Evening journal., 1890-03-13
AS COOL AS A CUCUMBER
Remarkable Composure of Ben
wells Alleged Assassin.
FORMALLY HELD FOR HIS TRIAL.
MRS. BircheiI stin In custody-The Ac-
cused Mans Bravado at the Hearing
The Most unconcerned Man in Court
Tho Trial of Isaac sawtelIe.

Tho Trial of Isaac sawtelle.
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont, March l3.-J. R.
Birchell was formally held here last night
by Magistrate Hin for the assizes at Wood
stock in October on the charge OF numbering
+. c. Benwell on Feb II last Mrs. Birchell
was remanded for eight days, and will re-
main in the custody Of an officer at Baldwin, |
boarding house in this village, where she has
been since her arrest. Birchell stepped off |
the Michigan Central train handcuffed to an
officer and smiled gaily at the waiting crowd |
When brought into the court room he APP |
peared perfectly serene. perfectly uncon-
cerned, as nonchalant as IL taking his seat in
some festive gathering. lie was well brushed,
well combed and bright looking.
Handouts over Kid Gloves.
His indifferent demeanor is a study and
wonder to all who see him. He smiled around
at the reporters and officials, nodded to some,
looking straight out OF his piercing black
eyes without a particle Of timidity. The
handouts being removed, he quietly took off
his kid gloves, crossed his legs, tipped back
his chair and waited for the proceedings TO
begin
He Seemed in Good spirits.
About half a dozen witnesses were sworn.
Most Of the evidence was resume Of tn at
taken at the coroner's inquest IL came
from trainmen who knew Birchell and
Bonwell on that fatal trip to Princeton on
the morning Of Feb. H. Coming back after
poor Benwell had been left weltering in his
blood in the lonely Blenheim swamp, Bir-
all /. .
paper agent, cigars, oranges, and one OF
Mark Twains books; had Duffy sit down
and smoke one Of the cigars, and offered
him a drink out Of his pocket flask. Bir-
chell seemed in the best Of spirits. New
evidence was introduced when George Phe-
mister, manager at Niagara Falls OF the
Great Northwestern Telegraph company,
was sworn. lie produced three telegrams.
One was sent from Niagara Falls, Ont, at
7.44 p. M, Feb II. II was addressed to
Pelley Stafford house, Buffalo, and read;
"Arrive Buffalo o'clock must remain
there tonight Signed Bastell. Phemis-
ter could not describe the sender. He could
not say il was Birchell.
In this telegram it Is supposed Birchell's
name was misspelled by the operator. An
other theory is that he misspelled It know
4 Auki1s AcAitl AQih Ahr Anttcu AIEea ItDlfb-
er that he had never known Birehell to
call himself .Bastelln Pelley was called
and swore he did not recognize the hand
writing as that Of Birchell Another tele-
gram was from New York, dated March /,
and was evidently from Pelley, though il
had no signature "Benwell not here, p wal
all il said.
Birchell Had Nothing 20 Say.
That closed the testimony. Magistrate
Hin asked Birchell II be had anything e
say. He whispered with his lawyer a mo.
ment, then said Ia a matter OF fact way:
''No have nothing to say The next mo
ment he added with some emphasis: "Ai
this particular moment His GOODNESS was
astonishing Magistrate Hill then held
Birchell for trial The prisoner slipped hil
kid gloves on his dainty hands, his body.
guard slipped the handouts over them and
led him out through the crowd, the most
unconcerned appearing man in all that
throng.
A Sensation In Court.
A sensation was created during the after
noon when it was learned that James A.
Macdonald, Of Toronto, nephew Of Sir John
Macdonald, and one of the most noted Grim.
inal lawyers Of Canada, was present ID
behalf OF BirehelL To a reporter be said
I ne nhu uDb feA Ndhcu 10iu o. Tue case, uul
had been sent for by Birchell, and would il
all probability be retained.
Sympathy for the Wife.
Lawyer Ives, of London, Ont, Isidore r.
Hellmuths law partner, conducted the case
for the defense Mrs. Birchell, looking
pale and weak, was brought into court at
o'clock, leaning on the arm Of Chief Young
Much sympathy was manifested for her b.
the spectators. Magistrate Hill said his in
formation nov was that she was accessory
60 the crime Ia Niagara county, and that al
evidence against her should be heard here
Neither side had any further svidencs II
her case. Lawyer Ives claimed she was en-.
titled to instant discharge Magistrate Hill
was net sure OF his authority in the prem
ises, and remanded her for eight days
with the understanding that she should b.
brought up at any time in the interim nns
her case disposed or
The spectators cheered, relieved that shl
was not to be taken at once to jail De
tective Murray had a coroner's warran
from Oxford county In his pocket and wonl,
have immediately arrested her if she hA,
been liberated