Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 107, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1911 — POOLE DISMISSED HIS ATTORNEYS—DON’T NEED ANY. [ARTICLE]

POOLE DISMISSED HIS ATTORNEYS—DON’T NEED ANY.

Philosophically Says That If He is Going to Hang There is No Sense In Hiring Lawyep. Fowler, Ind., May 4.—John W. Poole, charged with the murder of Joseph Kemper, wis arraigned lodr-y and entered a plea of not guilty to a warrant charging him with murder in the first degree. “I am not guilty of killing him intentionally,” said Poole. Judge Stevenson remanded him to jail without bail to await the action of the grand jury which will be impaneled to return an indictment and the trial will follow at the June term of the Benton circuit court. The preliminary hearing was held in the parlor of the sheriff’s residence, as Sheriff Shackleton feared to take Poole to the court house on account of the immense crowd which had gathered to listen to the evidence at coroner’s inquest. Mrs. Poole and her daughters sat beside the accused at the preliminary examination dnd wept bitterly. Poole was not represented by counsel at the hearing. One of the startling developments of the day was the withdrawal of Poole’s lawyers from the Their action is said to be due to two reasons. Poole and his family are said to be convinced that he will pay the penalty of his crime on the scaffold, Poole philosophically remarking that if he must hang there is no use dispossessing the estate by the employment of lawyers. His attorneys also favored basing the defense 4 on the plea bf Ifisanity. To this Poole objected. He insists that the killing of Kemper was purely accidental, and that he is perfectly willing to go on the stand and explain every circumstance and abide by the judgment of the jury. He says hiß conscience is clear in spite of the damaging fact of his ghoul-like disposal of the body, and that his actions following the accident were the result of unreasoning fear.

Poole wanted to make a statement, but State’s Attorney Hall told him anything he might say would be used against him, and that he had better refrain from talking until he had obtained the advice of counsel. Fully 1,000 persons packed the courtroom today where the coroner was conducting an inquest to determine the causes that led to the death of Joseph Kemper. Poole was not present. The investigation was conducted by Coroner Arthur LeSage and a number of witnesses were examined, among them being Mrs. Poole and her daughter Grace. Grace Poole was first called to the stand and to most of the questions she replied “I don’t know,” or “I don’t remember.” She admitted having seen blood spots in the dining room following the disappearance of Kemper. Other points in her testimony corroborated the story of Emory Poole, although it was evident that the girl was doing her best to shield her father. Mrs. Poole also endeavored to protect her husband at every point possible, but admitted that there were numerous blood spots in the dining room. She was inclined to attribute their presence to the fact that some of the meat was brought into this room when they butchered the day following Kemper’s disappearance. Mrs. Poole and two children, Grace and Emory, were each placed under bonds of SI,OOO to insure their appearance at court when the case comes to trial. Following the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, Coroner LeSage, Sheriff Shackleton and five auto loads of citizens repaired to the Poole farm, where further search was made of the premises, but, when darkness put an end to the work no further evidence could be found.