St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-30
THE PLEA OFINSANITY
The Defense in the Hanley Murder
COMMUNICATING Testimony
of Yesterday,


The trial of Thomas W. Hanley for the
murder of Thomas Ryan was continued in
the district court at o'clock yesterday
morning. The room was tolerably well
filled at the opening of the day, over half
of the number present being witnesses and
spectators from st. Paul. The prisoner was
brought i'll, accompanied by his wife, and
took his accustomed seat, looking and con-
Quoting himself much as he did the day be-
fore. The prosecution continued the intro
ducton of evidence DR.. c. A. Wheaton,
V. S. Parker, Patrick HUFF and Edward
Lester teStifying. The testimony taken was
mainly cOrroborative of that already given.
Lester was an important witness. having
been present at the shooting and having
heard expressions from Hanley which the
prosecution hold To have shown the re-
vengeful feelings which animated him.
When Hanley had fired the second shot he
had said to the witness: That's the way
do it. Ed. When l say I'll do thing I'll
do IL"
There were several witnesses summoned
for the prosecution who had failed to APP
pear, but ut the end of Testers testimony
Mr.. Willis. for the prosecution, said they
would rest their case here and not detain
presence of these witnesses.
THE DEFENSE OPENS.
Attorney J. J. McCatferty opened the
case for the defense. He is a forcible and
fluent speaker and made a strong opening
defense for the prisoner. Beginning with
history of his client he said he had served
through the war, in which he received a
wound that left permanent effects. Then
came 4 serious illness of typhOid-pneu-
monia. followed by relapse. During this
long Illness his business became neglected
and diSSipated under the care of careless
partner. and the prisoner arose from his
Sickbed weak and enfeebled in body and in
mind. Anxiety for his family. the loss of
business and the suffering during his i'll
ness combined TO affect the mind of the
prisoner and deprive him OF the power of
distinguishing wrong from right. and the
counsel plainly stated that the defense
would admit the killing and would rely en-
tirely upon the plea of insanity They
would prove, he said. that Thomas Hanlev
had for years been 4 man of weak. vacillat-
ing mind. known as n half fool and the butt
OF his companions always; a man who
talked without acting, harmless buffer. !"
POUNDING THE ATTORNEYS.
Mr.. McCaferty proceeded to pay his re-
spectS TO the prosecution in the manner
mOnOpOlized by attorneys. accusing them of
trickery, stage manneriSnS and similar mis-
demeanor. This was private proceeding
and not public prosecution. he said. and
The force of attorneys showed il. Here
was not the county attorney of Hennepin.
conducting the case, but the county attorney
Of Ramsey, while even he was not singular
in the case, but another eminent attorney
CWilisl had chief charge. And the presence
at his elbow of brother of the man killed
by Hanley looked Us though something more
than mere justice We're being sought" He
criticised the change of venue, at the in
stance of the prosecution and said it was an
unprecedented measure.
ReYerting to the prisoner. he said the de
Tense would show Hanley TO be man nat
urally dun, without any education, and that
upon such mind. very little was necessary