The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-11-21
OGDEN.
The DILLON TRIAL

lnE DlhLVN Ih1AL
The Prisoner Tesdies in his own Defense
His Remarkable Record
The Dillon murder trial attracted as many
spectators yesterday as OF previous days
The examination OF the defendant, which
LISTED portion of the forenoon and all of
the afternoon, was watched with much in
terest Yesterdays evidence seemed much
more favorable 70 the defendant, proving
that he was subject to epileptic dts and in
sane spells. The prisoners testimony IN
ais own behalf wss of course the close of
the trial, and he did not in any csse contra
dict himself.
WILLIAM MOUNTAIN
was the frst witness called in the morning and
testified: Am not acquainted with a man by
the name OF Lyal. From Dillon'S appearance
and the looks OF his eyes took him to be crazy
on tbs morning OF the shooting o. Mitchell.
Cross eEGmiEatton-Dld not notice Dillon
very much when We were drinking the wine and
Mitchell refused TO drink and Dillon said to
him: GO ahead and drink" After the shoot
ms Dillon raised up from the maa ana looked
Up at ne-f0r g second and seemed wild in the
eyes, and then turned back leaning over
Mitchell Dillon 3id not exactly have the APP
peaTalCe Of a drunken man altogether He did
uoL lAho SlhSSSS on his eyes looked alto
Rether different then than they do now. I
looked N his face and dio not notice any wild or
unnatural expression. I can generally tel
whether man is drunk by the looks OF his eyes.
dld not pay much attention to Dillon when !
went into the saloon to see whether he was
drunk OF not. did not think he was drunk.
Judge Powers offered IN evidence Dnlons
honorable discharge from the regular army.
The prosecution objected to this as il had
nothing TO do with the case ana the character
or sanity OF the man at that time was not IL
question.
The court said it would do 20 harm to admit
The discharge.
JOSEPH BANTER,
city taller, was next called. Saw the defendant
on The morning of the Goth Of last January He
was asleep or / supposed he was, when I first
saw him. Later IN the day be knocked on the
wicket. he wanted d glass Of water and also
10 know what he was in for. I told him ne
ought 70 know as he had killed man IN the
Broom hotel, He asked Il Mitchell had any
family and told him he had. Dillon looked 10
ne as II he had been Oh a protracted drunk
Dillon told me II didn't make much difference
70 him. BE had had many ups and downs in
TINS world, and when he came 10 meet lis God
he would see thai M.tchells family would not
suffer.
JOHN W. METCALF,
chief Of police. was next called and testified
know Dillon; saw him on the day Mitchell as
killed; II was between and o'clock in the
afternoon ct the city jail. l asked him if he
was not. [ told him he had killed man by the
name Of George Mitchell. He said that 1t must
be mistake as he did not know the man at all
he was IN a stupor and didn't seem TO realize
his position.
JUDGE L. r. RHODES
testified: live in Ogden and am an ATTORNEY
al law. 1 formerly lived liz Denver have mel
number of people suffering from insanity
Met Dillon on the DAY OF the shooting Saw
him about clock IN the afternoon. A friend
OF his came TO me and wanted me TO go to the
JAN 70 see ABOUT preliminary hearing. l went
into the cell and ne seemed TO be in no condi.
lion TO converse with me. Finally he took no d
OF my arm and asked me If it was true Mitchell
was killed. He seemed greatly worr. ed
told him there was considerable feeling in the
town against him and thought he had better
have his nearing at once. He said he didu I
want any hearing, as the sooner he was dead
the better. formed an opinion that the ma.
was lunatiC at that time
he. BALL
was next sworn. 1 reside in Rawlins: am &C
uusrted with the defendant; have known hin
since prior TO his marriage and the TT Juble with
his wife and brother; was connected with hin
in the coal business; We were interested in the
mine together. After the trouble and the deatl
OF his brother Dan, Dillon did not come, ou-
there often. noticed he did not want &c CC
out as he comp! ain d Of seeing strange sight:
and visions ana OF seeing his brother Dan one
time We were down in the drift in the mine
when the lights went out. We were strikiuG
matches to see our way out and Dillon eT
claimed. Lets get out Of here; L can see Dar
and they are after him. Have seen shim al
times When he was absent-minded l came I,
the conclusion that Dillon was irrational a
times
JOHN MCMANIs
testified: live in Ogden; am a member Of the
city council and associate with Mr. Allison
saw Dillon the morning Of the shooting ot
Mitchell; he was in my place of business ABOUT
q M 6ri 1l-
Manitou mineral water. Noticed be acted rath 81
peculiar; / saw him about week before and h,
acted rather strange. He came up to the enc
OF the bar, where 1 was standing, with a hand
kerchlef over his eyes. He made the remark
that this was the only safe place he could find
1 asked him what was the matter with him anC
he said some one was trying 10 do him IN
took the handkerchief of his eyes and could
see nothing the matter with him. l asked hin
what he put it on for, and he said he didn
know.
The next witness was
NJ. W. DILLON, THE DEFENDANT.
am the defendant. I was born in Ireland
am not positive as to my age, but have hearC
my parents say / was born in 1881
Came to America when 1 was quite young
Ny parents returned TO Ireland when was
quite a boy, and they left me in Lawrence
Mass; they returned to this country in 1874
had come out west when they returned The,
came to Wyoming think in 1882. met then
at Fort Steele. Ihad not seen them from tn,
time they went to Ireland to 1886. left New
York to come west and enlisted in the army il
1915. Was in the army i've years. Was dis
charged on the 18TH day of February, 1881
Served in the ThoTnbcrg massacre, the Chey
enne massacre, was in the engagement ii
Tom S river on June g. 1915. Was in Custer,
Rosebud fight on the 18th OF June that wear ;
few days prior TO Clusters massacre. Was in tn,
freighting business and Quit that in the winter
OF 1885. Moved my parents from my ranch or
the Platte river TO Rawlins about q year before
l quit freighting- Rawlins has been my home
al =. 90,
Dld not know anything OF my mothers health
prior to that time as / mad not heard from them
at all. met my folks near Fort Steele wher
they returned from Ireland. | was shown Il
them by the conductor and when made mysel
known TO them my mother fell into It. L
the first time / ever saw her have one
usually remained in that condition from five q
ten minutes. We got OF the train at Fort Steele
My parents lived there on my ranch till re
moved them to Rawlins. often saw my mother
in fits there, and she was subject to them I'LL
she died. The fits would sometimes come close
together, aud sometimes they would come
farther apart. My father was continually with
her and had to watch her very closely
noticed q great change in my mother from the
time | last recollect seeing her when she re
turned from abroad After moved my father
and mother TO Rawlins, l was freighting.
slept in my wagon while on the road, but wher
IN town made my home with my father anC
mother. Cannot remember when my mother o.
father died. Think my father died in 1856 after
W db Win ElleI
Pagan about eight months before 1 married
her. The first 1T saw my mother have sht
gave scream, and in all succeeding ones she
did the same. was in the saloon bushes.
when I was married I was always temperate
and never smoked or used tobacco in any form
until / went into that business After my mar
rage my wife and L went TO housekeeping
/ always spent my evenings al home Wa.
very seldom out any time after 10 O'CLOCK
My relations were affectionate with my wife III
TO the time OF the trouble with her Ineve
suspected her 1aidelity at all / was on tn
prospecting trip about three weeks ago; GU
parting believe, was affectionate. discoy