The Kiser Trial

     Mrs. Boston claimed, under oath, that just after her divorce, she was afraid to stay at her home for fear of her ex-husband’s retribution. She claimed she stayed at the Kiser home at the invitation of Mrs. Kiser and her daughter, Edna. She also claimed she had several telephone conversations with Mrs. Kiser. Mrs. Boston also testified that Edna Kiser phoned her on the day before Mrs. Kiser’s death, asking if she knew where they could find a bed pan. Mrs. Boston then claimed she took a bed pan to the Kiser home. Later, Mrs. Boston claimed, when she was preparing to leave, Mrs. Kiser asked her to stay. According to her testimony, Boston stayed until the passing of Mrs. Kiser, early the morning of November 17.

     The next day of the trial, Friday, December 29, 1916, saw Mrs. Kiser’s brother and sister testifying, as well as undertaker Tschumy, Sheriff Shanahan, and others.

     Philip Hetrick was the first to take the stand on Friday morning. Basically, his testimony told how he and Josh Kiser’s brother, Charles, discovered Kiser in the home of Mrs. Boston, days after his wife’s death. When the state finished questioning Hetrick the defense opted not to cross-examine.

     Next on the witness stand was Mrs. Kiser’s sister, Mrs. Anna Immel. Immel testified that on an evening in early October, 1915 she stayed overnight at the Kiser home. While she was there, they heard Josh Kiser come home at about 2 a.m. Immel testified that she asked her sister if there was any trouble between her and Josh. However, due to objections from the defense, Immel was not permitted to answer questions regarding the Kiser’s relationship. Immel’s only other contribution to the case was to testify that she was present the day of her sister’s exhumation, and she identified the body as that of Martha Kiser. Again, the defense did not cross-examine.

     The next witness called was O.W. Hanser, the registrar of vital statistics. Hanser was called to officially produce the death certificate, and to testify that, according to the death certificate, the deceased died of ptomaine poisoning.