The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-05-15
MURDERED HIS MOTHER

MURDERED HIS MOTHER
Roy Emerson of Creston Indicted
on Horrible Charge Of Murder
inc His Mother Last Week.
One of the most terrible crimes IN
the history of southern Iowa, is the
cruel murder of Mrs. Charles IN
merson at Creston on Tuesday al
ternoon Of last week, and the re-
voting part of the crime is that her
only son, Roy Emerson. is in jail, at
Creston, charged with murder in the
at the coroner's inquest being very
strong against him, and Judge F.ul-
ler who was at the time holding
court at Creston called a special
session of the grand jury who in,
vestigated the case, and the grand
jury made their report Saturday
morning, returning an indictment
in the first degree. 1t developed
during. the Investigation that for
several years there had been dis
agreements between young Emerson
and his mother, and since the deatn
Of the young mans father last jan
uary there had been numerous quar-
rels and violent hsnuling of Mrs.
Emerson, the major cause being ov- Y,
er money matters, Mrs. Emerson
seeing the money of the estate of
her husband which had been left to
her and the son squandered in iast
living by him, and a few days pre-
vious Mrs Emerson had notified the
banks that no checks without her
signature were good. The evidence
told friends that Roy had threatened
to kill her, while DR.. Coakley testi-
fed that Roy had told him a few
days before that his mother had
taken his gun and some poison tab
lets and threatened to take her life.
Upon DR.. Coakley speaking to Mrs.
Eemrson about the matter. she de,
MED it very emphatically, but stated
that Roy had threatened to kill her
and that she was afraid Of him. =
The evidence against young En-
erson is very strong, and public
sentiment at Creston and through
out Union county is very strong
against him. In speaking of the
case the Advertiser-Gazette says "ln
in the state, the first time that a
son has taken the life Of MS moth
er without Immediately committing
Young Emerson takes the matter
very coolly, simply saying he uld not
commit the crime. When interview
ed by an Advertiser-Gazette reporter
he made the following statement:
mean? Why! That I'm not guilty of
course" suppose that will be al
right to say and turning to Ne
sheriff and one or two who were
present he made inquiries relativa.s 2
+ she date Of the funeral and seelaaa
astonished when he. was informed
aased aas 1hG the bods for ad nGa
He inquired what attitude the
newspapers and community We're
taking toward him and when in
formed that things looked mighty
black" against him he said Sure
looks like I'm blowed up. Takes all
the wind out of my sails
He, asked regarding the coroner's s
inquest and cursed several who were
witnesses.
When called by sheriff Young to
come into the corridor in front of
the cells for the interview he came
out of his cell putting on his coat and
saying that he had been asleep.
He did not seem to be worried or
nervous concerning the investigation
probable release from jail.
He is in no way nervous or exc1t-
ed, although he realizes in meas
| ure at least, the attitude of the COM
munity regarding his mothers death.
When asked for picture he said
"J-- C. Enough notoriety in
all these papers without having my
picture there He refused to have
his picture taken.
Judge T. L. Maxwell and Kenneth
Davenport, of Creston as his attor-
neys. Through his attorneys he en-
tered a plea of mot guilty. and will
ask that his trial be held at an early
date, and Judge Fuller will fix a
time for special session of court
| soon.
Thomas L. Maxwell, attorney for
maS n peSa Taip Of fsRsd ks He Client statf
IF Roy Emerson is guilty Of this
murder, he is the most abnormal
human being in the world. He
manifests no signs of worry or fear
and does not seem grieved.
at is his cool attitude that is SO
puzzling in regard to the question
of his guilt. A criminal, charged
| with such a crime, would manlIeSt
some emotion, but he seems absC-
lutely untroubled.
1.-The reason community sentiment
is so strongly against him is because
of the known disagreement, over
business between him and his MOI tn
er. He is headstrong man, and
only son, insistent on having his
own way, and people, say he did not
show the greatest regard for his
mother
Indications are that the prose.
cutting attorney will seek to estab.
lish a double motive for murder;
one being the quarrel between Roy
Emerson and his mother; the other
1 is clause in the will of the late
Charles Emerson, giving an impa-.
!. tial interest in the estate to Mrs
Emerson and their son, Roy, dur.
ing their lifetime, but providing
4 that on the death of the one the
estate goes to the survivor. The
Emerson interest consists of an un
dertaking establishment and a 100
acre farm in Union county, WORTH
about $4,000, according. to Attor
4 ney Maxwell.
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