Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-12-07
STATE DECLARES
KIROFF MURDER
d, PREMEDITATED

left arm was raised up. He said Hurry
along with it, 1 stubbed my toe against
the bed. The gun went off. 1t was in
my left hand. / was in fear"
On cross examination by Mr.. Miller
she testified that she found the 'gun"
under the mattress or rather under one
of the pillows at the head of the bed
She said she stumbled against a '1arge
rug which was at the side of the bed
She said her husband was five or six feet
away from her when the accident hap
pened.
Your husbands arms were not five or
six feet in length, were they?" Mr.. Mil
Ter asked.
She maintained that her husband had
his hand raised. The defense made
desperate effort to convince the jury that
she thought that her husband was
alarmed because the police might be
coming to search the home for 'stilr'
and white mule" but the court sus-
tanned the objection Of the State.
DENIES MAKING
THREAT TO SHOOT.
She emphatically denied that she threat
ened to shoot her husband If he came
into the room, as police testified Kiroff
had said in his dying statement She
also steadfastly denied that strange
man was in her bedroom when her hus-
band arrived home shortly before the
tragedy.
Mrs. Kirof testified that she would
become a mother in about a month or
two" and declared Carl Kirof was the
father of her unborn child.
A point of her testimony which is caus-
ing both sides much argument is her con-
tention that on the night of the tragedy
her husband knew that she would be a
mother
SAYS SHE TOLD
HUSBAND OF FEAR
With that knowledge on the night Of
the tragedy, she asked Carl not to go
back to his soft drink store, but asked
him to stay home because she was
afraid"
She maintained with a sort Of savage
tenacity that she had always been a
loyal wife to Carl and the State could
introduce no direct evidence Of any ma
ture to refute that contention.
Mrs. Kirof maintained that her hus-
band had struck her when she objected
to him manufacturing and selling white
mule" On one occasion when they were
living near Irvington, she testified, she
objected to keeping watch when Carl was
working the stilI' and making white
mule"
SAYS HUSBAND
STRUCK HER.
She testified that she refused to watch
for the police" and that Carl had struck
her with a mop, knocking her uncon-
scious Her physical condition at that
time was delicate and she was in bed for
five days. she said.
She testified that after her husband had
served sixty days on the Indiana State
farm for 'bootlegging" she asked him
not to manufacture white mule" and
declared he replied that he was run
ming the still and that she had to
do the watching"
Mrs. Kiroff said that on the afternoon
/ Of the tragedy he had struck her during
a quarrel. On a previous occasion, when
/ they livad on West Michigan street, she
/ testified. Carl demanded that she carry
some white mule" to a restaurant and
/ that she refused because she was afraid
Of the police.
I DECLARES PIN
BELONGED TO HUSBAND.
/ Concerning the Serbian stick pin which
was found On her bed following the
tragedy by the detectives she testified
/ that Carl had the pin before their mar
riage. The detectives testified that Kiro1
denied owning the pin. Evidence showed
that Kiroff was Bulgarian.
The State bitterly opposed evidence
being introduced regarding the manu-
facture OF white mule" and other al
/ legged extraneOus matters. At one time
the court stated that he was getting
out Of patience with the manner IN
which Mr. Wetter was conducting thf
examination Of Mrs. Kiroff, and advised
/ counsel to get down to the vital facts
| The remarks Of the court were made when
Mrs KIron testified IN answer TO ques-
! tons put by Mr.. Wetter that a man CIV
Ing his name as Deny Dumcof and q
witness for the State, was n partner OF
Carl Kiroff IN the white mule" bust
ness. Dumcoff denied this.
She answered all questions directly and
refused TO change any part Of her testi-
mony on cross examination, except the
statement that she stumbled on a rug
/ instead Of the bed.
/ SPECTATORS FILL
! COURTROOM.
The courtroom was packed when she
related the story OF the tragedy. 1t is
said that the crowd which heard the
/ quaint recital was one OF the largest
ever damned IN the courtroom.
The defense, after william Cisseu, AS
North Haugh street. had testified for the
| State that he helped carry Kiron from
the porch Of the home Of Mrs. Mabe
Davis, who lived next door, summoned
him as a witness for Mrs Kiroff.
Cfssell testified that he was sitting or
box IN front Of a grocery at Haugh
and Michigan streets when he heard q
shot He asserted that he did not see q
strange man" run from the Kiro1
I home
Guy bennington, brother Of Mrs
Kirof and who has been at his sister,
side during the entire trial, testified IL
her behalf as did her father, Grant Len
nington and her sister, Lydia bennington
Counsel maintain that the doctrine OF
reasonable doubt will have much bearing
upon the verdict Of the jury.
The State did not ask for capital pun
ishment but asked for a conviction.
The jury has the power to return 8
verdict Of manslaughter If a verdict OF
guilty is deemed proper. The defense
asked for an absolute acquittaL
Gets S100 Fine, Costs
4 Az n@1< - FDS