The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-03
"STENBERGON HESTAND
He Tells the Court What He Knows
About the Attempt 10 Kill Him.
Larry Smltzger is Blamed For It
All-Stenberg Appears epx-
ious to Shield His Wife From
Blame In the Deed.
Snecial CORRESPONDENCE Of the Standard.

BUTTE, June 1.-The trial Of Hannah
Stenberg, charged with attempting to
murder her husband, Oscar Stcnberg, on
the night of October 23 last, began to-day,
Larry Smitzhger, who is accused of being
the principal in the crime, will be tried
later.
A Jury was obtained at 9 o'clock This
afternoon and Oscar Stcnberg was mn
on the witness stand as the first witness
for the prosecution. He said he wen, 10
bed as usual that night in a room i'm his
shop i'm West Park street. He was awok.
cued early in the morning in some man
ner unknown TO him, but by some sor, of
an EXPLOSION. He scarcely knew wba,
was going on. He was scorched badly in
the face and arms, his teeth were loose
and he was generally broken up. He kent
calling for help until his son and daughter
came TO his assistance. He was laid up
for a month. His eyes were so bad that
he couldn't see and consequently was
unable to work for n long time after he
was able to walk. The witness said that
for some time he had becn on bad terms
with Larry Smitzhger, who persisted
in being around the house. He had once
been talking in the house about Smitzbger
when the latter was outside the door. and
rushed in and hit him three times in the
eye, drove him behind the stove and fired
n shot at him, but the bullet struck the
stove.
Stenberg seemed convinced that Smitz-
hger had perpctrated tho crime.
II could see him standing by the bed as
clearly as | ever saw anything in my life,'
said the witness. This promised To he
sensational and the defending attorney
objected.
"Did you actually see him. or did you
imagine you saw him?' asked Judge Me-
Hatton.
~ saw him as clearly as | see you now.r
said Stenberg. "Yet ! know that he
couldn't have been in the room for the
door was locked"
The witness was told to confine his tes-
timony To what he saw in a normal con-
dition. He said he had once had n wres-
tie with Smitzhger in the house, and was
thrown on the bed. His pocket book was
missing afterward and he found il on the
fioor with the money gone. The moncy
was afterward given him by Mrs. Stem
berg, who said she found il in the bed.
That was what led him 10 he on bad
terms with Smitzhger, whom he believed
to have robbed him. The witness said he
always left the house when Smitzhger was
around, and did not know what relations
he had with his wife. In the troubles
with Smitzhgcr his wife took no part that
he knew of. He didn't know that she
ever made any threats against anybody.
He did not know that his wife had any
thing 10 10 with the explosion. He ex-
amined the room after his recovery and
found the furniture shattered, the bed i'm
pieces, feathers sticking 10 the walls and
ceiling, and a hole two feet square in the
floor under the bed. He found two augiIr
holes il the side of the house. They were
the same size as a bit lie owned. One of
the augur holes had been bored n little
above the bed, and the other was lower
and struck II right. He thought the sec
ond hole must have beef bored from the
inside. for on the outside the hole rcached
4 big pile of latiIs, which did not seem to
have been disturbed. There were only
two keys 10 the room. one of which
was kept in the house and the other
in his pocket. The night before the
explosion he had told his wife that he
didn't want To So. SmitZhger around the
house. She said he owed her money and
ehc wanted him to come any time he
! wanted Ia.
The ~itiltss soc ned very unwilling to
testify against his wife and wasn't
sure whether she had made any threats
against him.
This is contrary TO evidence submitted
at the time OF the explosion. The witness
said his wife had eftcn wanted a divorce
n he had told her she could hayc II.
Mrs. Rose Perkins was next put on the
stand. she resided near the place Of the
StCuhCigs. When the explosion occurred
she went 90 the scene and found Stcnbtro
had been moved Ia the house. she found
Stcnbcrg in a terrible condition. he was
burned badly ard raih.ie to speak. Mrs.
Stcnbcfg was giving him something in a
teaspoon which was choking him. Mrs,
Pcrkiss went into "A back room n Mrs
Stn'srfg followed her. Mrs. Perkins
todd this woman that her husband couldn't
l.Se. Mrs. ST nberg thereupon rushed tc
DIR. Sarchet, gave him a five dollar bill
aud urged him To pay her husbands lodge
dues. Mrs. Perkins remarked that il wac
n terrible thing and Mrs. Stenborg sait
she was glad of IL and her husband hadn'
got half enough.
Lou u. Smith was next examined aut
testified To the condition Of things as b,
found them a few minutes after the o.
plosion.
Agnes Stcnhcrg. the daughter, was pa
on the stand and testified that she wa
sleeping with her mother, was aroused b.
the explosion and ran down. Her mothel
tainted At the foot of the stairs. With he
brothers help,thc door was brokenandh he
father taken out. The trial will he rC
sumcl in the morning.
"Eyaup.liue' the 1sfautffuI.