St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-26
TICKLESTHEL LAWYERS
A Prisoner Defending Himself
Against a Serious
Charge.
The Daring Jewelry Theft
From Ingham's Store
Last December.
William Grattan Denies All
knowledge Of the Bold
Robbery,
Presents His Case Intelligent
ly Before an Interested
Court.

Court.
The novelty of prisoner defending
himself against the crime of grand lar
ceny in the first degree attracted a
large and motley collection of people to
Judge Cornlsh's court yesterday The
gathering filled the court room, as we'll
as the gallery. In the court room were
a number of prominent attorneys.
During the afternoon Judge Kerr &C.
cupied seat beside Judge Cornish and
watched the proceedings with interest.
Officials and old attorneys stated that
they never saw another case of man
defending himself upon so grave a
charge. The case is that of w. E. Graf
tan, alias William Earle, against whom
the grand jury returned five indict-
mentS. The one on which he is now
being tried charges him with breaking
the window of Ingham's jewelry store
with a stone, tied in a gunny sack.
shortly after 6 d. H., Dec. 3 last,
and snatching tray of diamond rings,
twenty-one in number, valued at
1850, S95. SIS. $50 and S22 each. The de-
Cafferty in securing jury. Earle de-
clined his further assistance, notwith-
standing the statement of the court that
he would assign counsel and the declara-
ton of the county attorney that he
would prefer the defendant to have
counsel. Earle stgted that he preferred
to rely on his better knowledge of his
case than to such attorney as Wright as
signed to him. He told GLOBE reporter
subsequently that he had no money to
employ good attorney, and did not want
to run the risk of having "shySter'
appointed to defend him. He said he
was not a lawyer, but stenog-
rapher, and never worked in
the office of an attorney. lie
is rather bright, in the respect that
his wits have been sharpened by knock
ing about the world. He seemed some
what familiar with a court of justice,
and addressed the court in a way that
showed his familiarity with presenting
norant of law technicalitieS. He cross
questioned the witnesses who testified
for the state in way that Indicated he
did not fully believe their testimony in
every detail, but used no artifice in
attempting to catch them in round
about way.
Saw the Window Broken.
H. A. Stone testified to seeing the window
broken and to seeing man running away
bareheaded, but did not positively identify
the man. Sergeant Sexton and Capt. Cook
testified to arresting Earle shortly after the
robbery. He had cap on and was standing
t1a MI hos
were muddy and there was blood on his face.
He was charged with being drunk, and the
next morning sent to the Workhouse for ten
days. Earle crosS-examined these men as to
the time and exact spot of his arrest. He
seemed surprised at some of Capt. Cook S
statements and asked the court for
the records of the police station and
municipal court with which to contradict
him. lie was surprised that no stenographic
report was kept of the proceedings in the
municipal court He then had J. j. Ahern
called to testify as to the evidence Of Capt
Cook in police police court, but seemed IN
despair when he learned that the clerk of
that court had no recollection of the hearing
Mary Jane Weed stated that Earle roomed
at her house under the name of Grattan. and
Peter Stinson spoke to his hiring horse of
him the evening of the robbery
Chief of Detectives O'Connor gave testi-
mony as TO the horse being tied to a tele-
phone pole near the place Of the robbery.
On cross examination he said he had not
learned that Earle had associated with
thieves or bad men.
Assistant County Attorney Butler went to
the poStotnce at the request of Earl, and after
his return was called and testified that the
prisoner had directed his mail to be sent to
$40 Jackson street, under the name of W. +.
Grattan.
The defendant here took the stand and
made lengthy statement. He spoke in q
low tone and rather rapidly. Ae hired a
horse about 6 o'clock the evening of the rob-
berry. He had gone for it twice. The first
time he called it had not been fed He
and had the girth frightened; he then
rode down to Sibley street. and came
back up Third street In leaning over
the saddle turned, and in attempting
to jump off his feet became entangled in
the sIirrup, pitching him on his face He
got his clothes muddy from the fall. and
afterwards found his face had been cut He
tied the horse to post and went to wash his
face. He then saw the crowd about the
window and went I'D aud asked if there was
q fire there. He was arrested Immediately
after while standing in front of the window
He differed from the police officers in some
points about his arrest. He denied giving the
name of Earle at the police station, and
posed the officers got that name from the
pawn ticket found OH his person, which was
given him when he secured money
On an OvercOat.
The pawn ticket was produced and it
showed no name.
He then said the officer must have got the
name from the pawnbroker He explained
giving that name by saying a man did not
like to give his true name to pawnbroker.
On cross examination he said he was born
at Dubuque, To-, and came to ST. Paul about
the LIST of September, since which time he
had>been at work in various restaurants. He
never had committed larceny, aud did not
steal Dr. Pines surgical instruments or the
electric battery and clothing found in his
room. Those things were taken to his room
by Faulkner and Mcintyre, who roomed with
him. Faulkner had given the things to him
to replace valise and things Faulkner had
stolen from him. He hired horse to go to
see his sister in West St.Paul, but declined tC
give her name when asked to do so by the
county attorney He went to n room after
hiring the horse and got the cap he wore
when arrested.
Detective Daily testified 10 searching Earle's
room and finding the surgical Instruments
clothing, ETC., which were produced in-eourt
Earle questioned him as to finding hat
there. and when he stated that he did not re
member that any stiff hat was found there
Earle remarked: ut seems strange thai
none of you remember any thing want you
to remember"
Alex Mcintyre was called by the state and
denied that he had sold Earle pair Of pants
or an overcoat Earle had asked him to sell
pair of pants of his and that he bought q
coat from Earle and paid him S. down. This
was directly the reverse of what Earle had
testified to. The defendant stated
that he desired to call Frank Bixby
and the assistant superintendent of The
workhouse to contradict Mcintyre, and he
would be prepared to refute his testimony
this morning in regard TO who sold The pant:
and overcoat. Mcintyre also denied the
statement by Earle that he had hauled the
things found in Earle's room for Faulkner h
the room where they all lodged. He had moi
seen Faulkner for some time before the rob-
berry. These points raised direct point Of
veracity between Earle and Mcintyre, an6
seemed to non plus the defendant
The evidence is nearly all in
The prospect of the defendant addressing
the jury in his own behs'f will be an inter
esting feature of the trial today.
Still They Come