Glaspell's Articles
INDIANOLA, Dec. 8.--(Special)--It was given out by the sheriff today that he is assured that Mrs. Hossack will not appear for the preliminary hearing before the justice of the peace on Tuesday, but will waive to the grand jury and remain in jail without bonds.
As the date of the trial approaches interest is growing more and more intense. Reporters and artists are coming in from Des Moines and elsewhere and serve to stimulate local interest.
Public sentiment is still very much against the prisoner, Mrs. Hossack. While it was not fully developed in the testimony of William Haines before the coroner's jury that she had confided to him a desire to get rid of her husband and intimated that she would be willing to pay liberally for the services of anyone undertaking the task, yet the public generally accepts the story to that effect as true and will sympathize with the county attorney in his efforts to convict the woman.
A representative of the NEWS was today given access to the records of the coroner's inquest and obtained the following summary of the most important testimony:
Mrs. Hossack testified that about 1 o'clock a.m. she heard a noise like two boards striking together. (She was at that time in bed with her husband.) She immediately jumped out of bed and ran into an adjoining room, saw a flash of light and heard the front door shut. She then noticed that Mr. Hossack was breathing hard. She called one of the girls who said she had heard nothing. Witnesses declared there was someone in the house. Her daughter told her to go back to bed. She entered the bedroom and he was still breathing very hard. Again called the children. They came downstairs. She lighted a lamp and he asked "What's the matter?" Daughter said "Pa you're struck." He said he was only sick and called for ma and John. They immediately gave the alarm--called in the neighbors and members of the family living near. She also stated that they had a very cross dog, that he made no fuss that night and acted peculiar next morning. Thought the family dog had been drugged. She persistently insisted that the family relations were pleasant.
Witness Keller, Conrad and Johnston testified that the relations between Mr. and Mrs. Hossack had been far from pleasant. It developed that she had left home a year or so ago but had been persuaded to return with the idea of securing a division of the property, but this division had never been made.
A number of Des Moines newspaper men have been attempting to secure a copy of the photograph of the murdered man taken after death. Without an exception the county attorney has declined to even permit them to view it. A representative of the NEWS was, however, accorded this privilege though it must be confessed there is little satisfaction in it. It shows the skull with a fearful gash, four inches long across the side and a deep indention caused by a blunt instrument in the top.