St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-12
HATTIE WILSON'S SLAYER.
Opening of the Case for the Ds
fense in the FIaherty Case.

OpChihS O1 tho Ease 1Of Cuc DS-
fense in the Flaherty Case.
Special to the Globe.
HURON. S. D., April 11.-Before the
opening of the defense in the Flaherty
murder case, the prosecuting attorney
moved that the defense be ordered to
produce certain papers taken from
Flaherty at the time of his arrest and
afterwards turned over to defendant or
his attorney in direct violation of the
order of the district attorney. Mr..
Melville resisted the motion, on the
ground that they could not force
the defendant to furnish evidence
against himself. He stated that he had
never had the papers in his possession,
and that he was Informed by the de-
fendant that they had been
RETURNED TO HIM
and destroyed. The court informed the
attorney for the defense that he had on
previous occasions seen criminal trials;
that he was not likely to be imposed OH
very much by the defense without
knowing it; that in his opinion these
papers had not been returned and des-
tlOyed without the advice of the attor-
ney. He showed great dlspleasure at
the action of the defense, and ordered
that Deputy Sheriff Murphy, who had
returned the papers. be released from
were many expressions of approval in
the audience as Judge Spencer deliv-
cred a scathing rebuke to that kind of
practice. The papers in question are
letters from Hattie to the defendant.
After killing Hattie Wilson, Flaherty
SHOT HIMSELF
IL the side and went to DR.. Affords
office to have the ball extracted, but
Flaherty said he could not have it done
without taking ether, and was fearful
the mob would hang him. He said he
would not take it until the sheriff came.
He said: II don't want to be hung like
A.. | want to die like a brave
man." Afford testified that in his
opinion either of the wounds-the one
in the neck OF the one in the chest was
fatal. He stated that the carotid artery
and Jugular vein were i'll range of the
ball through the neck. He could not
swear that either one of these was
ruptured by the ball. At the coroner's
inquest no post mOrtem examination on
the body was had, but it was brought
out on cross examination that
THE BODY HAD BEEN EXHUMED
several weeks after the burial at the
request of District Attorney Sterling,
for the purpose of holding a post NOR
tenn examination, but that the body was
so badly decOmpoSed as to render such
all examination impossible. The result
was to give Attorney Sterling vision
of horror which he says he would will
ingly give $500 to blot from his mind.
Mr.. Melville made the opening state
ment for the defense. 1t was a good
statement, but showed the weakness of
the case. He announced that they would
prove that defendant was the victim of
epileptic insanity. and would also show
that deceased came to her death from
other causes than gunshot wounds. He
admitted the fact of the shooting by de-
feDdant. Defendants brother was the
first witness, and poor one indeed.
The defendant, Flaherty, was called and
his examination occupied most of the
afternoon. His story was disconnected
and evasive, and had many weak points.
Public sentiment was not improved
toward him by his evidence on the
stand.