The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-22
THE NICkERSHAM CASE.
Proceedings Of the Fourth Day Of
the Trial.
The Proseeusfon Rests rts Case-sev-
eraI witnesses for the De-
fense Exanfaeds

The fourth day Of the Wiekersham
trial presented the same court scenes
Is the day previous. The same wit
nesses were there and they sat in their
former positions. The same gaping
crowd hung expectant and open
mouthed to receive every detail The
defendant did not stir from his posi-
ton during the sessions, and his wife
sat close behind him. taking IA every
word Of the evidence but not giving
any signs OF emotion, even when the
testimony was Of the most damaging
character.
Miss Bransner was accompanied By
her protector, Mrs. Handsaker. and in
the afternoon by a feeble old lady
whose features so closely resembled
those of the prosecutrix as to suggest
that she might be- her mother, was
With the party. Ii was the mother.
and she set for several houys, iisten-
ing with painful intentness 70 the
story OF her daughters shame. IL is
said that she has lost her mental bal
ance through grief at her daughters
dishonor. She did not display any
fdiosyncrasies in the court room, how
ever. About half dozen members of
the Womau's Christian Temperance
Union were present In response To the
appeal published yesterday morning
SOME EXPERT TESTIMONY.
Mrs. Handsaker was called 20 the
stand at 9 o'cloek 70 continue the tes-
timony interrupted by adjournment
Of court the evening before. Her tes-
tirnony was as follows.
4 am a stenogsapher and an expert On
writing can feIl IL writing ID one year
old or seven, The writing on the marriage
certificate may save been . year old: bat
back. The writing IN the body OF the Ger
tifieate was the same In every respect ~
that Of the alleged signature Of Mr.. Water
man. There were no witnesses To the Ger
tificase. The signature OF Sadie Brantner
was not In her hand, and was not the same
a. In The body.
soT PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
The eross-examination was then
taken up.
.4rs yoa member Of the W G. r. o 80
rs there e press committed"
"Was there not an appeal published 10
the w. G. +. o. ladies 10 attend court to-
day" ...
Don't yeu believe In the Bible. Mrs.
Handsaker7"
81 do
$40 you believe In the ninth conan and
ment7''
II believe In all the commandment"
What Is th:s ninth commandment"
III can't state"
at Is about bearing false witness
The Conrt-"This Is not material.
TALK IN pKLIRIun.
'.Yoa say Miss Brsutneg was delirlus
while at the Brunswicky
what is your profession"
"A sfenogrspher.
did that fit you to Judge of deiiriumy"
mo. nnt / have been q member OF the
WomaE's Christian Temperance Union,
and have been called in 20 attend great
saauy caxes of fliness.''
what do you cali dcliriumf"
1T In a state Of Hnconseiousness,"
'scan unconscious people respond 10 in
quiriesf'
Il have known them to reply to qaes-
tions.r
.Did she cali for BuIger4"
'.5he called for her uncle. lshe always
addressed BuIger a. uncle, even to me.
'swhat did she call Mr.. Wtckersham7"
'.She called him WiekeFshau1, and some
times Mr. Wiekersbam."
ibid she apply terms OF cndearment b
the name OF wiekersham7'
Eyes. she did
"Did she say Dear wlekershamF'
'sYeS, sir"
SIS that the way women generally ad
that het.h IA xNtk ftsest xu&e 80.
apply terms Of eudearmen'7'
ssrhcy do
ssDid she never exelatm Dear Charley
orGharley, while ia her eseIiriatn?'
s'No. stF.'
The cross-exansinatlon then reverted
20 the question of Miss Brantner's
physical condition.
KIND ERaARTEs sxEgcIsE.
The examining counsel then made q
diagram OF the room in the Brunswick
hotel on the floor with a number of
law books. In this improvised model
the witness was asked to place wads of
paper to illustrate the relative posi-
tons OF Judge Wickersham, Miss
Brantner and DIR. Brown on the night
that she had testified she had over
heard and seen part OF the relinguish-
ment transaction through the partially
opened door. The counsel attempted
70 show by this means that the witness
could not see what had gone on in the
room.
..why did you go so privately the Bruins.
Wick IL you were On an esrAnd OF mercy2"
because Mr.. Bulger imposed secrecy on
me. told him. however, that IL ever
was called upon l would tell the whole
trafh. ["
.Did you sec DR.. Miller in his private
II did"
do yos know Dir. Niilersa
DR. Miller was called upon tn stand up.
"yes: that Is DR.. Miller aud he Is the
man talked with"
afss RRANrNER'E CHARACTER.
The next witness was Rev. J. +. De
Wore, the venerable Methodist clergy
man of Tacoma. He testified:
II have been acquainted with Miss
Brantner for about ave years. she has
been member OF the Methodist Episcopal
Chnrch aud VERY highly respected. have
for chastity in Tacoma where she lived aud
know her character was good.
Cross examination
How do you know her character was
goods''
''she was an haaored member OF the
Methodist ehasehf'
DO you hasa yoar opinion on anything
elses''
Il do not 20 behind the scenes. know
she was a regular attendant 81 nav church
and always conducted herself we'll"
Do yoa know anything about her 1850
eiafsansea
ia vas ameag the one hundred or more
young members of the church.
DO you associate with the class known
as the eays'fa
II don't 20 60 Morgan's
do YOU keep on she streets when re-
spectacle people are IN befss
don't prowl sroand at alghs much.
hus SO where am rallied
DO you associate with the boys --those
commonly known as fast rncnfs
i take the wide world as IL comes I
saaa no one aad take nay associates -
they come
Mrs. DeVore was then called and
corroborated the testimony OF her
husband.
THE LAND OFFICE osTE.
J. \. ostrander. late register OK the
United States land office at Seattle,
testified.
u know Miss Srsntner; me; her along in
Deeeinher, 1887. she came - the iaai Office
with James ~teksrxham. II wss a rule Of
the land once that applicants should be
identided 70 the register ar. wicserxhan,
introduced her as Mrs, Aasermsn. NJ
gneSted me 10 give him soFae application
olanks. liz Oiled Que oct and she signed
ana ssore 20 IL She did not get TITS piece
o. land, They came agasa. have no dis.