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MUSCATINE JOURNAL AND NEWS-TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23it Ciikk-A-Lce in until that pia ii.uin.ng of the murder and thedosed, and went to hia home aa a night before. Downey said that hehousekeeper on the night of May didn’t know what he had told Sei- ed he did not know the f Uow’s23. man and Korn because they woke name.When Weir asked her what bei him UP v-'hen they came to ^ “Was It m business caQ or tduties were at Chick-A-Lee in a, room to quesUon him and he social call? Weir asked,she replied: could*. *t remember anything about“I was sort of the hostess.' h c Memorv.Couldn't Remember Fay. Reld admitted that he hadMrs. Kline was unable to t*»ll seen Spridgen in the Booster cafe frequently and that the only reason he knew the defendant was In the cafe on the morning of May 25 was that he had refreshed his memory by-talking to other people who had en Spridgen there.in Iosva City, W'clch declared that , Mrs. KLne were also intoxicated, i 1 he called a man there, but insist-1 ho replied: 1“I couldn't say.”On cross-examination. Connell, drew several laughs from the . crowd with his testimony about “Social,” said Welch. ; tke men and women on his party Are you in the habit of mak- that night. Most of them were a ins social calls on people you : married, he admitted*, but none of , don’t know at 6 In the morn- ;hem were in the company of their; lug?” |own husbands and wives. Connelly“Well, that's the only time I | declared that when he saw Sprid- v did it.” | gen at the cafe, he told the latter sQuestioned on Occupation. 1 he should be heme in bed and y Welch laughed himself when Spridgen replied: cthe crops-examiner tried to get “That’s where I’m going pretty c him to tell what his business was : socn.”and everybody laughed when he Kline’s testimony was chiefly in iWeir how much pay she received as Spridgen s housekeeper, and at one time claimed she had cot re ceived any compensation at all.Later she said she had been pal# but could not remember how much When she left Spridgen’s houae and returned to her room in tieFoster place, she said she had the hour of 5:45 a. m. on May 25 while he was living with Spridgen ! diference that he bad seen Sprid-! tmoney enough to pay her own The musician said he had washed He said he would work a couple of j gen only at the Airport dance hall | (board and room.When WHr questioned her about all the people who lived at Spridgen’* place and asked whether it was a rooming house,(the said:“I couldn't call It a roominghouse. I thought it wa* quiteprivate myself.”This am*wer and several othersnumber of laughs in the court- ji room and even the judge chuckled casionally during her cross exCostello's testimony referred tc told of having been a farm hand j corroboration of Connell’s with the €hia orchestra bus at Spridgen * days on the farm in Drury towrn- and not at the Booster cafe 1. t; i house Monday afternoon, and *hip aud then return to Spridgen’s * in the morning. In the cafe, he ccame back to the house from dance at Marengo on Wednesday morning. He paid he had left ahome for two months or so. , sat in the back booth with“The farmers didn’t get much ; back to the door, he declared, use out of you,” commented thei amination. Mrs. Kline gave con- day afternoon to help Bartlett Mderable testimony about Spnd- e8tabligh spridgen’s alibi. Those gen a illness after he returned caMed to the stand during this home on the morning of May 25 werewrench there and returned to get county attorney, it. As he went up the driveway Both Welch and hi* wife de-and passed the house, Costellc j clined to tell what Spridgen’ssaid, he saw Spridgen in the business had been at the timekitchen. they lived in his house, but theCall Muscatine Witnesses. j former did admit that he had A steady procession of wit- told Muscatine officers henesses from Muscatine filed in and out of the courtroom Tues-his | j1 ii and raid he carried on in such manner that he disturbed every i body in the house. She had to tak ! care of him, she said, by puttin;Dr. Martin F. Bomke. 318 East Fourth street; MarlonBurzeli, who conducts a barber shop at 117 Iowa avenue;at Spridgen’s house at the time Coin was killed; Walton J. 