St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-13
BY Which the State Would
Convict Horton Of a Hor-
Pible Crime.
How Accused Rented Rooms
in Different Parts of
the City.
And the Terrible Accusation
He Brought Against His
Wife's Fidelity.
Letters and kilograms Which
Brought the I'm. ortunate
Woman to st. Paul.

Link by link the chain of circumstan-
tial evidence by which tine state is seek
| Ing to convict Walter f. Horton of the
murder of his wife is being placed be-
fore the twelve good-natured loo king
fellows who have spent five hours each
day this week in Court Room No. l of
the court house building. There is
little more evidence that the state can
offer; but as yet 1.-The woman in the
case" Miss Van VIE, has not appeared.
1t has been bruited abroad that the lady
has been subp9naed, and of this there
is no doubt. The subpoena was issued
Thursday. Miss Van Vie was in the
CITY that day, but as yet the state has
shown no disposition to call her. The
anticipation of seeing 'heI upon the wit
ness stand is attracting an extraordi-
narily large number of ladies'; their pres
ence was particularly noticeable yes
terday afternoon, when the court room
was crowded to overlooking with
spectators. To the casual freQuenter
the trial must be very embarrassing;
but to those who have followed it from
the outset the unfolding of the states
evidence, step by step, is of absorbing
interest. The much-diScuSsed question
is: "HOw Bill Erwin Will make
his defense" Everybody is in igno-
rance, and the want of information on
the point is tantalizing in the extreme.
MIR. Erwin appears confident, and no
effort will be wanting to prove the inno-
cence OF Horton. The face of the latter
is getting more bilious-looking every
day; the strain upon him must be IN
tense. His long confinement has much
to do with his haggard appearance, as
he is reported to have been somewhat
of an athlete and one of his chief amuse-
ments that of attending the gymnasium.
The marrow of the days proceedings
reads:
Where Is the ChlIds
Patrick Moriarity once more figured
on the stand at the opening of court.
He was recalled to corroborate the tes-
timony of Sullivan and Layde regard
ing the tests with The boats. These
tests went to show thatit was extremely
difficult to Overturn the boat in water.
Again Sergeant Sullivan faced the
ing for the body of the child from the
point where the drowning took place to
South st. Paul. This was three or four
days after the drowning. Cross exam
ined by Mr.. Erwin:
How did you search?'
along the banks, in and around the sand
bar"
He knew that the bottom of the river
was covered with bars. and any one of
Inf Il h<NlI In,
body of the child. He simply looked
around the surface of the water.
Joseph Gehan, an engineer on the
river, examined the river banks the
past ten days from South st. Paul
to Prescott aud discovered 10 traces of
the child. He admitted, in cross-eXam-
ination, that the Still water along the
river was covered with ice. He did not
Investigate the river: merely the banks.
Horizons Lake Trip.
Miss KEGS. of East Thirteenth street,
was now called for, but was not on
hand. A deputy sheriff was dispatched
for her, and short recess taken. Miss
KEGS eventually arrived, and had been
recalled to testify to prisoner leaving
his room Aug. IL, saying that he was
going to the lakes for a week
for recreation. He, however. arranged
to keep his room. paying a week in adj
vance. Horton left the house Monday
evening, Aug. IL. He returned Wed
nesday evening. the 18Th, and said he
wanted to get change of clothing.
The drowning took place on the even
ing of the 18th. He was at their house
the morning of the 18th. He came
shortly after 6 o'clock, and told about
the drowning OF his wife and child. He
| never previously told her that he was a
married man. Witness continued:
Il asked him if he was at the lake. and he
| said; On the river at South St Paul He
| He also said that, having released himself
| from his wife's hold, the night was SO dark
he could not see the woman and child. lie
remained at the house until about O'Clock.
! AS he went out he said: i will be back to my
| room 10 night"
Mr.. Erwin subjected the witness to a
! lengthy cross-eXamination. She offered
| him breakfast. but he told her he'did not
| feel like it," He did not remove his
| clothing or his trunk: that is. beyond
| what he put in a small satcllel which he
| took away Monday evening. When
Horton spoke of going to the lakes, he
| said that he would be at his work every
day.
! Had Bad Luck.
! G. A. KEGS followed his sister on the
stand, and generally bore out her testi-
mony. He first saw Horton when he
| appeared at their house. Horton at once
went to his room, and, after being there
| about three-quarters Of an hour, re-
| turned and said:
81 had Dad luck last night. NY wife and
| child were drowned
Witness said that was terrible. and
| added: II did not know yon had a
! Wife" Horton replied:
| '''Yes; we were boat riding on the river at
| Sauth st. Panl,' and proceeded to tell his
] story of the drowning
| How did he aet!''
He looked and spoke as if he was excited
| and sorrowfuf."
The noon adjournment was here
taken.
| His Week at tl,e Lakes.
Otto Branch. a fellow-boarder with
| Horton at KEGS. was called at the
opening of the afternoon sitting. He
overheard the conversation between
Horton and the KEGS regarding his
going away for we k for his health.
Witness said to Horton:
hope you will have good time at the
lakes. and he replied: Thank you.'
He saw Horton on Broadway the
Wednesday evening before the murder.
and he had small satchel in his hand.
John Kuske, another border at KEGS.
gave similar testimony as to converse.
ton.
Bazille Landroche, of Isl Eaton ave
nue.. West side, had to be conducted to
the witness by the deputy sheriff. He
is an elderly French-Canadian. and to-
tally blind. Horton visited him Aug.
s5 and engaged furnished room foI
himself, wife and child. He asked
Horton:
How long do you want the rooms'' and
he replied. well. about week or sou
He paid for week in advance, but
did not arrange tor board. He came
with his wife and child Aug. IL. Hor
ton had no meals with them, but his
wife and child had their meals. His
wife asked them. Horton came to hin
on the evening of Aug. ii and said hi
was going to take his family boat ride
As he would not return until 9:3(
O'Clock, he asked for and obtained {
night key.
did YOU see Horton next norpinos,,