St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-22
The Kill Murder Trial Devel-
ops Startling Evidence Re-
speeding the Prisoner,
Who Is Shown to Have Been
Addicted 10 Shoekingly Dis
gusting Habits.
While His Every Action Was
Somewhat Like That Of a
Lunatic.
Yesterdays News Chronicled
in a Lively, Readable Style
for Busy Readers.

The trial of Nicholas Kill, for the
murder of Jacob Kohn, made consider
able progress yesterday. A number OF
the witnesses for the defense were eX-
amined with the especial object of
showing the pecularities of Kill and
his alteration Of mind.
August Kuelin'S examination was
resumed. He was permitted to state
that he had formed an opinion as to the
condition of Kills mind at a
time prior to the. homicide,
but was prevented from stating that
opinion. George Zelliox said Kill
worked for him, but he could not get
much service out of him, and he was
discharged. Mrs. KunZe spoke of see
ing him sitting on the hotbed windows,
but was not sure whether he was drunk
or lazy. James Ryan had seen him sit
ting partially naked by the roadside,
while Michael Carrie saw him gaze at
potato maSher for two hours
at a time. Mary W., Gamer
stated he would come to her stall
at the market house and talk by the
hour. He acted Funny" and she
thought he had been drinking but could
not smell liquor on his breath. Louis
bourden, who employed him on his
farm, said he went with % cents to get
bucket of beer, but returned with
only 10 cents worth in the bucket.
BOurden had heard OF him stealing from
others, Supt. John Fitzgerald, of
the workhouse, said Kill had been
sent there tour times for vagraDcy
and drunkenness. The last time
be was there he stole pair OF socks
and hid them in the grass. Frank
Quolia, chef at the Merchants, said
that John and Peter Kill, brothers of
Nicholas, had worked under him for
years. They were deficient in memory,
ami acted peculiarly in some things.
The prisoner came to the hotel ONE day
to see his brother and acted strangely.
lie was there several times during the
day, and he lent Peter Kill $40
to go with Nicholas to buy
him. some clothes, but Peter came
back and returned the money to Loulia,
stating that Nicholas did not want
clothes, but wanted the money. When
Nicholas was about the hotel that day
he would walk back and forth
With His Head Down,
rs if looking for something.
Attorney Schrieber offered to intro
duce the records of the district court to
show that Kill had been adjudged in
sane.
After argument, the court decli ned to
admit the record i'll evidence, for the
present.
Nj. f. Propping was one of Kill's at
tOrneyS at the time of his being ad-
Judged insane, and testified to his eX-
perience with Kill in attempting TO ill
tnr in i0iI f.Atr -,
the homicide. He got no ideas from
him. His conversation was incoherent
and contradictory. He then admitted
knowing Jacob Kohn, but refused to
say anything in answer to-questionS as
to where he was on the night of the
homicide. When questioned as to in
sanity in the family he stated that his
mother was subject, to epiIeptie fits.
When it was suggested that his defense
be insanity he said nothing. about it.
MIR. Propping said, Judging from his APP
pearance, he thought insanity the best
defense. r.f r." .s@"
Peter Kill, brother of the prisoner.
when put on the stand appeared dull,
and evidently is not a bright man. He
said Nicholas has farm in Germany.
Frank Jansen. who was a deputy
turnkey at the Jail in December. 1887,
said he noticed the actions of Kill, and
that they were peculiar. When he first
saw him he thought he was sensible.
He then answered questions as
to his birth place in. sensible
manner. A few days afterwards
he could not get decent answer out of
him. He acted strangely at times. He
made paper cap. put it on his head,
and would march up and down the cor
ridor as if drilling. He was made a
fool of by the other prisoners. He
would dirty his clothes daily in an UNI
mentionable manner, He stole things
from other prisoners. He called nearly
turnkey at the jail, saw Kill marching
up and down the Jail corridor with a
paper hat on, and picking up pieces of
paper. he gave all account of prisoner
trying to
Kill Fellow Prisoner.
breaking his arm and otherwise beating
MIN. lie tore blankets up and broke
| the stool in his cell. He also spoke of
| was night Waterman before Kill was
taken to the asylum, said he seemed to
| be out of his mind. He detailed his at
tempt to hang himself in his cell with a
| piece OF blanket which he had twisted
| into rope. Deputy Sheriff G. A. Dana
| and Deputy Sheriff John Keichow gave
| cor rObOrated evidence.
| DR.. Jacob E. Bowers, of Duluth, who
was superintendent of the Rochester
asylum for ten years, and assistant
| physician in the st. Peter asylum foI
like period, spoke of Kills conduct
while in the Rochester asylum. He
| said he was telegraphed for to come to
st. Paul in January, 1883. He consulted
| with DR.. Ancker and others in an ex-
| animation of Kill at that time in the
Ramsey county jail. There was nc
| definite conclusion arrived at then as to
| his insanity. AT the time of the trial of
Kill i'll February, 1888, he expressed the
opinion that he was insane. He saw
him daily in the Rochester asylum uu
| to the same time in June, 1889, and be.
lieved him to be suffering with acute in.
sanity during that time. Kill was taken
to the asylum Feb. Is, 1883. He was al
| first placed in the wards allotted to the
more malignant cases of insanity. but
afterwards removed into the ward where
the less violent cases were confined be.
tween June and October. 1889. In 1885
| he regarded the case as chronic. He was
worse at some times than others.
| Upon cross-eXamlnation Dr. Bowers
somewhat modified his testimony in
chief upon some points.
The court adjourned, pending the
cross-eXamination of DIR. Bowers.
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