Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-05-10

could have been with her alone. After
they had returned to the Koonce, home,
the brother told BeaSley that he could
not have the children, that they must
he left with the mother. Beasley then
apparently ;iSsented to this plan.
Especially strange is the fact that
the photograph was playing practical
ly the entire morning at the Koonce
home. Mrs. Emma scharf, who was
upstairs in the house during the entire
time, declares that she heard not u
sound except the music. She asserted
before the coroncr's jury that she open
ed her door 10 better hear the music.
that she was Sitting quietly by Il win
dow and there waS 10 noise whatever.
The first she knew of the murders hav-
ing been committed downstairs was
when she saw Mrs. Koonce run from
the house across the park. Then she
went down to see what had happened.
FIt is evident from this that Beaslcy
lad !, revolver silcncer of some kind.
What may prove to lie evidence of
considerable Importance also was
brought by Mrs. Scharf when she told
of a car driving up to the house during
| the morning with two occupants. Both
Mr.. and. Mrs. Beasley e IL to the
car and talked. but the latter ran
hack into the house before the car de-
parted, leaving her husband talking to
the men. No one seems to know any
thing of this. car, and KOonce believes
lit may have been accomplices of
Ecasley's from Illinois and that they
drove their car on to some point in
dicatcd by him and there waited to
drive him to safety. This, however,
lis merely presumption and has no other
basis OF fact except that the occupants
of the car were unknown.
: Heard Strange Noise.
Luther Myers called at the KOonce
o'clock to inquire for Earl Cheyne. ii
uy the little kooice girl, and while
standing in the door Beasley came
from the bedroom, greeted him with a
CHEEKY good morning" and walked
right back into the bedroom. Mr..
Myers left Immediately but had gone
only IL short distance, not a half u
block, when he heard What he thought
was Il door slam or Il window fall. He
looked back but could see nothing so
Will OI. III II lC<S SluAINtSs IN -
Beasley walking down Superior street
toward the Fisher home. He was not
running, Mr.. Myers says, but just walk
ing quickly.
Mr.. Kooncc was a few miles out of
the city fixing Il stalled car at the time
of the murder and d notified by
George BEEN that something had hap
pcned. Mr.. BEEN saw Beasley hurry
:-.- l--, ,,t .,t,,,n nyx- ~ Y.V fhA
Fisher home and Immediately became
suspicious. He had no other grounds,
declares, and did not see Beasley
leave the Koonce home, but immediate
ly hurried to where Mr.. koonce was
working and told him what he had
seen.
Sheriff Returned.
Sheriff Mcekins. after tracing Beas-|
Icy to iowa Falls, last night returned
to this city for Il short time and again
took up the search. When he returned
last night he brought with him the
suitcases which Beasley left at the
farm house south OF Wilke. No one
had been at home at the farm house
and he had left u note on the bags
which read:
Left by a friend who will call for
them later"
Groups of men We're c~ongregated
about the streets all day yesterday at
%ternoon, and when a false report came
about i O'Clock that Beasley had been
captured II crowd of almost two hun- !
bred gathering about the court house.
There were a few mumbled threats OF
lynching.
will Call Grand Jury.
The grand jury will be called into
immediate session and will undoubted-
ly return an Indictment against Beas-
lev charging him with wilful murder
under three separate charges. Should
Beasley be captured and returned he
would he given an opportunity to
plead. If he pleads guilty he will be
Immediately sentenced, but should he
plead not guilty a trial would be neces-
sary. The laws of Iowa provide TOR
clritgl punishment in case OF wilful
murder. The statutes on this point
f.
"All death which is perpetrated by
means of poison or lying In wait or