Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-08-03

1T WAS MURDER
THE LONG EXAMINATION DRAWN
TO A CLOSE AND A DECIS.
ION RENDERED..
After a Patient Hearing OF the Case
Justice keene Decides it was
Not Suicide.
A Crowded Court Room Listens to
The Rendering OF the Verdict.
Closing Scenes aud Incidents.



The prolonged examination into the
death of Mrs. Sisley came to close last
Monday and three of the defendants,
namely; Lew Sisley, Robert Hamilton,
and Mrs. Stout, are bound over to meet
the action of the grand jury. Below is
given the remaining testimony taken at
the examination.
The Argument of the case commenced
Saturday morning and was opened by
Mr.. Bell for the State, in short speech
Of one hour and twenty minutes during
which he reviewed briefly the testimony
calling the attention of the Court to
certain discrepancies and misty points
Mr.. Beebe followed for the defense,
occupying two hours, arguing stoutly
that no case had been developed and mo
cause shown for holding the defendants,
He was followed by Col. Clark, who pro-
duced authorities to show that the testi-
mony of the medical gentlemen put on
the stand by the state was incorrect.
There being still an hour remaining it
was agreed among counsel that
MIR. BUSHNELL
should occupy the time until six o'clock
and court then adjourn till Monday at
one O'Clock, when the gentleman con-
cluded his argument. In his opening
counsel thought the founding of the
charge was under peculiar Circumstance
es. A coroner and jury had passed up
on the case, q physician was called and
made an examination of the body, and
rs Il whole the inquest was one of the
most thorough ever held in Grant coun-
ty. Counsel thought the course of the
prosecution extraordinary. Seemed as
if they had tried to suppress instead of
finding out the truth. Second examin-
ton had revealed nothing that was not
known before. Doctors Barber, Mitch
ell and Cronin had given their opinion
in this case based on books. They had
had no army practice. Doctors Buck,
Berry and Robertson were army sur
geons, and all testified that from their
experience the wounds could have been
self-intlicted. Here the counsel produced
authorities to sustain his position in re-
gard to possibilities and then argued at
length the hypothesis that the dead girl
was subject to epileptic fits and while
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MANIA
arising from these she had gone out and
Shot herself Speaking of the pistol
counsel said the gentlemen on the other
side had objected to the pistol being put
in reasonably good order and the Court
had consented.
The Court That is mistake, Cap
tain Bushnell. We do not wish any
false insinuations cast on the Court.
Mr.. Bushnell What | say is on I'M
mistakable information.
Mr.. Carter And Enthusiastically IN
true.
The Court-The witness was called at
my option and not at the option of coun-
sci on either side.
Mr.. BUSHNELL am creditably in
formed that Hyde used the expression
that he would like to pull on the rope to
hang these defendants.
The Court-That is the first | ever
heard of it.
Mr.. Witness testified that the
pistol was not in reasonably good order.
Mr.. Bushnell-If any witness ever
stated any such thing he lied.
Counsel continued to some length and
concluding, said that if the spirit of the
dead girl could come back to earth she
would ask that her husband be let 60
MIR. CARTER
then arose to conclude for the state
He opened his remarks by saying that
cat last, after listening to the counsel
for the defense for ten hours = have a
chance to address the COURT Continu-
ing he said words failed the gentleman
on the other side in describing the out
rage that had been done in this case but
the counsel had no apology to offer for
| himself or his associates. The examin-
alton at the inquest of which the gem
tleman made SO much was simply n
! farce. The offense of the District At
torney was that he had dared to go in
IN Tho ,oiorb horbooI and o,o,,;,o d, &. 90,
this poor, innocent coroner's jury had
rendered n verdict, that is the sin he has
/ committed. The doctor who made the
( Examination rushed in to the newspa-
pers to say il was suicide and went fur
Their and kindly gave the way she had
done it; said she had laid down on her
back, held the pistol with one hand and
pumped bullets into herself with the
other. The state had been compelled
to gropc in the dark in this matter. The
statements of counsel were made simp-
~ to reach public opinion and with the
deliberate
INTENT TO PREVENT INDICTMENT
by the grand jury. Reviewing the tes-
timony the counsel said what happened
between midnight and morning God and
the defendants only know. What hap
pened after they got up stairs they knew
and would not tell. The gentleman then
called attention TO the blood which was
found on side of the head and the testi-
mony of the physicians that it could on
| " come there from one of two causes,
either violence or the body lying on that
side. which last is disputed BY all the
evidence. Further. that the third ball.
the path of which through the lung was
never found, could not have missed the
lung unless it was collapsed in death,
also that the bullet holes instead of be-
ing round would have been ragged if the
balls had been fired during life. The
nieca of Leaf which was found hetwaan