Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-28

reDortsd ~ the health department.
police headquarters aud coroner .
oitics That have MT her-totore De en-
noted Is 10 probable that yestsrdx y .
ll-t of fatalities will b more than
tripled before the fatal WORK of the
heat mas ceased tonight
sixteen fatal sunstroxes had been re-
ported st noon today and there we're
twenty-six prostrstlons IN addition.
ALICE ON THE STAND.
The Slayer of Fredz Ward Tells of the
Killing.
MEMPHIS, July 25.-Ths last act OF
the Alice Mitchell case has been
reached. There was thrIliing scene
IA the criminal court this morning
wnen the tar aud frsil looking muir
dersss OF Freda Ward sat on the Wit
love. her nate, jealousy, and her awful
criaie. Before Mlss Mitchell Was
placed on the witness stand there wssx =
scene, which. owing to the excltable
temperament OF all the parties con-
eerned, esusing some uueasiuess. Ii
aruse over . dispute between the law
yers for the defence and the prosecu.
ton relative To the right Of the state 10
place Alice Mitchell on the witness
stand.
Mrs. volkman. Freds Wards sister,
testified, aud Ashley Rossei had told
how ne made love 10 both Freda and
Alice, when General Peters announced
tnat he desired TO have Misc
Mitchell placed on the stand.
-.
whether the state had . right or not.
but he was going 70 ask that Alice
Mitchell be put on tie stand aud pre-
sentec 10 the jury for inspection and
examination. General Wright objected
TO her being crossexAm.ned, and in
sisted tnat this Was not chancery in-
quest OF lunacy, but a case where
the attorneys made the plea and
for the reasons that Alice Mitchell was
not capable OF conducting her own de-
tense and consequently could not tes-
tlfy. The state insisted and Mr.. FItz-
gerald made some remark which
brought General Wright to his feet
with an eloquent plea tor his client
that almost conquered the curious
desire OF the man to see her
make spectacle OF herself.
He pleaded for the sake of
her sex and Tor the sake Of her family
that she be not placed on the stand.
The dispute waxed hotter until Judge
Dubolse ordered William Fitzgerald 20
take his seat. He then stated
that there was no precedent that
covered this case and he proposed
To establish rule. He ordered Alice
Mitchell tC be placed on the stand. but
she MAS there for inspection and not ~
q witness. For this reason ne held
there Was no necessity for swearing
her. Miss Mitchell took the stand
and there was u surge forward by
the eager audience to get within ear
shot of her: tho deputies, however.
quickly drove them back. There was
q slight pause a. Alice Mitchell looked
directly at the jury, every man OF which
was gaming 1T her most scrutinlzingly.
The attorney general gained his
p0nr, Appeared embarrased and for an
instant . murmur Of pity was heard.
Ii was interrupted, however. by the
court sharply ordering General Peteri
10 proceed TO examine her. To the
questions propounded by General Peters
she made the following replies:
''iow long have you known Freda
WardY'
Ever nnce can remember"
"Were you friends?'
I'VE we're always friends"
'.How many times did you visit Gold
Duaf. TennY'
Twice; once by myself and on the
las visit Lille Johpson accompanied
me-"
'Did you know of any ono who Was
| in love with Freda Ward?'
81 thought Will Berham and Ashley
Rossel were."
Did you not want Asnley Rossel to
marry her?"
al did not want her to marry any
young man."
"Why T'
Because I wanted her for myself" !"
Hero the witness began to sob. The
attorney general paused; her father
and brother bent down their heads and
wept, hut the court looked more stern
and rutnlessly continued the examlna-
ton.
"Did any words pass between you
and Freda Ward just before the kill
inge"
..sne only winked her right eye at
me-"
"Dld that mean auythingr'
"Ffeda always told me that winking
the right eve meant, 81 love you"
"How far did you follow Freda?'
81 do not know much about the die
tance, but 1 think II was half way
down the custom house pavement"
why did you follow Freda down
the pavement
al wanted to see Freda once more
"Here Alice again broke down with
emotion and tears.
"wLy did you persist in following
herr
because I did not want anybody
else to have her. I wanted to follow
Freda to tha boat and kill her there,
for the street was too public"
But why did you want to kill her
at ali. If you loved herr
"f knew Harry bigger loved Freda.
and Was afraid Ashley Rossel did,
and I killed her to keep her from mar
| ryIng either of them"
TELL the story from the time you
saw Freds on the pavement"
II took the razor out while gong
down the hill. When / reached
Freds cut her with the razor.
cut her throat; that wss
the first cut I gave her. AZ
cut her throst she tired TO SAY on OF
something like that"
Her essmana,son will be continued
tomorrow.
Can Ride on Sunday.
BsrpeKroEr. Conn, July 27.--Jus-
tice Noreho1ss mas acquitted Jeremiah a
a. Osborne. VINO wss arrested few