St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-02
Mcfarland Tells the Story of the Row and
Says He is Innocent as an
Angel.
Expert Testimony as to the Nick In
the RaZor--Rather Long
Pleas.
Judge Simons Briefly Instructs the
Jury, Which is Out All
Night.
mcFarIand,s Trial.

Farland, charged with cutting Wade's
throat on the early morning of Dec. 81.
The space outside the railing in the court
room was packed with a curious crowd that
stretched their necks and strained their
ears to catch every sight and sound that
came from the center Of the room where
the prisoner and the attorneys sat. n good
sized delegation of cOlored prostitutes, VINO
had been occupants of the house at the
time of the trouble and had been called as
witnesses, had chairs just inside the railing
Mcfarland was looking as well as usual
and would not have been picked out rs any
more concerned in the affair than
any one of dozen Others pres
ent. He shows no emotion
to speak Of and sits with his eyes turned
down and a sort of tired look on his face.
When the attorneys were in their places,
and the bailif had called for order, DR..
Aucker'S testimony was begun. lie mad
been called by the defense. The material
points in his testimony were as To the fatal
wound and its nature and size. He said
the jugular was severed, and that the
blade of whatever caused the wound had
passed through q portion of one of the
vertebrate. DIR. AucNer said that the in
Strument must have been welded with
force, and at short range. The severing of
the artery and vein would have caused
squirting and gushing of blood for some
distance. The fact that piece of verte-
brae had been removed would make ii
probable that the razor making the cut,
would have been nicked by contact with
the bone. He had seen the razor that had
been found in the street. That one had no
nick in it. There was also little blood on
it. A razor was produced and identified as
the one DR.. Aucker had seen at the
police station the morning after the muir
der.
MFARLAND ON THE STAND.
Mcfarland was then put upon the stand.
and told his story. He did it with perfect
calmness. There was not the slightest
nervousness or sign of weakness. He
spoke quietly and told a straight story,
which some vigorous questions from the
county attorney did not rattle. His story
was not essentially different from the state
ment of the occurrence that have been pub
liShed. lie said he went To the house for a
corkScrew to open bottle of ginger ale,
when he should arrive in his room. He
talked with Della Smith in the back room.
later was introduced to Wade as a railroad
man. Had a gOod-natured sparring match
with Jennie Allen. in which il was de-
cared that the woman was the winner.
He offered to pay for the beer, and pro-
duced a $50 bill which Wade took from a
table where he laid it. When the quarrel
arose he asked Miss Betty to send for the
police. Wade started Tor the door, he said.
and when witness started to follow, Fraker
held him. Finally he got on the street and.
after his money, started in pursuit of
Wade. He denied that he had razor then,
or that he ever owned one. He had never
seen Wade before. and did not know he
had been hurt until he was arrested.
are innocent m the crime with which
you are charged" asked the county attorney
in closing.
II am, and if it was my dying word. l
would say it," said Mcfarland; Il am as in
nOcent as an angel tn heaven"
Mcfarland made a good impression on
the spectators, at least, by his display of
GOODNESS.
Della Smith testified to about the same
story. She said she went through McFar-
lands pockets. when he entered the house
and found no razor.
why did you 20 through his pockets?'
asked Judge Egan.
~ always did" said Della. HE said he had
had a row in a saloon that night. and I went
IhrCu rh his pockets-all of them. always
used 10 put my hands in his pockets
The witness said she went upstairs with
Jennie Allen and helped her tear and burn
the dress that was covered with Wade's
blood. She was afraid. she said, that Off
GERS might come and search the house =.
Jennie Allen testified TO seeing the men
rush from the house. She was in the hall.
she said, and when she felt the blood squirt
on her hands and her dress, she thought the
man had thrown up on her" She said
she did not know the man had been hurt
until she found it was blood. Then she
knew there had been trouble and went ND
stairs. Two or three of tie other females
went with her. She took off the dress.
which she said was a blue Mother Hubbard.
and proposed to put 10 in her trunk. Della
Smith. however suggested that it would be
safer to nave it out of the way, and had
suggested that it be burned. The women.
therefore, tore il up and put it in the stove.
At this point the court took recess until 2
p. III.
IN THE AFTERNOON.
There was fully as large an attendance
in the afternoon. which was taken up en-
tirely by the arguments. after half an hour
or more had been devoted to taking evil
dence. Jennie Allen completed her testi-
mony without bringing ont any more ma
terial facts. DIR. L. SNYDER. DR. Abbott
and Dr. Dorian were called by the state TO
pass as experts on the the testimony of DIR.
Ancker, as to the probability of the nstru.
ment being nieked in cutting the yertebrSe.
and DIR. Ancker'S testimony was read by
the court reporter. DR.. Snyder expressed
the opinion that the razor, offered in evil
dence, might have cut the bone as indicated
without making any nick, ii it had been a
clear, straight cut. DR.. Abbott said that a
nick might or might not DO caused. depend
ent upon the manner of making the blow.
DR.. Dorian said it would depend largely on
whether it struck the hard or soft part Of
the Yertebra.
THE ARGUMENTS.
At this point the state rested, and after
an lntermlSSlOn or ten minutes, Judge
Egan opened his argument TO the iury:
The judge spoke at considerable length He
went over the story as it has been detailed by
the several witnesses in which he dwelt duly
on the character OF the place, tie nature or
the men, ana the surroundings of the whole
affair. The counsel Tor the state in eloquent
words, claimed that no defense had been
made that was worthy the consideration of
the jury for an instant. The witnesses for
the defense, he said, had corrohorated the
testimony OF the state, and he callea on the
jury to simply examine the evidence and pro-
tect society and the dignity OF the law by
giving to the accused his just dues
The judges argument occupied about an
hour. and while he spoke Mcfarland
watched him no closer than did any of the
spectators. When the judge turned and
pointed to him as the man whom the state
believed to have cut the deadly cash he
paid no more attention than before. and as
the day wore on his face assumed the same
tired look as did those of some OF the Jury.
Mr.. Lawler for the defense opened very
quietly and in a dignifed manner. speak
ing in style of finished infection and
gesture. His argument was long one.
lasting fully an hour and half.
In speaking OF a motive for the state.
Mr.. Lawler took occasion to arraign the