Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-07-06
A MIXED MATTER!
Two Days Examination Into the Lima
Tragedy Only Gets the Court
Under Roadway.
The Fact Developed Of Quarrel Between
Hamilton and Sisley Nature
Unknown.
Fall Report Of the Testimony Given Before the
Court mp TO the Time of ReassembItng
on Wednesday.
STILL UNSOLvED.


this the public must be content and
form its own conclusions.
The time fixed for the reassemblinp
of the court had been Friday, the 30th,
at 10 a. m, but owing to the long dis
tonce the majority of the counsel and
witnesses had to come no effort was
made to open court till one o clock. BY
that time all had assembled, as well as
an interested ring of spectators. An
other hitch was caused, however, by the
non-appearance of Henry Keene, Esq,
who had only been informed that morn
ing of the necessity for his presence and
being just up from sick bed was per-
missably slow in arriving, and it was
three o clock before His Honor, accom-
panied by Justice Baldwin, took his seat
and court was formally opened. In the
meantime the
COURTROOM HAD BEEN CROWDED.
to its utmost capacity, and as the pre-
liminaries were disposed Of the crowd
became denser, and each individual be-
ing poor retainer of heat and the day
warm the occupants of the space within
the bar were given taste of Beelzebub' S
residence. Finally, when human nature
had been pressed to its utmost prespir-
ing limit, the court ordered the audi
ence seated, which had perceptibly
Frightening effect, as the refreshing
northwest wind found an open channel
through the room.
To those of nervous temperament
and given to forebodlngs
THE RING OF FACES
which fringed the railing of the bar for
the first hour would have an ominous
look, but aside from deep interest no
sign of emotion was shown. The first
witness called was
HIRAM BICKFORD,
the father of the deceased girl. Mr..
Bickford on direct examination testified
that his daughter, he thought, had seen
Sisley about two years ago, when he was
in the neighborhood of her home in Milf
film, but the acquaintance which ripened
into marriage commenced last February
when she went down to spend few DAYS
with Sislcy's sister, at Lima. They were
married on the 18th of June, about II
O'Clock, and few hours later started
for Hamilton This was the last wit
ness saw or knew of his daughter until
the news was brought him Wednesday
noon that she had been found dead. He
at once hitched up and, in company
with his wife and son Douglas, started
for the scene. Got there about three
O'Clock and found a number there, most
all strangers.
FOUND THE CORPSE
about fifteen rods from the house laid
out straight with a sheet over it. Saw
Mrs. Stout and Lew before he went to
where the body lay. In answer to the
question whether he heard the defend
ant say anything as to how the death
occurred the witness said he thought
Lew came up to him and put his arm on
witness shoulder and said: .'Oh! what
could have possessed her to have done
this - to which witness made answer
Lew, she never done it, Also that
nearly broke, and to try and console
him. Daughter was of a mild, retired
disposition, spoke pleasantly and wanted
the love and respect of everybody. Her
health was good; she had never been
sick but once, and that was six or sew
en- years ago. She had never been mo-
rose or brooding over anything that the
witness had noticed, nor had had any
mental disturbance. She had lived at
home until one year ago last October,
when she went to live with her sister at
Dodgeville, and returned last October or
November.
ON DISCRIMINATION
witness said he was the party who swore
out warrant. Had no suspicion at the
time of coroner inquest but did have at
time of burial His reason for having
suspicious was in the actions and looks
of Sisley's mother and sister at the fu-
neral. His first thoughts were: who
i'll the devil hires the mourners?' and
came from seeing how they were tax
ing on" If one of the family could get
sympathize with them, but when they
got back in the crowd they left them for
some one else. He had never suspected
a lack of affection, as he had no reason
to. Had told his daughter She was old
enough to choose for herself, and she
had done SO, and so far as witness knew
the match was agreeable to both parties.
! That after her marriage he had given
her five twenty dollar bills which he af-
forwards found in her trunk at home,
that she was to come back after. having
only taken 4 satchel with her He also
was TO give her n COW. When witness
had first heard the news his
THOUGHT WAS FRANK RIBBEY had DONE
IT.
That Ribbey had formerly worked for
him and had thought he was in love with
Emily, but had done something to put
her ''out of conceit with him. and he
had left and gone to the neighbours to
/ work and had afterward gone west He
had written threatening letters. saving
THAT if she ever married any other man
either she or him would be his game, =
that the letters seemed for the time be-
& Atl9 ~ ulSNhN dAi iAlA lttSSipu ttA HtE tillUu
and to worry her little bit but witness
told her not to mind them " as barking
/ dogs never bite" Witness had consid-
cred Ribbey as dangerous man. and
had been told that he carried a knife
and revolver That he had said some
thing more to Emily that she never told
but would HAY nothing more to do with
him. She had been in good health be-
fore marriage, had worked about the
house and came to the table TO meals.
Might have said at the coroner's inquest
that he thought something was worrying
her; but she said nothing to witness of
having & foreboding of not living long.
Witness was liberal in his religious views
"a Spiritualist-and had had 4 commu-
nicatiOn with his daughter since her
death and could repeat the very words
she used when the fatal shot was fired.
Counsel for defense had no objection to
hearing them. Witness then said
HER LAST EXCLAMATION
was: MY God, has it come to this, oh,
father, help met
The situation at this point was quite
dramatic. and when the last word fell