Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1908 — LAID AGAIN [ARTICLE]

LAID AGAIN

Ghost of Mrs. Gunness Walks No More AT TRIAL OF RAY LAMPHERE. Evidence Nearly AH In and How iVe Case for the Defem ' Blands —Booster State Items. la Porte, Ind., Nov. 24.—The trial of Ray Lamphere, for the murder of Mrs. Belle Gunness and her three children is drawing to a close. The defense has most of its testimony before the jury, but one important witness will be heard this afternoon—Dr. Walter S. Haines, who found strychnine in the stomach of the bodies supposed to be those of Mrs. Gunness and her three children. When the defenso resumed its testimony Mrs. Robert Gaeckle, the first witness, said that a big, covered automohile passed her house at 3:30 o’clock the morning of the fire, which started about that time. Mrs. Rachel Lyons testified to having seen the Gunness fire at 3 o’clock, coroborating the testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Wright Letters Are of No Value. After finding that no person of the name signed to the letter received by Mayor Darrow from Chicago, with reference to the writer having accompanied Mrs. Gunness to La Porte on July Bth, was registered at the hotel named in the letter, the attorneys for the defense gave up that clew. Investigation of a letter received from Michigan City saying Mrs. Gunness would be found at 327 Walker street, if Attorney Worden would call for Mrs. McConnell failed to find her. As the Case Now Stands. As the case now stands the defense has introduced evidence to show that Mrs. Gunness -was alive on July Bth., more than two months after the fire in which the state contends she perished. The defense has also offered evidence to show that the fire was seen before the hour alleged by the state that Lamphere left Mrs. Smith’s residence, thereby laying ground for an a I ltd. Lamphere Will Not Testify. Lamphere, according to the statements of the defendants’ attorneys, will not go on the stand. Neither will Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, the colored woman at whose house Lamphere spent the night, bo used as a witness, according to present intentions. The state has offered evidence to show that Lamphere left the Smith bouse about 3:30 a. m. and that the fire occurred about 4 a. m. Mrs. Smith alleges that Inmpbere did not leave her place until after 4 o’clock, and several entirely credible witnesses have sworn that the fire was coming through the roof a few minutes after 3.