The Kiser Trial Continues

Here is part four of The Kiser Trial - enjoy!

     Josh Kiser was indicted on a charge of first degree murder in the death of his wife, Martha Kiser. Kiser was home, sick in bed, when Sheriff Dan Shanahan Jr. came into his room and said, “Josh, I’ve got a real painful duty to perform.” With that Shanahan informed Kiser that he was being indicted for first degree murder in the death of his wife. Kiser, weak and suffering from inflammatory rheumatism, looked up and said only, “My God, what is the world coming to?” In fact, Kiser was so sick, his doctor claimed that moving him to a jail cell could possibly prove fatal. Kiser was arrested and held under guard in his home on Buchanan Street until he could be moved without harm to his health.

     Because the gossip was so prevalent all over town, Kiser had retained Attorney J.B. Stahl just in case things got out of hand.  Stahl stopped in to see Kiser within a half hour of the indictment being served. When asked by the Fremont News about the case, Attorney Stahl is quoted in a May 4, 1916 article, “It is of course too early to tell what defense will be made.” “I can say this, however, my client Kiser is an innocent man and we will prove him innocent. Anyone who knows Josh Kiser surely knows that he would not be guilty of such a crime as he is charged with.”

     To say things were going badly in the life of Josh Kiser, just might be an award-winning understatement. In a matter of six months he went from having a nice meal with his family one week to his wife passing away the next. Then, he has to put up with rumors saying he actually killed his wife, and those rumors lead to his arrest for the murder of his wife. Meanwhile, he’s got a woman who won’t leave him alone, and is making things look all the worse for his defense.

     After twenty days under guard at his home, Kiser was finally well enough to be taken to the county jail. A nurse was in constant attendance for the first few days. Kiser was dealing with a very bad case of inflammatory rheumatism. The disease carries with it painful inflammation of the joints and muscles. In severe cases the disease can affect the heart and death could result. Kiser had a severe case, and it would not be until late September that he felt well enough to make it to the court house where he pled not guilty to the charges leveled against him.