The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-02-12
Closing Testimony i'm the Case
Sensational Episodes.
Hiss Swearingen Held Without
Bail, to Await Trial.
As an Accessory to the Murder
of Her Sister.
FIRST DAY.

ElhSl LA L.
The announcement that the pre-.
Eminary examination of Milton Fisher
and Louise Swearingen would take
place to-day, had the effect of filing
the criminal court room long before
ten o'clock, the hour set for the trial.
Justice Fischer, in whose court the
papers had been issued, called to biz
aid Justices Halstead and Blair and
the three worthy 'squires presided with
great dignity AMI unpartiality.
Al 10 o'clock Sheriff Smith
brought the prisoners within
the bar where they became
the cynosure of all the vast audience,
among whom were at least hundred
ladies, attracted to the trial by the
fact that the victim of an unholy
murder was a woman AMI smother
was on trial for her life.
The prisoner, Fischer. was neatly
attired in a suit of gray material and
seemed perfectly COO! and collected
throughout the preliminary proceed.
ings. Miss Fischer was dressed in
black and wore a mourning veil, but
she seemed to be perfectly self-pos-
sessed
Prosecuting Attorney Longan has
associated with him in the
case, with Capt. l.. L. Bridges,
while George w. Barnett assisted Mr..
Steele In the defense.
At half past 10 o'clock Justice
Fisher asked if the state and defense
were ready for trial.
Mr.. Steele for the defense asked
time for short conference with the
defendants.
Mr.. Bridges objected on the ground
that the prisoners should be kept
apart, and the matter Was settled by
the attorneys for the defense retiring
with Fischer alone. A minute after
wards, however, Miss Swearingen was
also taken into a private room where
a short conference was had, the object
of which of course is unknown.
When the defendants were return
ed to the court room, both state and
defense announced ready, and
Prosecuting Attorney Longan
stated to the court that the state
would try the defendant, Fischer,
first.
The witnesses for the state were
then called within the bar and sworn
collectively.
At this juncture Mr.. Steele read a
telegram from a brother of Milton
Fischer in Howard county, stating
that he could not reach here until l
O'Clock, and asked that the trial be
postponed until that hour.
MIR. LongaR objected, claiming that
FischeT's brother was not a witness in
the case, and insisted that the trial
proceed.
Mr.. Barnett, fer the defense, made
a strong plea for postponement.
Justice Fischer continued the trial
until / O'Clock.
AFTERNOON.
At | o'clock the trial was again
taken up. DIR. w G. Overstreet, the
first witness. after having been sworn
was examined, and testified as follows:
Il am coroner OF Pettis county, hav-
ing held that office for six years. /
held an inquest on the body of Mrs.
Fischer, an the Goth day OF January,
1889. | made an examination of the
body Of the deceased, at the time.
Found the body lying on a bed, in
room in the house, which is about two
miles and a half from Beaman.
81 found bruises and embrasures
about the neck and chin, also, there
was bruise on her left shoulder, and
some minor bruises on her feet and
ankle. She appeared to have been
fractured by rough handling. |
could not tell what they had been |
made by. | was satisfied that the
handkerchief could not have made |
the scratches and bruises about her
neck.
'-It was my opinion, from the his
tory of the case,-from the examina- /
ton of the wounds, they were
caused by hands, those on the
feet. by a boot. / investigated the
death of Mrs. Fischer, and ascertained
that she came to her death from