The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-04-13
C. W. Hatch not Guilty,

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo, April 49,
Last nights session of the Hatch trial did
not conclude until nearly midnight Dur.
Ing the early part of the evening several
witnesses were called who testified to hay.
ing seen c. w. Hatch at Flagfer on the 9th
OF April, and that the deceased had told
them his nephew often sent him money
with which to prove up on his claim.
DR.. w. L. Stricken was the most i'm.
portant witness called. He said: II am q
physician of Colorado Springs. 1 have had
an active practice for twenty-six years.
was medical official during war | heard
DIR. Godsman give his testimony. listened
carefully to his description of the body of
the deceased and of the autopsy. Taking
into consideration the condition of the
body and the results attending the
autopsy, 1 should have insufficient
data for giving any positive opinion
but so far as the data go l should say they
point to apoplexy as the most probable
cause of death. 1t would certainly be
something extraordinary if death ensued
from injuries Of SO trivial character. The
scalp wound was apparently a mere
scratch As to the bruise 1t was an ex-
ceedingly insignificant wound There is
no evidence that the bruise extended to the
skull, hence infer that the violence caus-
INK II was Of 4 most insfrniffcant char eI,te,.
ia person had a sudden attack of apo-
plexy and fell to the ground and blood
ooze1 from the ears after death, it would
be exceedingly difficult to state the cause
and it would be necessary to search fur
Their The shock of the fall might cause
blood to ooze from the ear, in case the
drum membrane is detective"
DIR. Stricken was not placed on tn
stand this morning but was allowed to
make a sew remarks about his course in
tue case.
c. W. Hatch, the defendant, took the
stand and testified: II am thirty-tWo
years old. l have been on very intimate
terms with my uncle, deceased. lived in
his family two years when boy. / have
helped him with money ever since 1916
Our relations were the most cordial L
have Travelled extensively. l went to
Denver last spring, arriving there
April 26. l visited the land office
to see about taking up some land. Invent
from there to F'lagler. The train stopped
at the water tank and l got off there and
went to the hotel | met Mcdonald, the
proprietor and asked him where could get
a buggy and team to drive to my uncle's.
He referred me to keegan. We drove per
haps two and a half miles out from Flag
Ter, and at point nearest the cabin from
the road l got out, and he pointed out,
the direction for me to take to reach the
CABIN. went directly TO my uncle's
house and from the door / saw him
sitting at the table. / spoke first. / don't
know just what greeting took place. We
talked mainly about financial affairs the
entire evening. When / started back for
f1agler he accompanied me perhaps half
the way. gave him $50 to purchase cow
which he had bought on time. / saw
heegan at the depot and had a general
conversation with him. He did not refer
10 my uncle at that time. l bought ticket
to Seibert u O'clock, noon, Sunday, and
went To Denver, the evening of the same day
and from there TO Chicago Monday. From
Chicago / went to Birmingham. Mich
Whiic there / received telegram from nv
cousin dated Goshen, Ind. which stated
that NY uncle had been found dead on his
claim. The sheriff of Oakland county.
Mich. called and said that he had been au
thorlzec by wire to arrest ME for murder.
HAD no idea what the charge was After
L gathered my composure / decided to re-
turn here by the first train. | brought the
sheriff of Oakland county, Mich, with me.
My father is dead. He died in 1873. with
out commits warning, while shaving
himself. The day before he died he was
feeling exceedingly well.''
AT this point Lawyer Thomas, for the
defense, made motion that the Judge in
struct the jury to bring in a verdict Of not
guilty, because Of the fact that the prose-
cutlon had Jailed to produce the slightest
testimony going to prove that murder
had been committed, saying that if the case
was left to the jury and a verdict rendered
OF guilty IN one degree or another, that it
would be the duty of the court to set aside
tEs verdict.
District Attrrney Garrison followed Mr..
Thomas for the prosecution, calling the
attention of the court to certain laws gov
erning Such cases. The jury, which had
been sent oat were ordered 10 come into
the court room and the judge ordered the
Jury 10 bring in verdict OF not guilty.
The jury then retired and in a short time
brought back verdict as instructed.