The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-28

She declares she would give ne
She denied she was the
purchaser of sixty grains of
strychnine in the south side
Indianapolis drug store Of
Charles w. Friedman, June
Is, three days before the fatal
picnic, when she and her
family came to Indianapolis
while she attended a Riley
hospital cheer guild break
fast.
In a voice so low that several
times she was asked to talk louder,
the thin, pale and ashen gray de-
PENDANT massed her denials OF the
crime.
Seems Near Collapse
Now and then it appeared she
would break as she related her story
to the world, the packed courtroom,
and the jury of twelve farmers VINO,
within week, are to adjudge her
guilty or innocent.
Her face was more pale and her
hands so white they appeared
transparent as they fluttered to her
face now and then.
She neared collapse when she told
of the picnic scene, the bitter sand
wiches and of seeing "the white
powder" on Alice jeans teeth.
Her description of the illness of
the girl moved the courtroom as
one. She related her efforts to re-
move the white powder" from the
mouths of Jean and her sister, Vir-
ginia, who also was victim OF the
strychnine.
Held No Malice
Mrs. Simmons told the jury she
held mo malice in her heart" and of
how the deaths of her daughters
had broken her.
After relating the visit with her
family to indianapolis June 10, and
asserting she never bought poison,
she told how the first bitter sand
wich at the picnic was called to her
attention.
George, my son, came up and
said there was something terrible
bitter about his sandwich she re-
lated. 81 said I didn't know what
it could be and told him, if he
didn't like it, to throw it away.
About that time he held it up
and in the side next to me saw
a white substance that looked like
a wad of flour in the sandwich. I
took my fingers and pinched off
some right where the powder was.
Tasted it and it was terribly bitter.
Son Finds Capsule
about that time. Dale, my other
son, came up and wanted to know
what was the matter. told him
was wrong with the
sandwiches.
1t was then, she said, that George
pulled a capsule from his SAND
wich and held it before him.
ct was a longer part of cap
sule and it was practically impact
as I would call it" she continued.
She said Dale tasted the pow
der in the capsule and then her hus-
band, John w. Simmons, came to
the group and wanted to know,
What on earth is the matter?"
Unable to tell him, she said she
explained that something was wrong
with the food.
Saw Powder on Teeth
II saw Virginia and Jean stand
ing to my right and a little to the
north and Jean was making terri
ole face. I could see the white
powder on her teeth and I walked
Up to her and said What is the
natter, Jean?
"She said This is awful Vir-
ginia said her sandwich wasn't bit
good either"
She described how she obtained
water and had them rinse their
She said she took a hand
zerchief and wiped jeans face after
he girl had rinsed her mouth.
She said she also rinsed her
mouth and then saw Horace Jack
son, Hancock county farmer and
unofficial defendant" in the trial,
ying on the ground near a tree,
Sobs for Several Minutes
1t was then, she related, that her
husband announced to the picnic
yroup that the sandwiches should
lot be eaten. She said she and her
husband conversed about the mat
er, wondering how it could have
Jean came around the bench
md 1 looked at her and put my
lrp around her and asked if she
we're sick" she related. EShe was
Tery white around the mouth, but