Morris tribune., 1890-09-03
The Horton Case.

/ SoAohSA A1A ohO S0oO VI
the drowning of Ella III. Horton, be-
tween st. Paul and South st. Paul, on
the evening of August 14th, closed
their labors on Thursday of last week,
! The following is the verdict.
We, the jury, find that the said
Ella III. Horton came to her death by
drowning in the Mississippi river
between st. Paul and South st. Paul
about between and IL o'clock on
Thursday evening, August IA, A. D..
| 1890.
The circumstances connected with
the drowning, according to the evil
dence presented to this jury, point
strongly to foul play, and we recon-
mend further investigation and ex-
animation by the courts.
The further proceedings in this
unfortunate case are given in the ST..
Paul News of last Friday evening,
which we give below:
When Clerk Ahern called Horizons
name this morning the prisoner
walked out of the prisoners room
and up to the bar of the court.
"Come here, Mr.. Horton" said
Lawyer w. w. Erwin. 'May it
please your honor, appear for the
defendant. Mr.. Horton, you are
charged by this complaint, which l
have here, of numbering your wife.
| You plead not guilty."
"Yes, sir" replied Horton.
''At the request of the County At
torney, who will require some time to
get his witnesses here, we have de-
cided, your honor, to have the case
continued until next Thursday"
spoke Mr.. Erwin.
''The case will be continued until
next Thursday afternoon at
o'clock replied his honor, and the
large number of spectators who had
come to the court room with the
hopes of hearing the preliminary
testimony, commenced dispensing.
The complaint was drawn byCounty
Attorney Egan, and is sworn to and
signed by NJ. Hanley, the policeman
who placed Horton under arrest.
| THE COMPLAINT.
IN. Hanley, being duly sworn,
makes complaint to the above named
court, and says that on the 14th day
| of August, A. D. 1890, in the county
of Ramsey, and state of Minnesota,
one Walter F. Horton then and there
being, did wrongfully, unlawfully and
feloniously, swithout the authority of
law, with malice aforethought and
with a premeditated design to effect
the death of Ella III. Horton, a human
being, killed said Ella III. Horton, by
then and there drowning her, the said
Ella II. Horton, contrary to the
statute such case made and provided,
and against the peace and dignity of
the state of Minnesota. Wherefore
complainant prays that said offender
may be arrested and dealt with &C
cording to law"
| Horton was Immediately taken back
to the county Jail, after the waving
of the reading of the complaint. His
head was bowed down, and only once
did he raise it-that once when
Lawyer Erwin called him to his side.
He trembled for moment, but for a
moment only-the necessity of firm
ness which seemed to have disap-
peared from his mind for that mo-
ment, coming back of a sudden, and
making him cooler and calmer than
ever before.
The Minneapolis Tribune of Satur.
day said: It is now rumored that
the child of Walter F. Horton was
not drowned at all, nor in fact in the
boat from which Ellen Horton was
thrown into the water. No sign OF
the body has yet been found, though
a close search has been made for it at
all points down the river. 1t is
thought quite possible that the child
is alive and in the keeping of some
accomplice of the man accused with
wife murder. Rode, or Six-Fingured
Jack, as he is familiarly known, who
now appears as the principal witness
against Horton, is connected with the
prisoner, by this rumor, as an &C.
complice.