Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1925-01-31
Act of Self Defense,
Claims Defendant
Sensational Turn of Events IN Fam
Gus Murder Trial Came Wednes-
day Afternoon.
GUDLEsKI PLACED ON STAND
Man Who Pleaded Guilty to Murder
and Sentenced to Life Brought
Here to Testify.

A sensational turn of events in
the case of Emma Sigler, charged
with hiring Andy Gudleski to bump
off her husband, and which has been
in progress at the court house during
the week, came Wednesday after
n noon when, after the state had rest
ed its case, w. C. label, counsel for
& defense, announced that the defense
would prove that Mrs. Sigler shot
her husband in her own home on the
morning of May 2, 1924, in self
"a defense.
Before making this announcement
Attorney label asked that the jury
he excused, following with a plea to
the court that the case be dismissed
on the ground that the state had
tailed to present sufficient evidence
to hold the defendant. Judge Foley
denied the plea.
The jury was called back and
Attorney label asked permission of
the judge to make a statement to
the jury. The request was granted
and the defendants attorney made
4 the following statement:
Shot in Self Defense.
Mrs. Sigler shot her husband in her
own home on the morning of May
4 End. She committed this act in
n self-defense. The defense will prove
that for years she had lived in terror
s of this man. She found her hus-
j band in his room that night. Mrs.
i Mason cautioned her about sleeping
with him as he might have something
up his sleeve. Next morning when
she was up early and in the laundry
4 room doing the washing a man came
4 to the door and asked for Mr. Sigler.
4 She found he was out of his room,
but it developed later that he was in
the bathroom. He came down to
the laundry and attacked her. She
struck him with a large stick that
she was using in washing. He said,
you remember, Emma, | told you
that if you ever struck me it would
be the last thing you did" With
that he made for the stove. Several
\ days before she had found an old
q gun in the stove and had removed it
to an old baby carriage in the
laundry. She grabbed the gun and
ran into an adjoining room and lock-
ed the door. He came, broke in
the door and she shot him twice.
Later she became alarmed and
called Gudleski and told him what
she had done and he came and took
the body in his car and disposed of
it.
Jury Visits Hotel.
Attorney label then requested
that the jury be taken to the hotel
wherein the murder is alleged TO
have been committed to view the
a rooms. Permission was granted
and the jury was gone about half
a hour
Gudleski Brought Here
Andrew Anderson, alias Andrew
Gudleski, who confessed to Detective
Hayes and later pleaded guilty to
numbering Andrew Sigler before
Circuit Judge Risjord and was SEN
fenced to life Imprisonment, was
brought here from Waupun as a
witness for the defense. With a
prison guard he arrived Wednesday
afternoon.
Gudleski practically repudiated the
confession said to have been MADE to
Detective Hayes, denied receiving
money from Mrs. Sigler but admitted
that he hauled Sigler's dead body
away, He said the note sent to Mrs.
Sigler through Hayes and which was
one OF the important links connect
4 ing Mrs. Sigler with the crime, was
suggested and dictated by Hayes,
although he admitted writing the
note.
Gudleski Testifies.
On the stand Thursday morning
Andrew Anderson, also known as
Gudlesk. confessed murderer of
Slgler and now serving a life SEN
tenee at Waupun, told of his part in
the affair. He said he spents the
evening Of May around town. going
INTO the Gogebic cafe for lunch about
$50, then going to his home in Iron
{ 2.-ood- He remembered that, he
SAID, because he was asleep when his
"lte returned from spending the
evening with a relative. He got out
OF bed to let her in at 1890.
Next morning. he said, he was al
ms work at the New Central saloon
a the usual hour-5:S0 o'clock
shortly after six o'clock, he judged