Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 290, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1911 — LITTLE PROGRESS MADE IN POOLE TRIAL FRIDAY. [ARTICLE]

LITTLE PROGRESS MADE IN POOLE TRIAL FRIDAY.

Court Adjourned Early Because the Prosecution Exhausted supply of Witnesses. ■ > The state’s attempt to prove that William Poole, the brother of the defendant in the John W. Poole murder trial,- had a bad reputation in his neighborhood, was the only thing of importance that was brought up yesterday. A large number of the character witnesses who live near Poole in Wabash county were put on the stand and they pH said that William Poole had a bad reputation as a man 'of veracity and truth. Elmore Barce, attorney for the defense, showed that in nearly every case, the witness was bitter against Poole and had had trouble with’ him. ■ The court was adjourned at 1:55 o’clock yesterday afternoon unfil 10 o’clock Monday morning, because the state exhausted its suppy of witnesses. There are several who will testify, but who were unable to be in the court room yesterday afternoon. These the state will examine Monday and will then start with their medical experts.. Judge DeHart announced at the opening of the afternoon session that he would adjourn court at 2 o’clock because an uncle of Juror. George Wray had. died at Crawfordsville, but the shortage of witnesses mads this unnecessary. Prosecutor Frank Kimmel started withthe examination of the witnesses' at the morning session. John Alger, of Wabash county, was placed On the-«tand'flrsU JJe said. that he was a farmer and school teacher and that lie had known William Poole, the debrother, for the past forty years and ’ lived near him. He stated that William Poole’s reputation fobtruth and veracity in his neighborhood was bad. On cross-examination, he admitted that he and Poole had not been on speaking terms for a number of years* Fred Hampert, also a farmer of Wabash county and' a neighbor of William Poole, said that his reputation for truth and veracity was bad. He admitted to Mr. Barce’s examination that he had trouble with Poole. Schuyler Long, another of Poole’s neighbors, testified to the same thing concerning William Poole’s character. He admitted that he and Poole had been involved in litigation and that he had not spoken to him for ten years. John Malott also said that his reputation for veracity was not good. Charles Wasen, of Wabash county, was called to the stand. He said that the general reputation of William Pdole in the neighborhood in which he lives is bad. Fred Holstein, of Wabaffii cottnty, was put on the stand. He lives near William Poole and has known him for forty years. He said that WiUiam Boole’s reputation for truth and veracity was bad. ■ Charles A. Armstrong, of Jasper county, testified that he was a member of the regular jury panel of the 'circuit court in Jasper county when John W. Poole was tried for assault and battery In 1909. He stated that he believed Poole to be a person of sound mind. Joseph Nagel, of Jasper county, was also a membef of the regular jury and H. J. Dexter, of Rensselaer, was also a member. Both said they thought Poole sane. Arthur Stewart, of Jasper county, was also a member of the petit Jury that tried Poole. He did not notice any thing-peculiar about Poole. The next witness was Grant Davisson, of Jaspey county, who for four years was a township trustee. Poole purchased his farm from the witness’ brother about eight years ago. Mr. Davisson said that he considered Poole a person of 4gund mind. Harvey Davisson, .of Jasper county, who owns land adjoining Poole’s, said that he Saw Poole often and had had business deals with him. He stated that he believed Poole to be of sound mind. Elk ward Ritter, who owns 200 acres near the Poole Jasper county farm, was next on the stand. Poole boarded with the witness for a week about three years ago. Pdole was a person of sound mind, he said. L. P. Shirer, of Rensselaer, was the first witness called by th** state at the afternoon session. He was sheriff of Japer county in 1909. He arrested Poole in September of 'that year at his Beaton county farm. He said in part: ;■ . *’■’ ‘When I arrested Poole he seemed surprised. The charges were assault and battery and assault and battery with intent to. commit a crime. “He had a few small trees thn* ••ere split at the bottom and he asked me to watt while he budded those trees. We then went to the house, had dinner, then went to Fowler and saw his attorney, get some money from the

bank and went to .Rensselaer in an automobile. “When we got there his attorney made arrangements for his trial and I placed him in jail. He was in jail for six or seven days.” Sheriff Shirer said that after the trial he wegt with Poole and got money from a bank to pay the fine. The witness said that he considered Poole to be a person of sound mind. The witness was then excused. Judge DeHart then said he would hear the attorneys’ arguments on the state’s motion of striking out part of the evidence of the insane hospital records to which Dr. Geo. E. Edenharter, superintendent of the hospital, testified yesterday afternoon and the jury was excused. ' ( The court reporter read the evidence that had been given. Judge DeHart said that he thought the diagnos is of acute and recurrent insanity should remain in the case; the evidence showing where he was committed, when he was furloughed and discharged and the condition of the discharge should also he retained. Judge DeHart said that the evident? of acute mania in the hospital records was of some Importance In this case, to which Mr. Barce smiled. The court said to him that if he could make that polity strong enough to acquit Poole, he had no objection. The jury yvas then returned. Stephen J. Comer, of Jasper county, was then called to the stand. He was fermerly a trustee of Union township and is at present a county commissioner.

The witness said that he has land near Poole’s Jasper county farm. He told of buying eighteen hoga of Poole in 1907, when he had to pay ten ceiii* a hundred more than the marke* price Mr. Comer told of conversations and other business deals he had with Poole. Poole eftme to him once, he said, and objected to a proposed ditch that would have through his land He said that if it would be run slraiglit across his land he would:<’i remonstrate and the ditch was dug that way. He said that at times Poole kept forty to fifty head of stock on his Jasper county farm and that he shipped most of it Air. Comer said that Poole talked coherently and that he believqo him. to be of sound mind, The witness was cross-examined. Judge DeHart then adjourned odurt at 1:55 o'clock until Monday morning at 10 o'clock.