'Bud” Welch, her husband, whoto follow with further reply to the Japanese.Defense Movesto Discredit Jess(Continued FrPage Id| cold towels on his head and pup- Sophia Hayes Welch, who lived! plying him with tomato juice. - —j Mrs. Kline admited that Sprvi-gen was drunk when he left the | airport dance hall and testified also lived there; Kenneth Con (that although Spridgen was be-1 “ * ! ~* *| hind the wheel of his car on the way from the airport to the Boost -! er cafe she did the steering and kept her foot on the accelerator “Then you were really driving the car weren’t you?” Weir asked “Oh. all right,” she snapped angrily. “I was driving then.”Her ire mounted a little more when the county attorney asked her if she had set on Spridgen’s lap and she retorted:“No, I didn’t.”Say* Spridgen Drunk.Mrs. Kline admitted that Spridgens wife was in Muscatine during most of the time that she and the defendant were going out together and she testified thatSSSrsjrST5 Stfs srtssrws—■ - “«xrz's:nan laixea io ^ houaft at 6 m Qn May ^ I she said she knew- it was about that time because Charles Elder came into Spridgen’s room for a shirt while she was there and “Charley generally gets up about that time.”learned Later.When Weir pointed out that this is only her second night in the , house and that she could not have Spridgen.s story was expected , kn0Wn much about Elder's habits to follow along the line of thelgt ^ time, she said she learnedSehwlndtn* „dVw„^he,d by*. * 6 a.^. on MayJ».the court Kelly then asked for permission to recall Jess for further cross examination and the judge granted this request. Jess was not in the courtroom during the morning session but was to be put on he stand again thi* afternoon, as w Spridgenof many ofone related this morning: bv Lor-1 about them afterward, raine Kline, who was his house-1 Mrs keeper at 1123 Mulberry avenue j Spridgen’s friends and former ason May 24 and 25 and who testified that she spent the night of May 24 and the morning of May 25 in the company of the defendant.Mr*. Kline Nervous.Mrs. Kline, a pretty, well dress- tenball team; John Reid who was ed young woman,sociatea who came to his aid on the witness stand today and Tuesday. Among those called today were:John Downey, proprietor of the Booster caie and the Booster kitnell, a musician who formerly played in the orchestra at Spridgen’* C hick-a-Dce Inn; William Miilett, steward of the Muscatine Eagle* lodge; Stewart Kline. 605 East Fifth street, a cab driver; Richard L Barry, 1315 Mtilberrv avenie; and William Tobias, 401 Van Horn street, former policeman.Dr. Bomke came closer than any of the others to providing Spridgen with an alibi for the time that Coin was shot to death near his Davenport home. Muscatine dentist testified that he had seen Spridgen at 7 a. m. on May 25, the day of the murder, on the front porch of the lat-ter’s home, 1123 Mulberry avenue. He said Spridgen appeared to be fixing a screen door, and added that there was a dog with him.Had Visited Farm.He left home about 4 o’clock that morning. Dr. Bomke declared. to visit his farm three and one-half miles northwest of Muscatine, and returned in time to be home for breakfast at 7. It was on the return trip, while he was driving dowm Mulberry, that he saw the defendant, he declared. He also recalled 'alking to Bartlett about the Coin killing the same day and teling the attorney that he had se^n Spridgen that morning. Several weeks later, Bartlett told him, he said:“We may have use for you.”Dr. Bomke. on cross-examination, asserted that he had wished to stay out of the case if possible, but was- subpoenaed and brought into court by the defense.His testimony w*as Fomewrhat at variance w-ith that of “Bud”Trace Spridgen. lt;Thp other testimony given xTuesday afternoon was by wit- fnesses who had seen Spridgen at various times the night of May i 24. MiUett told of taking Charles t Elder, Bert Chaudoin. William i Dwyer and Richard Barry home t thought Spridgen was in the j from the Eagles lodge hall that I liquor business. However, he ; night and of seeing Spridgen sit- 1 added: i ting in a chair through the win- lt;“Not Sure.” j do-.v of the latter’a house. Barry 1j I wouldn’t want to say for said he also saw Spridgen,; sure.” Then he smiled again. He * through the window as Miilett 1j also declined to “say for sure” ! drove past tbe house. 