The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-09
THE ALEXANDER CASE.
The Defendant Bound over the District
Court Under 81. 600 Bond.

The preliminary hearing in the case of
the state vs. Alexander was up for hearing
in Justice Jones court yesterday, and the
defendant was bound over until tie next
term OF the district court in the penal sum
of 81 900. The case was uuquestlonaDiy
the most interesting event or the kind
that occurred this year, and fully 20 per-
sons were present and each one OF them
kept his neck craned over his neigh
bors shoulder for four long hours
for fear of losing a single obserVa-
ton, question or answer made during
the trial The defendant was In the
court at 2 o'clock promptly and occupied
a seat in the extreme northeast corner OF
the room, seemingly the most unconcern-
ed man in the vast multitude OF peo-
pie present. He kept stroking his nous
tache eternally and stood the gaze of go
pair of critical and unfriendly eyes with
out any apparent embarrassment. When
the prosecuting witness and alleged VIC
tim came into court, supported by her
father, every man present stretched his
neck TWO inches, apparently, to get peep
at her, and then the eyes were transferred
to Alexander, and then followed buzzlng
of whispers.
When the prosecuting witness, Miss
Minnie Reynolds, arrived within the rail-
ing of the court and was pointed towards
chair, she virtually fell lifelessly into
it and looked exactly like girl that mad
been rescued from desperate runaway
or railroad wreck where a great degree
of fright bad worked on her nervous sys-
tenn Everybody expected to see her faint
but she did not. Her head fell over on her
shoulder and it is doubtful whether she
was conscious at times 1t was hearI
renfing sight to see her and more heart
rending still contemplate the nature and
character and circumstances OF her down
fail, for downfall it unquestionably IS.
! She is a child in appearance and
had the appearance of typical school
girl. Her age is 10 but she did not look a
day older than Is, Notwithstanding the
great load of sorrow and shame and re-
morse that seemed to have crushed her
tender heart Notwithstanding the
vacant stare in her eyes and her blanched
cheek and the complete absence OF that
vivacIty that characterizes school girls,
| she still looked extremely handsome, ana
many manly heart heaved sigh which
got out of the tongues way long enough TO
4 enable it to say with a sorrowful accent,
| .'poor girl" Her father was permitted to
/ sit near her, but upon the motion OF the
! attorney for the defense the mother was
/ not allowed to remain in the court room.
| County Attorney Morris opened
/ the prosecution, and he was Wis
/ ihly affected. IL was hard mat
ter to get any ans wers from the
unfortunate girl touching the crime, sit
TIM. as she was in the midst OF 30 men
without a single member OF her own sex
/ in sight. The county attorney, after ask
ing her question, would have to wait
sometimes ten minutes before she would
omen her lips, and then she would invarla
bly look up with "a vacant stare, ike one
awakening from the arms of Morpheus,
and ask him to repeat it. He would re
neat it in the most suitable form
| and as she answered each question
A heavy CRYSTAL tear would run down heI
check and be either absorbed by her vel
or caught in her lap No superfiuous ques
I lions were asked, as Mr.. Morris was eVi
IDENTITY anxious TO be over with the IN
| nleasant ordeal After her testimony had
fastened guilt on the defendant and the
dates and scenes of the crime were estab
lished, the prosecutor informed the at
tornevs for the defense that they could
cross examine her. Judge Wall took that
seemingly unpleasant task upon himself
ana he performed it as gently as possible
The testimony given by her or
cross examination was substantially
the same as that given IL
the direct examination. The examination
and cross examination Of the states wit
uesses consumed the balaUce of the time
till 5 O'Clock. The defense introduced nc
witnesses. When the county attorney
closed the argument for the state it wa:
axactIy O'Clock. Justice Jones occupied
about ten minutes with his opinion which
was very clear and at its conclusion h'
said that in view Of the evidence he was
compelled to bind the deiendent over tt
the district court in the sum Of l,5@
which was afterwards cut down TO $1,000