Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 288, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1911 — MANY BELIEVE POOLE To BE MENTALLY SOUND [ARTICLE]

MANY BELIEVE POOLE To BE MENTALLY SOUND

Years* Acquaintance Say He Is L Entirely Rational. —ss. The Poole trial at Lafayette dragdence W«SI largely of thA same Mnrl Many neighbors and businessmen tea tiffed of some of thp transactions they had had with him and everything bears out the meanness that seems to constitute his 'whole life. Poole's insane hospital record was introduced Wednesday in the testimony of Dr. P. J. Wattles, of the insane Hospital. Poole was twice confined there. The first time from Aug. 2 and Sept 3, 1893. He was committed the second time in February, 1897, and in September of the same year he rjrn away. It was not until the following January that he was taken back Jar the sheriff and he was furloughed in April of the same year and discharged in May, 1899.

Big crowds attended the trial Wednesday. Poole’s married daughter, Mrs. John Haas and her husband were at his side, as was also his Brother William. Alonzo D. Sleeper, of Fowler, said he thought Poole was of sound mind. He had known Poolafor thirty years and found him close and haggling iff his transactions. Sleeper was clerk of the court at the time Poole shot John Quigley and he thought Poole was perfectly sane at that time. He said that Poole was always grimey and unkempt. W. B. Hoffine testified that he had -w r of a fight Poole had with a man named Gregory and bow he helped dress Poole’s injury after Gregory hit him in the head with a shovel. He considers Poole ot sound mind.-

Benjamin Johnson was a neighbor, missed two hogs and claims that Poole took them, any way, he said, he found them in Poole's pen. Johnson drove them home but Poole sued him and beat him. He said that Poole hired lots of strange men on the farm and after the hog Incident he did not have much to do with Poole. John Johnson, of Swanlngton, had known Poole for fifteen years and lived across the road from him for some time. Poole's hogs had got into his corn and rooted it up and Poole’ had promised to pay tor the damage but had not done so. He said that he considered Poole of sound mind. Dempsey Barker, a railroad section foreman, of Fowler, said that he had hired Poole to mow the right-of-way for about seven years and that Poole did the work well and he considered him sane.

Mike Duffy, the Benton county grain man and politician, was called by the state. He stated that he owned 900 acres of land in Benton county, 1,3Q0 in Newton county and was a partner In another section in Newton. He had frequent business transactions with Poole covering a period of 28 years. He always found Poole versed in stock and grain values and considered him of sound mind. Alan Hagenbaught formerly occupied a farm adjoining Poole’s. About fifty head of Poole’s cattle got into his corn and Poole promised to pay for the damage. He never paid. He said Poole talked coherently and was of sound mind. Charles Stuart told of having extended credit to Poole while he ran a store at Swanlngton. Poole gave him a note- and paid some- on it but never paid it all. He thought Poole of sound mind. P. B. Parker had known Poole for 17 years. When Parker was deputy sheriff he went after Poole to take him to the asylum.

“Did you see Pooler’ asked Mr. Hill. ’*T«, I saw him,” replied Parker, “Going through the bedroom window.” Parker said that he never got Poole but another man did and took him to the hospital. After Poole got out, Parker said they joked about the ‘‘getaway’’ Poole made. He considered Poole of sound mind. v Frank E. Cones told about Poole once working on a stone road he was building. Poole came to work one day with blood over his face and a gash in his scalp. He asked Cones if he thought fee ought to have it sowed up. That was only two years ago. Cones said he always considered Poole mentally sound. M C. Garvin told -of having met Poole In Bwanlngton before his arrest Poole had a box of clothing which he said he was going to ship to a hired hand in Attica. G.’ L. Quthridge, of Bwanlngton, was the next witness. He is an operator on the Big Four and was formerly engaged to the merchantile business, running a general store

there. He has known Poole twenty years and has seen him frequently. Poole ran an account with him and paid it all by 12.20, Poole saying he didn't owe that Mr. Guthridge said Poole is a person of sound mind. Wm. Baismore, who was on the stand for the state before, was called as a witness. He lived about two miles from the Poole farm and was often at the Poole farm. He helped Poole thresh three or four times, he said, and Poole directed operations. He helped butcher on December 13, 1909, the day after Kemper disappeared, at the request of Poole. Baismore said that Poole always talked coherently and that he never saw any wild look in his eyes. He stated that he believed the defendant to be of sound mind on December 12, 1909. Mr. Barce said, "You are a friend and companion of Emory Poole's, aren’t y6u?’ "Yes sir." "That is all,” quickly said the attorney for the defense, and the trial was then adjourned until 10 o'clock Thursday morning. The following Jasper county people were subpoenaed to go as witnesses in the Poole trial in Lafaette today and most of them went down on the early morning train. Those subpoenaed were: Harvey and Grant Davisson, Ed Ritter, 8. T. Comer, Thos. Parker, Joe Nagle, H. J. Dexter, Horace/ Daniels, Arthur Stuart, Chas. Armstrong, Judge C. W. Hanley, ExSheriff L. P. Shirer, J. D. Lowe, Frank Miller, George Kaufman, and Sim McCloud. A number of the witnesses were called to testify about the case o* Poole In the Jasper circuit court somi three years ago, when he was fine! >SO for committing assault upon a reputable woman in this county.