Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-09-15

or having trouble with anyone previ-
Gus to this homicide. His reputation
for morality is good; for truth and
veracity, considered immaterial to the
case by the Court.
f. J. Wood, County Clerk. an
intimate friend of defendant, and l. L.
Mosher, County Treasurer. testified
substantially the same.
Other evidence to the same effect
was offered, but denied by the judge
as unnecessary.
In the afternoon.
THE DEFENDANT
took the stand. He was smoothly
shaved, clad in tasty business suit;
was fat and hearty, and exhibited no
excitement. His early history as pre-
viously recounted being given in dis
tinct even tones. In answer to Storrs
questions, which were few, as the
prosecution objected to the right of
the defense to introduce testimony
relative to the domestic troubles of
defendant producing unkindly feelings
towards Hayden, antedating the homi-
eide, some four months since the dis
covery, and the twelfth of the wife S
infdelity. as it could not be ascribed
as the cause of the homicide, if the
defence claimed that the same was
unprem hence it was irrelev-
ant. This resulted in a bitter fight
between the attorneys as to the extent
of cooling time allowed by law to a
man who kills another for some great
wrong, the prosecution claiming that
Cochran could only have been guilty
of Manslaughter had he killed Hay
den in the act of adultery or immedi-
ately after learning of the same, when
he was frenzied by the discovery.
That four months had elapsed between
the discovery of the act and the homi-
eide, showed that he had cooled from
his frenzy and committed the homicide
from revengeful motives. The defense
maintained that the prosecution must
prove the crime was premeditated. If
they only proved homicide, the
defense has right to show in evil
dence series of provocations, in
their order from June II, when in
formed of the adultery, to October 9,
when the accumulated mass overpow-
cred the defendant and he became
responsible for his actions, The judge
is perplexed, the lawyers mixed, and
and the case virtually at stand still
till legal wind is exhausted, or judicial
patience becomes no longer virtue.
NE1LsvILLE, Sept. 1O.-A heavy
rain failed to keep the usual compile
ment of aged gossips, prudish old
maids and blushing school girls from
the court room this morning Two
hours were devoted to a continuation
of the argument upon the point raised
yesterday, resulting in the admission
of evidence antedating the homicide
several months. Cochran's evidence
during the morning was a repetition
Of the facts relative to his wife ruin
presented in Storrs' opening address,
The parts referring to the Illicit inter-
course were given in detail, and in
several instances in the bluntest terms.
Nearly every question was objected
to and argued at length, but the judge
allowed the defense the widest scope.
Aside from what has been. already
published, Cochran stated that the
rendezvous of his wife and paramour
was in the Centralia school grounds,
on a log in shady spot, Hayden al
ways laying his revolver in position for
instant use, were they discovered.
Upon my wife's confession [ told
her she could be no longer wife to
me. Hayden, unaware of this con-
fession, sent as emissaries, first Mrs.
Quimby, and second Mrs. Jackson,
Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Whitney, urg-
ing her
NOT TO MAKE A CONFESSION;
that the world considered her inno-
cent, and she would be a fool to give
herself away to save me. She told
them she had confessed to me, and
would not to anyone else. and declined
the request of Hayden for letter. to
the effect that he was innocent Of
adultery. believe my wife, confess
ion, but did not believe the scandals
circulated by Hayden, about her al
ways being unchaste, His character
and reputation made such yarns
Questions as to Hayden's boast of
seducing other women and half the
ladies of the Congregational church
were objected to and objection sustain
ed. That Hayden did boast, over
ruled and excepted.
There was general gossip of my
wife infdelity, which kept me con-
tinuaIly mad, bothering me in my
business, and [ finally fell sick from
the worry. These scandaIous reports,
[ believed started by Hayden, occupi-
ed the whole interval between the con-
fession and the day of the shooting,
excepting two or three weeks when
he was away. When he returned
THEY COMMENCED HOT,
worrying me so I felt it impossible for
me to see him every day; that the
rage it put me in would kill me in less
than a year. In the forenoon of Oc-
tober 9, 1879, [ read an article in
paper, the Centralia Enter
prise, the article purporting to have
been written at Auburndale, but which