The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-08-08
A Lawyers Cunning.

- Lawyer . OAIllllbIS
From the Seattle Press.
.Ifyou had lived in Calamus county
in the spring of 1881, you would
know all about the famous Jaeger
murder case. You would have at
tended, day after day, the trial which
resulted in the acquittal ofAlary Jae
ger, listening to each word OF testi-
mony, the mastery pleas otthe attor-
neys, the charge ofjudge to jury, and
would have joined in the general feel
ing ofsatifaction when the verdict was
announced. Two years before, Hen
ry Jaeger purchased the finest farm
iu the Grand Ronde valley, and had
settled down.t a honeymoon which
promised all the happiness that on
could wish. For a time all went we'll
but too soon the young wife realized
that her dream of marital felicity
was shattered, and she began to see
her husband in the light of his true
character. Visitors frequently found
her in tears. and ere their married
life had reached it's first year, Jae-
gers reputation was that of a disso-
lutte, depraved character, among his
offenses being the most brutal treat
ment of his fair young wife. Things
went from bad to worse, until after
repeated separations and reconcllia-
lions, jaeger wasfound one morning
dead in his bed. There was no evil
dence of robbery, no sign that the
house had been entered during the
night, nor had the sleep Of the serv-
ants been disturbed by any unusual
sound.
The coroner's jury promptly de-
cided that Jaeger had come to his
death from a wound inflicted by a
pistol in the hands of his wife, and
when Judge Brooke, the famous
criminal lawyer. arrived two days
later to take charge of the case, he
found what an attorney, next to an
adverse verdict, most dreads-popu-
lar feeling against his fair client and
an unanimous opinion that Mary
Jaeger was guilty of the murder of
her husband. The first interview
was held in the county Jail. After
greeting him cordially, Mary said:
"Judge, | rely entirely upon YOU.
Since my arrest, nota word concern
ing this matter has escaped my lips,
and | am now prepared to make a
full statement of all facts in thecase,
to you and you alone"
Mrs. jaeger, did you kill your
husbando?"
81 did"
estate the circumstances and the
motives that prompted you.
"As you know, my lille for months
had been a hell upon earth. The
evening before l shothim we had had
a fearful quarrel. He swore that he
would kill me as he would a dog, and
rushed down stairs for a rifle. [ had
barely time to secure my revolver
and secrete myself under his bed when
l heard him ascending the stairs,
cursing like a mailman in his awful
rage. He searched the house ior me,
and l was fully resolved to kill him
should he find me. At last he gave
up the attempt, and got into bed ut
teri1g threats that made my blood
run cold. We we're locked together
in that room. | realized that escape
was impossible, and that it vas his
life or mine. While he slept | placed
the revolver close to his head, pres
ing the bedclothes tightly down to
deaden the report. and fired the shot
that sent him from sleep into eter-
nifty"
''In my haste l threw it into the
kitchen fireplace. The next morning.
realizing that search would be made
for It. | removed the ashes. but was
watched SO closely that | could not
destroy the only evidence OF my
guilt"
"Yon may describe the spot where
the contents of the CRATE were de-
posted"
Mary did SO, and the Judge con-
tinued:
"Tell me who, besides yourself and
husband, were in the house OF the
night that he was killed"
"There was the hired girl, who had
been with US since our marriage, and
a boy OF seventeen. The hired man
slept in the burn"
"Desrri!,e this man as closely as
possible.
CHS name is Sam Burke. He is a
hard drinker, and has been drunk
ever since the news OF the-ever since
thatnight."
When the judgeleft his clienta plan
of action had already suggested itself