Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-24

The Celebrated Domestic Scandat--Al1 h,
Lawyers Interested---A Multitude As
sembled---Listeniug to the Closing Argu
ments--C. X. ID avis Plesd the Cause ol
the Wronged 8Isn While MIR Jones Flo
Quenny Advocates the Claims of tn,
Wronged Female---The Jury Think !,
Over aud Declare That biiiscn Isn'6 Tba
Kind OF u Mn Exit Smith and Jone.
---Finis.
When the curtain rose in the district court
yesterday on the concluding act in the inter.
esting drama of Smith Us. Billson every mans
face in the crowded court room shone with ex.
pectancy as the beh0ldeIs anticipated the
great finale. 1t was the third and last day OF
the deeply Interesting trial, and strong desire
was;nsturally evinced 10 hea- what counsel had
to say in the way of vindicating their respec-
tive clients. : half hour before 10 O'Clock
every seat had been pre-empted by loungers
and when order was called the court room was
densely packS with citizens.
As on previous days of the trial. the mem
bers of the st. Paul bar, who evinced profound
feelings of anxiety at the outcome of case in
which the character of q brother member was
at issue, were there in large numbers.
The plaintiff was early or hand, accompanied
by her tidus achates Mrs. Smell, whose deep in
terest in the case did not sbste one jot or tit
tie. The other female friends of the plaintiff
were present, wearing the same appearance of
sublimated secretiveness stupidity as ever
Mr.. Blllson maintained the same reserve and
decorum as ever.
MIR. Jones, the lawyer for the prosecution,
looked and acted as if the occasion was the su-
preme moment of his life. BE wore nervous
look which increased as the day wore on, and
at one time during his address bid fair to SO
completely PROSTATE him as to interrupt the
proceedings.
Victoria Smith, the plaintiff, carried hand.
kerchiet, which she generally had occasion to
use when her name was mentioned, or the hon.
esty of her intentions was questioned by conn
sci for the defendant.
At 10 o'clock counsel for the plaintiff ad.
dressed tie court on the character of the pro-
oeedings to GO before the jury as evidence
when he was Informed that only such testi.
mony would be admitted as had direct bear
ing on the case.
MIR. Davis then addressed the iury for the
defense, substantially as follows:
May 1t please the court and gentlemen of
the jury, the necessary attention that 1 have
given this case during the time 1t has been on
trial, has led me to consider aud reflect on
the i'm portance of cases OF this character The
enormous expansion of civilization and its in
huences has not been without its disadvanta.
ges to certain portions of society. 1t has oc-
Cured that the happenings of society are herald
ed by electricity all over the civilized world,
and published broadcast in the newspapers,
where it becomes the property of society to re
main en6urable aud unchsngeabie, aud like
adamant to resist the influences OF the ages
or the mutations of time.
Time was, within the memory of the Jurors
that when charges of this kind did not travel
beyond the neighborhocd where they hap
pened. In former times these charges rose as
an exhalation and died out. In these times
charges of this kind rise malignant star
whose baleful influence blasted both life and
reputation. In these times the electricity and
the press spread the charges broadcast5where-
ever the language was spoken. The speaker
had not recalled in classic history any case
similar to the one at issue.
The speaker referred to the publicity given
the charge and to the inadequate chances of
refutation. In speaking the tremendous
ensineerIng of judicial investigation the speak
er said that IN some cases it worked hard but
that this mode of procedure to repel the
charges was better in the long run.
In this case the Jury were called upon to
try the character of a man against whose repu-
tation there had never been stigma; man
whose respectability has been conceded even
by the man who has tried the prosecution:
against whose reputation there has never been
blur; the columns of the public press contain
a charge against his character the very exis-
What did the jury first look at in a case of
this nature? The character of the parties con.
cerned In the action; the defendant q man
whose character has been without reproach
Who makes the charge-has her character been
in the sunlight so much that no blur can be
made against it-has she lived upon the sur
face of the earth, or has her life run in hidden
channels, Disappearing at times under other
names in the towns where she had lived? Does
she want money-haS she come here alone
babbling their distress by her own mouth-or
has she come here couched and aided by her
coadj utOrs-or does she use the same language
throughout as they?
Are these demands of herself and coadiutors
for money and nothing else?
Counsel then alluded to the facts in the case
as shown by the testimony. He commenced
by Rlluding to the plaintiff while in the service
of MIR. Billsou. 1t SO happened that on the
two previous nights she had friend to sleep
with her; it conveniently happened that when
Mr.. Billson came back she saw fit to change
the order of that hJuse; she sert away her bed
fellow of the night previous; the coast was
clear; there was to be witness; a man had
come TO her bed az shown by her statements in
her interview with Dunno aud Woolworth that
a man had came there at 10 o'clock and re-
mained until 9 o'clock in the morning
It must be recollected that it was 10 o'clock
when the man came there; a simple outcry
would have called the neighbors; it Was recol-
lected that window was up looking one of
the most travelled streets in the city; why in
heaven did she remain in that bed for four
hours; that she was gagged and unable to cry
out she don't pretend; upon her own story she
lay there passive as bride before her lord
counsel had set out to show that the story was
a comprehensive lie from beginning to end, a
lie massive in its proportions and devilish in
its intention.
Counsel wanted to make it dangerous for
q wandering gypsey to array man with the
character of defendant before the courts on
such a charge as this. (Applause.)
The court-The sheriff wall arrest any man
caught in the act of applauding.
She tells you that she lay in that bed until 2
o'clock in the morning. If she had been in
ficted with such visitation she would have
been up by sunrise. She didn't get up be-
cause she had slept peacefully. Had she been
q chaste girl she would have shook off the
influence of that night as soon as sunlight
would receive her.
She arose that morning and prepared Mr..
BillsCu's breakfast; what would Mr.. Biilson
have done, the disappointed Tarquin; would
he not have said here is present; am sorry
for it.; do not tell of it. The actions of both
on that morning was perfectly consistent.
Why did she not say, cannot stay here until
your family came; must go; must not re-
main; why didn't she leave MIR. Billson's house
before; she proposed to start her tale by ter
rorizing Mrs. Billson; she waited until the