The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-17
POISON TRIAL
END DOUBTFUL
WITHIN WEEK
Defense Sends Throng of
Character Witnesses
to Stand.
STATE MAY HAVE ACE
Woman Expected to Testify
She Saw Mrs. Simmons
on Shopping Tour.
BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT


LEBANON, Ind, Oct. 17-Thou-
sands upon thousands of words of
testimony that vary like the musical
scale of a Spanish fandango have
been poured into the three weeks
court record of the trial of Mrs.
Carrie Simmons, charged with the
poison Staying TO her daughters.
With opening of the trials fourth
week, Monday, after a recess Fri
day night, the Hancock county farm
wife will have been before the bar
of justice almost as long as was D
G. Stephenson.
The Stephenson trial consumed
five weeks and the Simmons hear
ing is expected to continue through
next wee kand into the following
week.
Character Is Lauded
The good character if Mrs. Sim
mons, admitted by the state, has
caused the padding of the court rec
ord as the defense sends neighbor
after neighbor into the witness box
to tell in qualified words of the
"idealistic life" of the Simmons
family and the "motherliness" Of
the women charged with poisoning.
With the courts opening Monday,
the defense will continue wearing a
path from the Name1ess creek vi
cinity in Hancock county to the
chair before Circuit Judge John
Hornaday.
The state requested that the num-
Der of character witnesses be
limited, but the judge has not ruled
on the motion.
His silence gives credence to the
report that he will permit the de-
tense to shower the state with testi-
monials of Mrs. Simmons purity of
living prior to the tragedy.
Seen in indianapolis
One important witness forecast
from the stand Friday was Mrs.
Matte ADDISON.
She is expected to testify next
week that she saw Mrs. Simmons at
about 10 o'clock the morning of
June IS shopping in Indianapolis.
Her testimony was tagged to the
state by her sister, Mrs. Minnie M.
Oldham, who testified that she sat
next to Mrs. Simmons at the break
fast of the Riley Cheer Guild and
that Il know where Mrs. Simmons
was at 10 o'clock that morning, for
my sister saw her -"
The state contends, through
Charles w. Friedman, indianapolis
druggist, that Mrs. Simmons pur-
chased poison at his store at
round 10 a. m"
Friendman did not set the exact
time he saw Mrs. Simmons.
Enthusiastic Over Picnic
Mrs. Oldham related how Mrs.
Simmons told at the breakfast that
she was going on a picnic to Leb-
anon the following Sunday.
She was enthusiastic about 60
ing to the picnic" she testified.
Il know how enthusiastic she was
about going to that picnic she
added.
How do you know?' questioned
Special Prosecutor Roy Adney.
Well, she was like I am. I just
love to go to picnics," retorted the
witness enthusiastically.
Were you one of the women in
the literary society to which Mrs.
Simmons Belonged"
Yes"
Did you hear of any condemna-
ton of the murders?" Adney asked.
Il wasn't on that committee"
Mrs. Oldham said.
Playing heavily on sentiment. the
defense brought out, through Mrs.
Lena Vandenbark, a neighbor of
Mrs. Simmons, that her ideal in life,
as recited at the literary society.
was, TO live to see my children
growing up in the community"
Mrs. Simmons is expected to take
the stand next Wednesday or
Thursday in her own defense.
In the meantime the state plans
a rebuttal assault on important
points gained by the defense since
inception of the trial