The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-10-29
QUESTIONING BRIEF;
DEFENSE CROSS-EXAMINES HER
flushed Courtroom Hears Cox Make
Opening Statement, Picturing Ac-
cused as Spider and His Beautiful
Home the Web.
BY John L. Niblack and William L. Toms
Times staff Correspondents

CIRCUIT COURTROOM, NOBLESvILLE, Ind. Oct 20
Dressed in deep mourning her voice breaking with obs Mrs
George Oberhozer this morning took the stand the first wit
in the trial of D. c. Stephenson Earl Knck
Gentry charged with the murder of her
daughter, Madge
At times unable speak because of her grief with tears
coursng down her cheeks which she unable to stem
Oberhotzer told of the last time she her daugherhow
Madge left home to return broken and dying from poison
hushed courtroom heard the story of mother heart
broken and struggling against nervous collapse.
The trial of the trio opened in the four
eenth da-chcce of the jury taking thirteen days Working
the face of objections, William H Remy began the
spinning of the testimony with which expects convict the
defendants and send them to the electric chair
Earl Klinck the first defendant identified by State
witnesses Mrs Eunce Shu who rooms at the Oberhotzer
home with her professor Butler University took the
stand shortly before the second Witness told how
Knck carried Miss Oberhozer the house Tuesday morn
ing after she left Sunday night and laid bed up
stairs.
"oh I'm DYING
Il was in the kitchen preparing lunch and heard terrible
groanng at the front door, she said "Afer the man left
went in Madge's and she exclaimed twice. Oh I'm dying
Mrs Shuz She in deporable condition. with circular
ndented bruises on her cheeks, body and limbs
the man there in the back seat she said pointing
at Knck He said his Johnson of Koomo and that
Madge had been hurt in auto accident"
Mrs Oberholtzer's testimony followed fiery opening
statement by Charles E. Cox former Supreme judge who
has been hired by the Oberhozer family assist Remy
Women Gasp
Cox made the women spectators gasp when he outlined what
the State expects prove the alleged kidnapping and ruggnc
OF Miss Oberhoer and how she attacked in Pullman car
ateroom route to Hammond nd by Gentry Stephen
son. how she subsequently realized she had a vruous
woman holds DEAR and took bchlorde mercury tablets
how the defendants rushed her back indianapolis in Seph
ensons automobile and kept her prisoner Stephensons
garage while the family had been decoyed downtown
The courtroom only comfortably filled at the recess
for noon Court baili however, have made preparations to
combat large crowds
Stephenson, the principal defendant known through
out the State from his position of high political influence in
Republican politics and the fact that he head of the
Kan in 1929 has lost the aabe smile has marked the
preliminary hearing He spent of the morning taking
notes. and wore slightly worried air, if for the time
realizing actual murder trial progress that he is
defendant Gentry also appeared to be deeply concerned but
Klinck appeared unmoved
Stephenson 81 years old and his alleged confederaes
40
Sheriff On Guard
For the first time since the trial began two weeks ago
Sheriff Charles Goodng placed himself behind defendants as
guard Stephenson sat with his battery attorneys chief of
whom Eph Inman of the criminal ATTORNEYS
in the State.
Mrs Oberhozer took the stand shortly after Cox had con
cuded his opening statement.