St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-24
TRIED TO HUSH IT UP.
Testimony in the Abduction Case
Damaging TO the Defense

Testimony in the Abduction Case
Damaging TO the Defense.
All of yesterday was taken in hearing
the alleged abduction case of Grace
May Ellis, with but little progress be-
ing made. The child was subjected to
a lengthy cross-eXaminatIon without
developing much that was new, except
that all effort had been made by the de-
PENDANTS to hush the matter up before
an Indictment was found. 1t appeared
from the testimony of the child and her
mother and her Stepfather that Sergeant
Kirkhana, of the Minneapolis police
force, i'll company with Ida Shenk, wat
son and DemarS, went to the home of
the little girl in Minneapolis on the Sun
day before the grand jury acted on the
case, and tried to induce the parents
and the child not to appear against the
defendants.
The cross-eXamination of tie girl
lasted until afternoon, and the whole
matter was gone over again. The child
denied that she had told Sergeant Kirk
ham that the men did her no harm.
An effort was made TO show that the
girl lived in immoral surroundings. but
Judge Otis decided that such defense
could not be set up, as the offenSe is one
be admitted in law because Of her ten
der years, and that therefore her sur
roundings or bringing up would not be
defense. The. child became very weary
under the tedious crOsS-examination,
and the court asked counsel for tie de-
tense to hasten his examination.
E. f. Walther, of The Carlyle hotel,
testified that OH the night of the alleged
assault William Reynolds and wife"
were registered at his hotel, but that
the other members of the party were
not registered. The night clerk who
was OH duty at the time is cut of the
city, having gone away some time
since.
Mrs. Ella Sheehan, the mother of
Grace May Ellis. was called 20 the stand
and testified to the child going away on
the night in question with Ida Shenk
She also stated that Sergeant Kirkham,
In company with the defendants, went
to her home and made an effort 10 have
the prosecution dropped. Watson rep.
resented that he is married
man and had lost a good posi-
ton by the publicity given to
the arrest in the first instance and, hav-
ing secured second position, did not
want to lose it by further prosecution
and publicity. Sergeant Kirkharn had
offered to take the child TO an aunt of
his until after the grand jury adjourned,
and asked the parents not to appear be-
fore the grand Jury in st. Paul. If this
course were agreed upon deposit of
$50 would be left at the Metropolitan
drug store i'll Minneapolis to be drawn
by the parents in case the matter were
dropped. The proposition to raise the
amount to s100, as well as the first prop
osition, were both rejected. The parents
were then asked to make it as light as
possible on Watson and DemarS and to
lay the blame on Ida Shenk on the
promise of $50. This suggestion was
also rejected.
In his cross-eXamination. Attorney
McGhee sought to show that the mother
was woman of bad reputation, but the
court only permitted it to a certain ex-
tent. Mrs. Sheehan admitted that she
had been arrested in company with an
other man and woman in her own home
upon charge of disoiJierly conduct,
but added that it was caused by her d.
yorced husband through spite. The
latter statement was stricken out. She
also admitted that she, in company with
two other women and three men, were
arrested i'll restaurant On charge of
dIsorderly conduct.
The renewed efforts of the defense to
show the bad character OF the woman
and child were checked by the court
who ruled that it was not legal de-
Tense in such case, but stated he would
permit evidence 10 lay the foundation
to impeach the testimony of the child or
its mother as in ordinary cases. Jerry
Sheenan. the step-father, testified to
the efforts made TO hush the matter up.
His testimony corroborated that OF his
wife.
Mrs. Fannie Ostrander. of 80 Earring
ton avenue. testified to the childs going
to her house after the memorable Sun
day night and 10 accompanying her to
her home in Minneapolis Thursday.
She is the aunt of the child. The TAX
ing OF testimony will be resumed this
morning.