Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-14
1FRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. J

| ment of to-day, over the Mansell trial wa.
made apparent at the opening of the morn.
ing session by the attendance of an unus
ually large crowd. All the members of the
so-called "ring" were in their seats, and the
first ripple of excitement was noticed when
DR.. Mansell was recalled. He again told
how the paper drawer up at the bookroom had
been destroyed. The copy was again offered in
| testimony, but the Chair ruled it could not be
admitted unless DR.. Mansell signed his name
to it.
A hot discussion followed. and DR.. Mansell
refused to be again trapped into signing the
paper.
S. F. Finley again said the officers of the
| church made all the arrangements about Mr..
Manselrs coming to McKeesport. He said.
| however that Dr. Mansell seemed anxious to
come.
The testimony of DR.. Norcross, taken in
| Pittsburg, was then read by DR.. Watkins. He
| testified about the bookroom meeting, and
| quoted DR.. Miller as saying to him few days
| before the meeting that they would have DR..
Mansell on the rack next Monday.
! The defense here rested and then the music
was opened up with double force by the prose
cution. All the ministers who were implicated
| by Dr. Mansell in his testimony yesterday
squared themselves and denied every assertion
| he had made.
| A POINT-BLANK DENIAL.
DR.. T. n. Eaten opened with a point-blank
| denial. He said: Il did not say to DR.. Mansell
to let up on the other parties. Any statement
| that said such a thing, either in matter or
form as expressed, is unqualifiedly untrue in
| every particular. Had conversation with DIR.
| Mansell on a sofa. He had good deal to say
| in the meeting. l have no recollection OF
Bishop Warren saying, That is the voice of a
| Christian man."
He was followed by Dr. Hickman with a
SOmnwhat Statpmant stODnpd
| DR.. Boyle threw out another bomb, by assert
ing: "Beecham told DIR. Mansell if there was
anything not exactly true in that paper for him
Doctors Core, Miller, Beacon and Smith
then clinched the former testimony with en-
phatic denials of everything: They especially
denied that the paper was signed under moral
duress and that the Bishop had called Mansell
Christian man at Latrobe.
The afternoon session was opened after the
style of thunderstorm. Hardly had the
echoes of the opening prayer died away when
DR.. Wheeler. the leading counsel for the de-
tense, threw a thunderbolt into the meeting.
He said that as an honorable man and a
Christian gentleman he could no longer sup
port the case of Mr.. Mansell.
STRUCK THEM HARD.
Chairman Cox at once rose to his feet and at.
tempted to say something, but in the excite
ment he could not be heard. The coun
sci for the prosecution was also his feet as
tainted, and Counsel Risk and he Investigating
Committee were for the moment struck dumb.
Finally, all was restored to a semblance of
order, and DR.. Wheeler gave his full statement.
He was much affected, and almost overcome by
his feelings. He said:
lone of the most painful things that ever fell
to my lot is the one which am about to do. 1t
was known earlier in the trial that certain let
ter, asked for by the prosecution, was in s. F.
Finley's possession. MIR. Finley and l conferred
on the matter and he agreed that as soon as we
wanted it he would give it up. provided it was
still in his hands. He did not find it until after
the prosecution had rested its case. Then he
gave it to me, and handed it over to DIR. Man
SELL saying it was his letter. l stated so when it
was called for, and asked Mansell to give me
the letter. ! then learned, to my astonshment,
that it had been burned! feel that after such
a thing cannot, without any honor to myself
and without sacrificing my self-respect, con-
tinue as counsel in the case"
During this address DR.. Mansell was deadly
pale and hid his face in his hands, The au-
dience seemed breathless. and at the close of
the recital there was painful silence 1t was
broken, however, by the Rev. J. B. Risk, the
other counsel for the defendant. He said: ~
know that l have done what is right in this
case. We don't expect the audience to pass
over this, however"
DR.. Wheeler at once responded: SIT was
with much reluctance that took any part in
the case. had even to overcome the oDjec-
tions of my family. feel deeply sorrowful
that should be placed in this compromising
situation before the public. There is not money
enough in McKeesport to cause me to volun-
tarily meet such contingency"
PRESSED TO CONTINUE.
The Chairman of the committee. however,
pressed him to continue and he finally acceded.
He then said the defense would rest their case.
In requesting him to continue DIR. Cox said DR..
Wheeler was fully exonerated from every
thing. and that his continuance with the case
would not be derogatory to him.
DrS Miller and Smith again denied eyery-
thing. They were succeeded by DR.. ManSell
and another sensation. He said he had been
under such a mental strain during the last few
days that when DR.. Wheeler gave him the
letter he had pocketed it. Afterward he had
glanced at 1t. and acting on a sudden impulse
threw it in the fire. He said there was nothing
in the letter regarding the case.
The accused minister was greatly excited,
and at the close all of the immense audience
seemed to be in deep sympathy with him.
The plea for the prosecution was then made
by the Rev. DR.. Wright. He spoke for two
hours, goiug over all the testimony. A number
of times he said Mansell was liar, and asked
for verdict of guilty. He accused DIR. Man
sell of contradicting himself, and said that as
duty to the church man who had SO defiled
the position of a minister and traduced the
church ought to be expelled from it. He then
related the statements made by DR.. Mansel
and gave the testimony of the men who had
opposed him. laying great stress ON the weak
ness of Manselps character and dilating on the
virtues of the ministers who testified against
him. He closed with a strong demand for con-
victlon.
A PLEA FOR THE DEFENSE.
The Rev. ]. B. Risk then pleaded for the de-
fense. His address was an appeal for sympa-
thy and an attack on the ring" Many per-
sons in the audience and some of the members
of the committee were moved to tears. while the
reverend doctors composing the alleged ring
were all laughing and in fact, the disturbance
at one time became SO great that the Chair had
to reelest silence.
DR.. Risk argued that the brother, through
his weakness had to an extent fallen, and said
it was the duty of the ministers to lift him up.
He made strong appeal for mercy, and went
over and laid his hands on the accused. From
that he turned around to the reverend doctors
and made an attack on the ring" Here the
Chair interrupted and ordered him to address
the Jury. He then made an alluSion TO a min
lister who had ''fshed for an appointment"
In an instant j. f. Core was on his feet and
called out: Il will not allow any man to make
personal allusions to me-"
Il did not say1who alluded to-" promptly
responded Mr.. Risk.
The Chair called both of them to order. He
then said the defendant had been taken to
the cellar at the Advocate office and threat
ened.
Dr. Miller jumped up and Indignantly denied
the statement. and the Chair again called for
order.
IF could only state what know'-but he
got no further, as the Chair interrupted. 1.-THE
influence of that dead woman will live in Nc
Keesport," he continued. Look at that
wrecked and ruined man, and will you convict
the yictim?"
The session was here adjourned until the
evening. When it again convened the church
was almost crowded.
DIR. wHEELER's APPEAL.
DR.. Wheeler then spoke in behalf of DR..
Mansell. He was still speaking at II o'clock.
He took up the evidence ami went all over it,
dwelling on the length of time that had elapsed,
and said that passion had, during that time,