St. Paul daily globe., 1892-03-30
THRILLING TALE TOLD.
The Defendant in the Davis
TIurder Case Justifies
the Deed.
She. Shot to Defend Her
Honor, as the Law Will
Allow Her.
Domestic Relations Of the
Negro Shown Up in Bad
Light.
Contradictory Testimony
Touching the Anterior
a. TEN Talk.


/
Touching the Anterior
ss TEN Talk.
VS.
d The jam of people that filled the court
room and gallery to hear the Kate Da-
Wis murder trial yesterday, indicates.
somewhat, the interest taken in its
progress. The testimony for the state
concluded during the afternoon and the
defense made considerable progress in
presenting that side of the homicide.
The defendant has sat quietly in all un-
conspicuous position for the past days
of the trial. Today her face seemed
flushed from excitement. She has dis
played no emotion during the trial, not
even while w. w. Erwin was opening
the case to the jury in one OF his mas
terly addresses. Her demeanor on the
witness stand made a very favorable
impression on all who heard her. and
every one was impressed with the
truthfulneSS of her story, told as it was
in candid and unostentious manner.
At the opening OF court yesterday
morning Judge Kelly decided that the
county attorney OH the Saturday before
his death should not be admitted in evil
dence because not made in expectation
of an early demise. Coroner Quinn was
called and testified as to the post-lnortem
examination. In his opinion the imme-
diate cause Of death was hemerrhage;
the blood came from the iugular vein.
Sergeants Pottgeiser and Sullivan tes-
tifed to the defendant telling them that
she shot the negro.
WE. Kennedy examined the revolver
and pronounced it All old pattern. The
bullet taken from Backstone's neck, he
testified, is similar to the one found in
the revolver and would fit the empty
shell.
The Negroes Home.
Louise Thomas testified that she had
lived with Blackstone as his wife, but
was not married to him. Sam, as she
called him, was brought to the house
the day of the shooting, in Jim
LipdSay's express wagon. He was sit
ting on The seat wien the wagon drove
up and got down unaSSisted and walked
up stairs. The main part or her teSti
mony was directed to the purpose of
showing that Blackstone had told her
how the shooting occurred. A long eX-
animation as to his expectancy of dying
and his condition was gone through by
counsel OIL both sides. She had talked
with Sani especially the Sunday before
his death. She wanted him to SEND for
Father Heffron, but he SAID If he had
gone TO the hospital at first lie would
have sent for priest, Uut he was un-
willing to have him come to his home,
because of his illegitimate relations
with the witness. On tnat day he called
her out of the kitchen and told her that
he could see the image of his friend,
Charlie Watkin; in figure made by
the moisture OH the window. She
thought from this incident that he was
Highly. Her testimony as to tile time of
day OF the conversation and other points
were fatty contradictory. The defense
objected TO her quoting the negro as
to- tue manner OF the shooting, but
she was allowed to say that he told her
that be went to the house to see Mlesen,
and that after some words with Mrs.
Davis, she shot him and he fell down
stairs. Her testimony was contradicted
by statement made by her to DR..
Frank Powell and taken down III
Short hand by W.. A Schumaeer.
stenographer for Erwin and yelling
ton. lt.was also refuted by the testi-
m0ny Of j. F. Lorister, the young man
Scub Dy III L OWcli W uuIoG til6 ticSIO,
| and who is now attached to Thiel's de-
tective agency. This witness. in testi-
| flying for the defense, said that Black
stone appeared to be getting aiong we'll
| until the morning of his death, and that
| ne did not expect to die even few
| minutes before his death. He was sure
| the man had not told Louise that he ex-
pectel to die, as he had been in attend
ance at the time Of the alleged conYer-
! Sati0n.
Hlr Erwin Opens.
| In his opening TO the jury Mr. Erwin
| took the ground that the law not only
| punisheS but 1t protects people in their
| rights. He opened that this trial had
been one of pursuit for an 9ffenSe, as it
| did not amount to charge by the grand
| jury of crime having been committed.
| The defendant as we'll as the state ap-
| peared before the Jury for a vindication.
| She was charged with murder. She
/ claimed the right to do as she had done,
| because the law gave her the right to
| defend herself The negro was below
| the ordinary run OF men in the eilarac-
| ter of labor at which he was employed,
| but was bald. depraved man. He had
| just emerged from fight with fellow
| porter, ami went in drunken condition
to outrage the defendant. His client
was spoken of as not being of noble
birth, Or of the humble station of hon
ored wom&nhood. neither was she
clothed in the pure robe of nun.
James Murray. roomer at the Davis
house, testified that he heard the loud talk
preceding the shooting when in closet,
on the floor above. He heard Mrs.
Davis repeatedly order the negro away.
He heard him make two very vulgar re-
M rt-- t,l har i,1f tI, brt
was fired. The court would not permit
him. however, TO tell what she told the
witness thirty seconds after the shoot
ing.
Mrs Davis story
When Mr.. Wellington called Kate
Davis to the stand the immense audi
ence bent eagerly forward in their seats
and strained their eyes and ears with
expectancy. After being sworn she
took her seat on tine witness stand in
|. half-Scared way. In her testimony she
said that she resided with her huS-
/ band at 147 East Seventh street,
where they rented rooms to
tighten expenses. They rented to
I Miesen, Murray and Bowman. She
opened the door when the bell rang on
| the morning of the shooting. and found
+ the negro there. She had never seen
iiitu IlC dShCu lOI hlSoCH. kOiiE
saw re was drunk at the time. She
/ told him that he could not come in:
/ that she would deliver to Miesen the
message to come over and open the Sa.
i loon. She then shut the door and went
L up stairs. When she got near the top
( she heard the bell ring again. and,
going down, found him still there. He
|. insisted on seeing NieSen. She then
I told him that he WAS not in. She had
been told by Mlesen not to call him
until noon. and she did not want to have
him disturbed. She ordered the negro
away, and he made the two insulting
and vulgar remarks referred to. She
told him she would cali police
man if he did not go away. She be-
came frightened at his demeanor, and,
going up stairs and to the back door,
called to Peter Rose TO go and bring an
officer. She went back to the head of
the stairs, which was just in front of
her bed-repEi door. and found the negro
leaning against the baluslrade. She