Martens Attorneys Get Farm Deed for Defense in Slaying

MARTENS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 7/31/2014 at 09:47:52

The Mason City Globe-Gazette
Apr. 17, 1935

MARTENS ATTORNEYS GET FARM DEED FOR DEFENSE IN SLAYING

NEWTON, April 17. (UP)

Adolph Martens, Keswick farmer convicted here of manslaughter in connection with the death of his wife, Estella, has deeded the 100 acre farm over which he and Mrs. Martens quarreled last August when she was killed, to the attorneys who defended him. The attorneys are Harry F. Wagner and Robert J. Shaw, both of Sigourney, Howard Life, Oskaloosa, and John Cross, Newton. Martens turned the farm over for fees and defense expenditures. The attorneys gained an acquittal at his trial at Sigourney for slaying his stepdaughter, Maxine Abel, 14, in a self-defence plea. Two weeks ago he was convicted of manslaughter here for slaying his wife. The trial was brought to Newton on a change of venue asked by the state which contended a fair trial could not be held at Sigourney. Testimony in the trial indicated Martens and his wife quarreled over placing a mortgage on the farm to build a house replacing her home which had burned. The deed to the farm was executed when the attorneys took the case last fall, but not recorded until this week. Martens is to be sentenced Saturday.