THE JUDGE WILL INVESTIGATE

An Inquiry in the Cummings Murder Case in Wellington, Kan.

Wellington, Kas., April 30---Judge Lawrence has notified the county attorney and C. E. Elliott, attorney for the defense, in the case of John Cummings, who has confessed to the killing of Anna Dishman, that he will not, under any circumstances, accept a plea of guity from Cummings without an investigation. This will work to the disadvantage of Cummings. His friends thought he would be let off easily. The judge will make the inquiry himself. He has released Cummings on $2,500 bail, returnable May 6, but he stated today that he would put Cummings in jail at the end of that time and no bail would be taken until the investigation had been made.
(The Kansas City Star ~ 30 April 1902)

IS HAUNTED BY "SLIM LEGS"

The Delusion of a Witness in the Wellington, Kas., Murder Case

Wellington, Feb. 13---After four days of trying, Judge Swarts believes that a jury will be secured to try the Cummings murder case today. Mrs. Cummings has promised the county attorney that she will take the stand against her husband. She is around the courthouse most of the time and is ready to talk to anyone about the murder of Anna Dishman, her "hired girl." She prefers to talk about a man of her imagination whom she calls "Slim Legs." Her mind is affected from brooding over the murder, and she believes that she is under the hypnotic control of a man in the employ of Cummings, who intends to take her life. She describes him only as having balck hair and "slim legs," but that she really lives in terror of him cannot be doubled after hearing her talk of him. The county attorney belives that Cummings intends to try to throw the blame on his wife, and from information which has come to him expects him to testify that the blood poison which caused death, was caused by bruises inflicted by Mrs. Cummings, who became enraged at the girl a few days before Cummings struck her with a broomstick. Cummings will swear, the county attorney believes, that he made a confesstion to protect her.
(The Kansas City Star ~ 13 Feb 1903)

IT IS A TALE OF BRUTALITY

The Testimony in the Cummins Murder Trial at Wellington, Kas.

Wellington, Kas., Feb. 14---In the Cummins murder trial the state closed its case late tonight and Judge Swartz adjourned court until Monday morning when the defense will introduce its testimony. The baliffs had difficulty at the afternoon session to keep order on account of the crowd that occupied the court room. There was so much pushing and crowding that the audience had to be admonished frequently and the judge was appealed to take the trouble in hand. Cummins was charged with killing Anna Dishman, his "hired girl."

The first witness after dinner was Earl Cummings, a son 18 years old. He said that after the family sat down to breakfast that morning Anna brought in a dish of potatoes and before she sat them down on the table she spat in them. His father then got up from the table and picked up the broom as if to strike her with the broom end. The girl ran and Cummins tossed the broom with his left hand. It struck her a glancing blow on the side of the head. This caused blood and matter to flow freely. He said that the girl's head already was swollen on account of his mother's abuse of her, but could not tell just when the bruises were made. Marion Bledsoe, a neighbor, testified that Cummins called at his house some time after the arrest and told him that he had struck the girl with the broom. Where he made his mistake was in not getting a doctor, but as someone had to suffer it was better that he should be the one than any other member of the family.

The last witness of the state was Thomas Gorman, another neighbor, to whom Cummins explained the absence of the girl about the time she was killed by saying that he could not get along with her and brought her to Wellington and dumped her out on the streets.
(The Kansas City Star ~ 15 Feb 1903)

SHE ABUSED THE "HIRED GIRL"

Testimony in the Cummins Murder Trial at Wellington, Kas.

Wellington, Kas., Feb. 16---The fierce blizzard of yesterday and last night reduced only slightly the attendance at the Cummins murder trial. Mrs. Cummins is snowbound and failed to get to town. The defense began with Oscar Cummins, a 15-year-old son, who testified strongly against his mother, sying that she abused Anna Dishman, the girl alleged to have been killed and nearly every day punished her in some way. He had seen her beat the "hired girl's" head against a door till the panel cracked against the door facings and had seen her strike the girl over the back with a stick of wood and threw stove wood at her. Continuing, he said that the place where the broom struck her became a sore. C. C. Shawver, who made the arrest, testified that when Mrs. Cummins first told him the story she said that the girl spat in a dish of potatoes. Last Saturday she testified that it was a pan of dishwater. Mr. Elliott for the defense says that he will not put Cummins on the stand and probably will rest the case this afternoon.
(The Kansas City Star ~ 16 Feb 1903)