1| what Charles Elder’s occupation | Tobias corroborated Mrs i; w*as, except for the times the lat- i Welch’s testimony about his crib- lt;! ter worked at Spridgen s resta i-: bage game with Spridgen. and I rant and his night club, Chick-a-! said he left the latter’s house j Dee inn. j about 12:30 a. m. May 25 Sprid- 1Mrs. Welch testified about see- gen “kidded” him about learning ;ing Spridgen play cribbage with how to play cribbage, he declar- JI William Tobias at home the night; ed. j Jof May 24, and said she alscj On cross-examination, Tobias 1 j played cards with the former po-j made one remark that was of in- j j liceman. She declared that she terest to Muscatine peopl* in the| went to bed between 11:30 an j j courtroom. Asked by Grapesmidnight and did not see Spridgen again until the next aftercoon but she told of seeing his shoes downstairs in the house at 6:30 the morning of May 25 and of noticing that his bedroom door was closed at that time.Housekeeper Killed.She was grilled extensively by The I GraPes on her worlc Spridgen’s house, and admitted that she was paid $10 a week, some w’eeks by Spridgen and other weeks by Welch.whether he had been on the po-, I lice force after Muscatine’s civil j ’ service law went into effect, the * witness replied: j3“I was before w'e had REAL 1 civil service. I worked under the I five man commission ”He testified that he had been a janitor at Washington school during the past summer, and admitted he had worked off and on for Jack Hubble, w'ho has been arrested for liquor law violations-Burzeli testified that Spridgen came into his barber shop aboutDidn't Welch pay you every - m M 25 and appeared week up untd the time Mrs Spnd- , The bareren left for California? Grapes , ^ o__i-i---gen left for California asked“No, she said.Graces} ber fiatd fae abaved Spridgen and j conversed with him and could not I notice that his actions w'ere anyBoth Welch and hi-# wife were . different than usual. On cross asked if Spridgen had more than , examination he aaid he had one pair of »hoe*, and Mrs. knowa Spridgen for several years Welch said she knew he had two ] and had done most of his barber Welch was not »ure, but , work since the defendant firstho thought two was the number carae to Muscatine.uuu.il ioa.ni, jonn rteia wno was , ohnrn '3 onnight waiter at the Booster cafe ! Welch, who said that he had left , 3.20also. Grape* asked Mrs. Welch about the activities of Lorraine Kline at the iSpridgen house, and the %vitness declared that Mr*. Kline was there to help her.“Was she just a housekeeper, too?” thep rosecutor queried.•“So far as I know.”“Who paid her?“I dcu’t know'.”Saw Spridgen at 8:20. Kenneth Connell, musician, followed Welch to the stand, and told of seeing Spridgen several times the night of May 24 and the morning of May 25, the last time m. in the Boosterh/stanVand She fidgeted con-1 May 24 and May 25; Tony Cos-, SPrid** s house the night cafe; which Hgured^tocMmtaUy to iiderablv as she answered Bart- , tello. musician whose orchestra ^ rehm^behre-D | m(myget Sophia Hayes, who later be-1 Connell said he was sitting in a° r J ’ f nnK nan* fka /vfsiderably as she _lett’s questions and those of the j formerly played at Spridgen’s cross exam- j Chick-A*Dee inn: Floyd Lessman,jChick-A-Dee inn: Floyd Lessman. oopum naycs, wno isier uc- i - - — - ~ ^ — -electrician- Geore« Foster who eame his wife. At that time. I n®ar cafe on m8ht of ! saidheia now afarmerBert Ed? I Welch testified. Spridgen’s bed- ; 24 GfrSe J orter came! mondson. 1106 East Tenth street room door v.»s closed ar.d his alon^' ^ ^ C?51‘county attorney on ination.She first testified about the _ night oi May 23. when the stat-; mondson. 1106 East Tenth streetclaims Spridgen was wen In • • «ho tesUfied that he was employ- “hoes were on the floorcar in the vicinity of Coin's house. | ed by H. M. Bartlett, Spridgen s living room downstairs.Up to that time. Mrs. Kline said, I attorney; Emmett Holliday, aa bar-1 Rock L«land railroad employe;Cedar and Ford Anderson, clerk In a jt as Muscatine hardware store! Andrew Ernst, Muscatine county court bailiff, also was on the stand for the defense thi* morning. He testified that he saw Spridgen In Harry Glat-stcin's store at noon on May 25 and talked with him about the Coin killing. He declared that he was under the Impression at that time that Coin had been Wiled by machine guns and added that Spridgen told him he would prefer to be killed that way than any other, If he had to be bumped off.Trace Whereabouts.she had been rooming ber shop at Second and streets. She referred to It as “Mrs. Foster s place.”Spridgen called for her there at 10:30 on the night of May 23. Mrs. Kline declared in her husky, deep throated voice. Later, she declared,, they went to the Booster cafe where they staved about two hours, after which they drove to Spridgen** house. Mrs. Kline said they arrived there about I o'clock In the morning and she stayed all night.The next night, which was the night before Coin was killed, the vitness said she drove to the air-r.asin the Bartlettmade quite a point of Spridgen’s habit of leaving his shors dowrn-stairs when he went to bed, both Welch and Mrs. Welch testifying that he always did this, and both declaring they had seen his shoes in the house early on the morning of May 25. although neither