Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-04-24
PROSECUTION
RESTED CASE
Defense is Calling Witnesses in
Behalf Of Mrs. Johnson,
Defendant.
MAY FINISH THIS WEEK
Considered Possible that Case May
Get in Hands of Jury by End
OF Week.

Gertrude, the fourteen-year-o old
daughter OF Mrs. Anna ellison, who
was one Of the feature witnesses of
the previous two cases, was called
10 the stand i'm the trial of Mrs. lneZ
Johnson on Friday. and again re-
lated the story Of the party at the
home of her parents on the night Of
the murder Of Beatrice Epler.
The little girl told how she was
sleeping in an adjoining room; told
Of being awkened by the slam of a
door, and OF hearing her father say,
an put the whole bunch out" She
also told of hearing a loud scream,
scufling in the room and talking
Later, she said, she heard another
scream out near the road.
David Beaudry was called 20 the
stand also on Friday, remaining on
the stand good part of the day and
being called back again on Saturday
when he was subjected 10 one of the
most grueling cross examinations
which has been brought out since the
first Of the three trials started
When on the stand Friday Beaudry
swore that he saw Mrs. johnson talk.
ing TO Beatrice Epler in front of the
Johnson home on the night of the
murder, and that later in the even
ing he saw Mrs. Johnson and a girl
who wore a coat similar TO the one
worn by the Epler girl, in the John
son home; and also that he saw Al
bert Eichorn standing by an auto
mobile in front Of the Johnson home
on the same night.
He stated that he began work on
the case about week after the mur-
der at the request Of the slain girl's
father, and that he had worked on il
for month and half before the re.
ward vas offered by the Gratiot
supervisors.
Saturday, under grueling cross
examination conducted by Attorney
Charles H. Goggin Of this city
Beaudry underwent the hardest ses
sion Of any witness in the cases sine,
he trial Of Albert Eichorn yeai
ago, but in spite of the heavy attach
sent at him by the Alma attorney fhC
clung closely to the testimony whicl
he had given.
Tuseday afternoon the prosecution
rested its case. in the trial of Mrs
Johnson, and the defense immediate
ly put on several preliminary Wit
nesses
Earlier in the day the prosecution
put Lynn b. Caldwell. court stenog
rapher. on the stand lie testified
concerning conversation between
the officers and Mrs Johnson in tn,
sheriff's Office in Ithaca.
During the day. before resting it.
case. the prosecution got a letter ad
mitted in evidence, which was writer
by Mrs. Johnson. after her arrest OF
September 9. 1917. on a charge OF
running house of i'll fame, an,
which was taken from the person OF
Albert Eichorn The letter wa.
signed "lnez." In part it follows:
We'll, Al, | am out to my fathers
Pa and Uncle Pete went my bail
Now | have lied and kept still anC
did everything TO keep out of il, bu'
they're after US strong Smith
prosecuting attorney, is trying tC
ring you in awfully hard. There ISM
any use of denying absolutely your,
being there. for there are too many
that know, so am trying to tell yol
what | did tell and that is all"
A signed statement which had beer
made by Mrs. Johnson was also pro
duced, which admitted that the Eplel
girl had been at the Johnson home
about $50 and again about 700 the
evening of the murder. September 4
1917.
Wednesday Mrs. Inez Johnson was
put on the stand in her own behalf
by her attorneys. She told a Ions
story about her life Of working in the
fields. Of doing office work. and cook
ing She admits improper relations
with Albert Eichorn. She stated that
she saw the Epler girl on the night
of the murder She said that she saw
the girl go past her house, and that
Miss Epler stopped and asked her &c
20 to the show with her.
Mrs Johnson swore tnat she was
at home reading Oh the night of the
murder She admitted having writ.
ten the letters produced in court
while in Jail, and said that Eichorr
might have gotten the one which the
officers took from him.