St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-13
HIS LIFE AT STAKE.
The Peters Murder Trial Now
Under Way at Still
water.
Question Whether the De-
PENDANT Is Mentally
Sound or Not.
The Murder of V. C. Seward
Again Told in the
Courts.
What Is Believed to Be a
Good Jury Has Been
Secured.

degree. was taken up yesterday IN the
district court. The matter of securing
a Jury was completed just before noon,
and the following jurors will determine
his present mental condition: j. b.
Taft, w. j. Tingley, James Mulvey,
Joon Lund, Robert Nilkln, August
Jarchow, T. w. hammers, j. c. Henry,
Ingel johnson, Charles Peterson, Peter
d. Swanson and II. B. Vollmer. The
only Juror challenged by either side was
j. ID. McComb, who said that he had
formed an opinion as to the defendants
mental condition. a recess was then
taken until 80 p. m. when the taking
of testimony began. Attorney Searies
opened the case and SAID tnat he IN
tended to present evidence that
would prove that Peters is NEIL
tally unbalanced. 1t was not
his intention to try to defeat
the ends of justice, but simply to prove
that his client is mentally irresponsible
The first witness sworn was Samuel
Peters, the defendants father. witness
stated that the defendant was nearly
twenty-five years of age, and was born
in Cape Breton. He stated that form
Of insanity existed among relatives OF
the defendant, notably Oh his mothers
side. Witness said that the defendant
was healthy child, kind and indulgent.
Was never vindictiVe, and an apt
scholar. Peters left home when de-
PENDANT was in his twelfth year, and
did not see him again until the family
moved to this country. When seven
teen years of age he complained or pains
IN his cnest, and during the summer
complained of other ailments. one
Sunday morning he refused to eat his
breakfast, and frequently he would
do the same thing. Often walked miles
before partaking of his meals. In Au-
gust, 1885, he said that he was unable
to work and could DO nothing. few
days afterward he insisted that ore
side of his body was growing ana the
other not. He was examined by Dr.
Johnson in Hudson, who said there was
something lacking in his nervous Sys-
tenn and advised that he be taken to
this city for further examination. The
following day he called on Dr. Pratt in
this city, but failed to find him. He
met DR.. Clark instead, and after some
talk with him defendant abandoned the
idea that one side was growing more
than the other. Some days he was bet
ter than others, but his complaint
usually returned worse than before.
Once he tasted for six days, thinking
that that would help him.
Dr. Clark treated the defendant for
costiveness, and apparently he i'm
proved In the latter part Of February,
1886, the defendant Worked with his
father, and the next summer he and his
brother engaged ia market gardening.
The next winter he attended the Still
water High school, but made very poor
progress. In 1889, i'll response to an ad-
VertiSement, he began his career as a
reporter on the Saltwater Messenger,
but after two months trial he gave up
reporting, finding that his success did
not lie in newspaper Work. In the SUM-
mer of 1890 he again began gardening.
Witness noticed many pecullarltleS
about him, particularly loss of memory.
In 1890 he evinced desire for studying
medicine, and secured some medical
works. The defendant, who lived few
miles from this city, was in the habit of
running to town whenever he got a
chance, despite all entreaties on the
part of his parents, and neglected his
studies. He at last got so that he never
looked at his books, and whenever he
was asked to do anything would refuse
to do it. Last spring the witness and
his two SONS engaged in gardening, and
Tie defendant made many unreasonable
requests. He next began studying
Latin grammar, but had a peculiar
method in doing so. In June the de-
PENDANT seemed stupid, and his father
upon one occasion spoke to him, when
the defendant jumped up in an angry
mood and said: You G. id son
of b.! you ought to have
your head smashed" He afterward
asked his fathers pardon for the
language he had used to him, and for a
time tried to do everything required of
him. In the early part of October he
noticed that George was wrong. His
ewes protruded as if about to jump out
of his head. A day or two before the
murder George went to neighbours to
assist in threshing, and without warn
ing he left his job and came to this city.
The day before the tragedy he put on
his best clothes and came to town, hav-
ing previously promised his father 10
remain at home. The day OF the tragedy
he promised lie would go to town i'll the
morning and remain at home In the aft
ernoon to assist in digging potatoes. He
put on his working clothes and went out
in the field. but soon returned, put Oh
his best clothes and left for town.
After he was arrested for the crime wit
ness called OH him at the county Jail
and asked him why he had killed Mr..
Seward. Defendant replied: THAT is
my business; will give my reasons at
the proper time" Called on him several
times after that and-he always showed
signs of an unbalanced mind. A day or
two after election day he displayed
10 fn. 10 int tIot
about the only time that he referred to
yolyer with which he committed the
crime from H. HeIsel d Co., having re-
ceived a sum of money for load of
onions which he brought to town a few
days before the crime was committed.
The witness, CrOSS-eXamlned by
County Attorney Sullivan. SAID that the
defendant had expressed desire to die
seven years ago, owing to his illness.
The next witness sworn was William
Peters, brother of the defendant LII
1885 witness noticed many strange things
about his brothers. conduct, and has no
ticed a return of his peculiaritieS since
then. Some times when at work the de-
PENDANT was lively, and other times was
gloomy. He was unreasonable in many
things, and argument failed to convince
him of his mistakes, Witness reviewed
the trouble which occurred between his
father and the defendant, and said that
the defendant attHclled his father for
no apparent reason whatever After
that his father had told him that he
thought there was something the matter
with Georges head. In the latter part
of August, 1892, George attacked the
witness, and threatened to kill him, say
ing that he could easily put a hole
through him or split his head open with
an ak. The defendant was very care
less about his room, and was untdy.
He often treated members of the family
rudely, especially his mother and sis
ter. The day of the murder witness
and his brother had been workingln the
field, and that without saying word
to him, left for this city. Witness Wis
tied his brother in the county jail the
day after the murder, and the defend
ant then said that he had gone about
this business (meaning the muder)
openly and honorably and would be
honorably acquitted. Cross-examined
by Mr.. Sullivan, witness stated that his