testified to seeing Spridgen himself.Welch Is Heard.Welch, a short, stocky youth who said he now lives on a farmgreatly amused by the court proceedings and smiled his way through his stay on the stand. He also amused the courtroom crowd while he was answering Weir’switness (aid she drove to the air-1 A„ the t«t!mony given by | ^“Vh^ M.vA-d^bsted^bove 2/ He “a,the five men drove to the Airport dance hall.At this place, Connell said, they saw Spridgen and Lorraine Kline and had a drink with them. Then they drove down to Kingsbury Inn, near Columbus Junc-_ . , tfon, lookin'*- for a girl namedin Drury townahip, appeared . Ess,x lfce „..tness Ue.Foster Hazy.George Foster’s testimony this | morning was chiefly in corroboration of Cocnell’s story about seeing Spridgen at the airport dance hall and Booster cafe the morning of May 25. Foster, however, admitted that he did not see Spridgen in the cafe and when he was asked whether he were not a trifle hazy about the night in question he replied:“Quite a bit.”On cross examination Grapes asked Foster:“Didn't you tell the chief of police of Muscatine that you were so drunk the morning of May 25 that you didn’t remember who you were with or where you went?”“I don’t think I told him I was drunk,” Foster replied. “I j said I was pretty well teed up.” versed with Slim” Robinson, the There followed then a number cab driver until Stewart Kline | of questions about the difference drove up In his cab. Kline stopped j between being drunk and being and they both entered his car and j teed up which served chiefly to drove to Joe Zcahringer’s place on j amuse the spectator?, highway 61, Cornell said. There Other testimony this morcing they picked up Solly “Doc” Rosen- j by Holliday, Edmondson and An-' field and William Nesselbush, and | derson had to do with the night ofstayed there with him until about! dealt with his3 a. m. on Mav 25. drove to the Booste|C . ____ ____________They then the night of May 23 and 24 andcafe where the morning of Mav 25, and Reldthey staved long enough to eat asserted that they* saw Soridgenand went on back to the house, and Lorraine KHne in tbe Boosterarriving there about 4 * ’she declared.The last question that left asked Mrs. Klim* on examination was:“Are you sure that Louis Spridgen w as In his residence In Muscatine at 6 a. m. on Mav 25,1932?Bart-dlreet»*clock, | cafe between 3:30 andon the morning of the murder. Both were cross examined closely about how their memories were so fresh in regard to that date and so hazy In regard to other dates. Both admitted that thev were , friends of Spridgen and Downey I .sald that he ar.d the defenaiit I am positive, she replied. I wou-d do anvthing thev could for Mrs. Kline underwent a f*40!' other. Downev claimed that thorough grilbng bv the county j “e f™**’ nothing about Spridgen smorning of May 25. He said he went from Muscatine to Columbus Junction, left the latter place about 4 a. m. May 25 and dj-ove to Iow'a City, where he about 6.clarei. Finding that place closed, they returned to the airport and arc in saw Spridgen, Connell asserted. Connell, Kline and Foster eventually returned to the Booster cafe, saw Beatrice Essex and Hazel Teeple in a car, and went into the cafe with them.Spridgen Appeared Drunk.Spridgen and' Mrs. Kline came arrived i into. the. cafe, about. 3:20 and..Spridgen appeared drunk. Con-.Questioned about his activities j .nell testified. Asked whetherMay 23. All three of these nesses declared they saw Spridgen sitting in a car with Lorraine Kline that night about 11 o’clock near the Booster cafe. On cross examination all admitted that they were friends of Spridgen and Edmondson, also admitted that he works for Bartlett.“You are not a detective, are you?” Weir asked.No I fix up houses, Edmondson replied.attorney, and was still being cross examined when court recon- j vened for the .afternoon session. | In* Aroused.businessIn cross examination Downev Cranes asked him whether §* had told Officer James Selman of theSeveral times during Weir’s Muscatine police force and Deputy j questioning her nervousness turn- Walter Korn of Scotted to antagonism and she snapped county at one time that he didn’t! the answers back at her question-, know where Spridgen was theer.She was quizzed closely on hex relations with Spridgen. and %d- i milled that she had “kept com-; pany” with the defendant from i Jan. 25 until May 25, 1932. She! also said that she worked for him !
Newspaper Details
Muscatine Journal
Muscatine, Iowa, US
Wed, Nov 23, 1932
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Anne C.
NA, 03 Aug 2023
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