St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-19
Opening Of the Trial of the
Razor WELDING Slayer Of
Freda Ward.
Miss Mitehell'S Father Testi-
fles as to Some of Her
Peculiarities.
Always More Like a Boy Than
a Girl, and Had No Use
for Men.
The Murderess Smiles During
the fearful Recital of
Her Sire.

MEMPIIS. July 1S.-January 70 last
Alice Mitchell killed Freda Ward, the
the details of which were most shock
ing and were gluated over and discussed
by the psychological student. Today
her case was brought up in court before
Judge DubOse, the point being to prove
Or dIsprove her insanity. DR.. Gaiien-
dar, an expert on insanity cases who
was called upon to testify in the Giteau
case. is expected to he the main stay OF
the defense, he having during the past
few months made most searching eX-
animation of Miss Mitchell's case.
The jury selected is undoubtedly one
of the most intelligent ever gathered in
West Tennessee The only witness
who testified today was George Mitch
ell, father of the accused. Mr.. Mitchell,
being placed OH the stand, said he was
the father of the defendant and said
she was nineteen years old. He then
testified as to the insanity of the mother
of Alice years ago. lie said that Alice
had manifested some
Very Noticeable Peculiaritfes
recently. She would want to stay by
herself all the time. She would go to
her room and remain there for hours.
When there were young men around
the house Miss Alice would not stay
near them. She did not seem to have
any use for men and would never stay
around them. She had always been
more like a boy than girl, and often
played marbles. She would shoot a
target rife. and adopted other boyish
habits. He knew that there was an
affectionate feeling between Miss Alice
ard Freda Ward. She signed tile name
of Freda Ward to receipts for coal last
September. and when he asked her
about it she said she was thinking
about Freda Ward so much that she
just signed her name to it. He had
noticed peculiar brightness about her
eyes about this time that he had never
observed before.
He missed his razor in November, and
after the killing of Freda Ward, Alice
told him that she had taken it. He said
Alice told him that she had thrown the
razor away after the killing. He did
not know Alice had killed Freda Ward
until week and half after the occur
renee. She told him that she had killed
Freda Ward
Freda, she said. had gone back on
her. They were engaged to be married.
She was very fond of talking about kill
ing Freda Ward. She has Freda Wards
picture in the case of the watch she
wears. She never talks as ii Freda
Ward were dead. She used the present
in speaking of Freda, and does not seem
to know Freda is dead. The next day
after the killing she was told that Freda
would be buried, when she said she
wanted to see her. When told that she
could not she cried. 1t was the first
time he had seen her cry. She has
pasted all of the newspaper pictures on
the wall in her room. She had never
taken any interest in her own trial or
her fate.
Here the witness. was turned over to
Attorney General Peters. In answer to a
question thewitness said there had never
been any perceptiUle disturbance of the
minds of any of his children but Alice
and the Oldest child. The witness said,
| in answer TO questions. that Alice was
not exceptionally bright at school. She
| could play any kind of musical iDstru-
| ment. She did not care much about
books. He had heard since the tragedy
| she had corresponded with men who
were perfect strangers to her. She fire.
quentIy went out riding with Miss Lille
| johnson. He never knew of any es-
arrangement between Freda Ward and
his daughter Alice, or between any
other member of the Ward family. 1t
was l o'clock when Mr.. Mitchell con-
Guided, and the court adjourned until
| $50 O'Clock tomorrow morning.
The only question asked the jurors
| today was whether or not they had all
opinion as to Miss MitchelPs present in
sanity. Mr.. Mitchell wept bitterly in
detailing the story, but his daughter
smiled as if she thought the matter a