The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-10-27
ON TRIAL FOR MURDER.
Christine jameson on the Stand in
Common Pleas Court. 4.
THE PROSECUTIONS OPENING.
The Jury Made Up with Unusual Prompt
ness-Testimony of Two Compatriots of
the Prisoner-The Case to be Concluded
Soon.

"Christine Jansen, alias Christine
Wilson, alias Jane Doe, what say you to
the charge in the Indictment, guilty or
not guilty."
1t was Clerk Webster of the Court of
Common Pleas who asked this question as
Christine Jansen stood at the bar Of the
Criminal Court this morning, after listen
ing TO the indictment charging her with
numbering her child, born on Aug. IL, and
with concealing its birth and death.
Not guilty. was the defendants an
swer to Clerk Webster's query. Then
Christine took her seat beside her coun-
sci, Ziba o. Slocum.
Justices Wilbur and Rogers were on the
bench, and Acknowledgement Burbank
was the prosecuting officer.
The defendant was the picture Of mis-
cry as she sat beside her counsel. At her
left hand sat her two little girls, who were
born In Sweden previous to her emigra-
tion TO this country six years ago.
The court room was crowded with in
terested spectators, witnesses and jury
men.
At 9;45 o'clock the calling of the jury
began. 1t was tedious job, each one
being required To answer the long list of
formal questions usual in selecting jury
for a trial Of this kind.
Only one man Of the number called was
excused He was Harvew w. Pepper of
this city. When the jury had been com
pleted il was made up as follows: George
+. Paddock of Providence, foreman; +.
Il. Hathaway, George w. Gladding. Fred
erick A. Horton ". B. Wall John III.
May, Providence Byron Angel, Martin
w. Thurber, North Providence; Thomas
w. Platt, Cranston; Edward w. Foster,
Robert +. Duffy, Martin ). Randall,
Johnston.
Judge Wilbur asked how long it would
take TO put in the evidence, and the coun-
sci for both sides expressed il as their
opinion that il would be concluded to-day.
The rest of the jury men were then eX-
cused until tomorrow morning.
Attorney General Burbank then stated
the case 10 the jury telling them that the
indictment included these counts or allega-
tions first the MURDER Of child, second
concealing its birth so that it would not be
known whether the child was born alive
or not, and third, concealing the death of
the child so that il would not be known
whether the child was murdered
he continued, that this defendant lived by
herself, being widow, not having lived
with her husband since coming TO this
country: she delivered herself of a male
child and failed TO take proper care of it,
she left il without clothing in "A vacant lot,
exposed to the inclement weather: that
she placed the child in a tin vessel, put
this in secluded spot and hid it under
some boards and stones.
Mrs. Celia jacobsen, countrywoman
of the defendant, was called first by the
State. She stated that while living in the
same house with defendant she had no
ticed that the prisoner was pregnant. Wit
ness saw Christine leave the house on
August H. and saw no more of her until 3
O'Clock that afternoon, when Mrs. Jansen
came back, looking pale and sick.
Witness suspected that something was
wrong, and the next day after the prisoner
had left the house witness and her mother
made Investigations which convinced
them that a crime had been committed.
Then with her mother and Hannah Mich
OILS of Newport she went out into the field
and found the tin vessel covered with
board and stones near the PawtuXet river,
and in il was dead child. They notified
the authorities of the discovery.
The cross examination developed nothing
new.
Hannah Nichols of Newport corrobo-
rated this testimony.
On cross-examination witness said il
was a warm, pleasant day, the place near
the river where she had seen Mrs. Jansen
20 was about eight minutes walk from the
house. Had known prisoner about three
years never saw her before she came To
this conntry.
Mrs. Carrie Jansen, mother of Mrs.
Jacobsen, but no relation To the prisoner
of the same name was next called. She
substantiated the story told by the two
A.