briggs stats's
Trump Gard.

West Union, Nov. 1.-THE entire
state Of Iowa as well as the two coun-
ties OF Clayton and Fayette. will watch
with more than passing interest next
week the murder trial at West Union.
OF George Briggs, Jr, accused Of the
Staying of James Wait. a prominent
resident of Edgewood, Iowa, who was
a material witness against Briggs in
a recent arson case. II promises TO
be one Of the most sensational trials
in the states criminal annals. Ar
raigued on the side of the state are
the county attorneys Of Fayette and
Clayton counties and private prose-
cutors, D. D. Murphy and his sons,
and Mr.. Price, of Eikader. and for
the defense are E. H. Esty, of West
Union and the firm of Grimm,
Wheeler & Elliott, of Cedar Rapids.
The case has its beginning on
Feb. II, 1915, when a fire destroyed
the farm house occupied by Briggs
and his family near Little Porte, in
Clayton county. On that night, James
Briggs, a brother OF George, was WIS.,
iting at the home during the absence
of Mrs. Briggs and her child. Every
thing was destroyed, including con-
siderable personal property on which
George carried worthwhile insurance
in Clayton county insurance COM
pany. When he tried to collect the
risk allowance he was refused and
law suit followed. Meanwhile the
state fire marshal began an investi-
cation. resulting in indictments being
returned against both Briggs boys
They were tried on q charge Of con-
spiracy and other crimes in connection
with the fire and convicted. The pre-
siding Judge. however, granted new
trial or the ground that the evidence
was insufficient. On change OF
venue to Fayette county the men were
acquitted with a direct verdict for the
defendants.
Wait Murdered April g.
From that time on a feud feeling
between different parties and fac.
tons in the two counties existed,
and on the night Of April 9. 1919.
Mr.. Wait, who had been one Of the
vigorous prosecuting witnesses against
the Briggs boys, was shot and fatally
wounded About g. N. he was sum-
moned by q rap on his front door. As
ne opened It, he was shot down by a
man standing on the porch Just out
side the screen. The bullet entered
his body near the collar bone and took
freak course over the shoulder and
down the back. 1t severed his spinal
column and he died a short time later.
On his death bed 1t II alleged he
said, Il don't know who could have
done such a mean thing. unless 1t
was the Briggs boys" One Of the
principal contentious Of the defense
will be that the dying man further
said: I'm not quite sure which one
Of them It was, but 1t seems to me
that 1t was a man of small build"
George Is more than six feet tall while
James Is the runt of the family, about
s feet inches.
The state is expected to use as III
trump card. the statement Of James
who. 1t Is said, turned states evil
dence when suspicion looked his
way. It is said that James will tesu-
fy that George came to him before
the shooting and made the sugges-
ton. The defense will attempt to re-
flute this testimony with an affidavit
from James that no such thing ever
occurred. It win also tend to show
that the brothers confession was new
er ventured until after q certified
check for $4,000 had been offered for
the conviction Of the guilty party. It's
a case of brother turning on a broth
or to save his own neck and at the
same time earn a small fortune, the
defense will contend.
Ever since a few days following
the murder when George was arrest
ed, he has been in confinement in the
Jail at Elkader. His wife has divorc-
ed him.
Following the murder the state OBJ
tanned blood hounds and took them to
the porch where the man stood that
fired the fatal shot They picked up
a scent but failed to develop 1t mate
rally. Finally when suspicion pointed
to George Briggs, the hounds were
taken to his home but they ignored
him. That fact will be another trump
for the defense.
The Briggs family which numbers
the aged parents and about eight
children, stand staunchly by George
with exception Of James. 4
The examination Of prospective
veniremen begins next Monday.
-------------