St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-13
A FAMOUS MURDER TRIAL.
SOLUTION or The ARgiAM0RT AYS-
Terry BEGINS AT EDINBURGH.
WILL moNsoN BE coNv1cTEDe
The Shooting of Lieut.. Cecil Ham
brough in the Hunting Forests
of Scotland - An Insurance
Company Interested to the Elk
tent OF 100000 Testimony
Taken.

EDNBURGH. Dec. 1.-The long-ex-
pected trial of Alfred John Monson, a
tutor, charged with. the murder of
Lieut.. Windsor Dudley Cecil Ham
brough, opened this morning in the
sheritf'S court before Lord Kingsburgh,
lord Justice clerk of Scotland. The
trial just commenced involves the solu-
ton OF what is known as the Ardlamont
murder mystery, and dates from August
last, when Lieut.. Hambrough was found
dead from gunshot wound, in wood
near Ardlamont house, near Ardlamont
bay, one of the loyeliest parts of the
Clyde, at the entrance of the famous
Kyles of Butte, and about twenty min
utes' steam from RGthsay, the loyeliest
seaside resort in Scotland. The number
of witnesses and reporters present in
court this morning was so great that
very few OF the general public were
admitted, and those who managed to
get inside the court were relegated to
the three rows Of seats at the back
of the gallery. The body of the court
was divided up into the press side, the
witnesses side. and portion was set
apart for the artists of many papers
DESTROYS Of illustrating the incidents of
the trial. The trial of Monson is OF
special interest TO ali life insurance
companies, and especially to the Mutual
Life Insurance company. which is in
terested to the extent of $4,000 as it
had two policies of so, 900 each on the
lieutenanrs life, policies which are said
to have been
SECURED BY MONSoN.
The prisoner is short, slim. young
looking, clean-ShaYen, and very gentle
manly man: he was thoroughly CON-
posed. and wore a long dark brown
| overcoat, from the breast pocket of
which handkerchief protruded. The
lord Justice addressed the prisoner in
strong, low, monetonOus tone, which
could be heard distinctly in every part
Of the court room, saying:
You have already pleaded not
guilty to.the charges brought against
you. DO you adhere 10 this plea of not
guiity?'"
AOnson, the prisoner. then arose from
| his seat in the dock. and turning to
wards the lord justice, he said, in q
| clear voice:
Il do. my lord"
The work of selecting a jury to try
the prisoner was then quickly proceeded
with, ana fifteen good men and true"
were soon obtained and sworn to do
| their duty. The prisoner was noticed
| to watch the selection Of the jury with
! the keenest attention. Net a move
ment, an expression or word upon the
| part OF any of the jury men
ESCAPED HIM,
and ne eagerly scanned their faces as
| they took seats III the jury box, evil
| IDENTIFY weighing over in his mind his
| chances of convincing one or all
| OF the JuTymen of his innocence
| The first witness called was
| James Brand, civil engineer. who,
with the aid of a map, gave a
| full description of ATdlamont house
| and the grounds surrounding it. Mr..
Brand also gave in the most minute de-
| tail the measurements Of the distances
from place TO place where the body was
found 10 the various trees and to the
surrounding spots. Much Importance
seemed to be attached to the evidence
Of Civil Engineer Brand. His cross
examination developed the fact that his
examination OF the ground was made
| two months after the death of Lieut..
| Hambrough, and that all his informa-
| ton in regard as to where the body was
found came from others.
The civil engineer was questioned at
| length as TO the nature of the top of the
dixie near which the body was found.
the defense evidently trying to show
| thatit was necessary to walk with the
| greatest care in order to prevent fall
! ing.
Several other witnesses were exam
! ined before adjournment. The prisoner
| throughout the days proceedings was
| composed and cool. though it was evil
| dent that not word of the testimony
escaped him. The. scene in the court
was decidedly picturesque aud quite
| different from the dull appearance Of
| the English courts.