THE CUMMINS TRIAL ENDING

Final Arguments Today in the Wellington, Kas., Murder Case

Wellington, Kas., May 16---The introduction of evidence in the Cummins murder case was concluded this morning. Judge Swarts delivered his instructions to the jury this afternoon and the attorneys began their arguments. The state introduced rebuttal testimony showing that the two Cummins boys told very different stories when Cummins was first arrested than they told on the witness stand. The case probably will be given to the jury Monday night or Tuesday morning. Cummins is charged with killing a "hired girl."
(The Kansas City Star ~ 16 May 1903)

THE CUMMINS JURY STILL OUT

No Verdict in the Murder Trial at Wellington, Kas.

Wellington, Kas., May 19---The jury in the Cummins murder case has not yet returned a verdict. After being out three hours last night Judge Swarts allowed the jurymen to retire. This morning at 7 o'clock they were sent out again and so far have not reached an agreement. There is no intimation as to how they stand.
(The Kansas City Star ~ 19 May 1903)

CUMMINS'S CASE TO THE JURY

Nearing the End in the Murder Trial at Wellington, Kas.

Wellington, Kas., Feb. 17---The trial of John Cummins for the killing of Anna Dishman, his hired girl, will be given to the jury some time tonight. Since Judge Swarts delivered his charge to the jury this morning the belief is general that Cummins will be acquitted or that the jury will be hung. The instructions favored the defendant. Under the information, unless the jury believes that the blow from the broomstick was the direct cause of death, Cummins must be acquitted. His conduct in not trying to save the girl's life by furnishing proper medical treatment after the blow, Judge Swarts holds, is not covered by the information. The attorneys are arguing the case today and an early verdict is expected.
(The Kansas City Star ~ 17 Feb 1903)

CUMMINS JURY DISAGREED

Ten for Acquittal and Two for Conviction in the Wellington Murder Trial

Wellington, Kas., Feb. 19---The jury in the Cummins murder case was discharged by the judge at 2 o'clock this afternoon, after being out forty-eight hours. Ten were for acquittal and two for conviction. The attorney for the defendant objected to the discharge of the jury, insisting that it should be required to deliberate longer, but Judge Swarts overruled the motion. The next trial will be in May. John Cummins was tried for the murder of a "hired girl," Anna Dishman.

The wife of Cummins confessed a short time ago that her husband had killed the girl. Her evidence was accompanied by dramatic moments when she would state that she hated her husband and told on him because she was afraid he would lay the murder upon her. Her evidence was to the effect that both she and her husband had mistreated the girl and punished her severely. One day, according to the wife's testimony, Cummins hit the girl with a broom stick. The bruise resulted in blood poison and the girl died in the smokehouse after days of suffering. In the course of the trial Mrs. Cummins, upon the stand, cried out that her hsuband deserved to be hanged. The woman was accused by Cummins's attorney once while the trial was in prograss of killing the girl herself.
(The Kansas City Star ~ February 19, 1903)

HANGED THE KANSAS WIFE DECLARED HUSBAND SHOULD BE FOR MURDER OF GIRL

WELLINGTON, Kan., Feb. 20----Mrs. John Cummins was on the stand today in the trial of her husband, a wealthy farmer, for killing Anna Dishman, a hired girl, two years ago. Mrs. Cummins informed the officers of the murder only a few weeks ago. She said her husband killed the girl with a broom handle because she spat in a dish of food and that he first buried and afterward burned the body. Asked on the stand why she told the officers about the murder, the witness replied that before the body was burned Cummins often begged her not to tell but after the burning he became independent and she was afraid he would try to get out of the killing and fasten it upon her.

"Then you want him punished," asked the lawyer.

"He ought to be hanged," she shouted.

"Why are you so anxious to see him punished?"

Mrs. Cummins shifted quickly in her chair, shot a glance at Cummins, and almost screamed: "I didn't hate him then but I do now."

The defense is that Mrs. Cummins killed the girl by bumping her head on the floor, and that she compelled her husband to help her dispose of the body.
(Tucson Daily Citizen ~ 20 Feb 1903)