The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-09-29
HANSEN WAS FOUND GUILTY
The Jury bring in a verdict Of Murder
in The First Degree.
JUST AN HOUR TO DECIDE IT.
The Cowardly Murderer of Caroline
Hansen will Probably Expatiate
his Crime on the scanoid.
JUST AN HOUR TO DECIDE IT

In the Circuit court yesterday morn
ing the trial of John Hansen was con-
tinued. The state sailed several wit
nesses, the principal one among them
being DR.. Belt, who, it will be remem-
bered, performed the autopsy on the
body of Mrs Caroline Hansen He
stated that in his opinion Hansen could
not have been suffering from chronic
alcoholism, for in several ways, which
the doctor gave examples of in the
witness box, the prisoner had proved
how rational was his brain, and how
easily he had gone about his ordinary
occupations.
For the defence, Mr.. Fulton called
the following witnesses; Victor Han
sen, A. c. Minard, Joe sinnot, Jacob
Baker, Charles Lind, Ernest Lawson,
Olaf Olsen, F. F. Hildebrand, Geo. Le-
land, DR.. w. D. Baker, Martin Han
sen, and DR.. Jay Tuttle. The majority
of these, with the exception of the two
medical men, Drs. Baker and Tuttle,
swote to the fact that Hansen had been
under the influence of drink for a week
before he killed his wife. Young Vic
tor Hansen, a son Of the prisoner, tes-
tifed to the fact that there had never
in his knowledge been any previous
trouble between his mother and father.
The examination Of DR.. Baker and DR..
Tuttle was long and to a great extent
Interesting, the counsel for the pris-
oner attempting to prove by their tes-
timony that chronic alcoholism was but
q species of dementia, under which Its
victims might commit any crime, with
out reason or knowledge al the nor Mt
Of it's committal.
At this stage it became apparent
that Mr. Fulton would attempt to set
up the plea of temporary insanity and
to break down the idea Of premedlta-
tion, without which the case for the
prosecution would fail.
The examination of witnesses for the
defense lasted all the afternoon, and it
was five o'clock before the counsel
rested. Judge Mcbride decided to hear
the argument Of both sides in the even
ing and adjourned court till 1880. AT
that hour his honor took his seat. The
courtroom was thronged to the doors,
every seat being taken. The example
of the afternoon was in the minds Of
many present, and absolute silence pre-
vailed throughout the whole evening.
Hon, c, w. Fulton stepped forward
and began his argument on behalf of
Hansen. 1t was from beginning to end
q most mastery and eloquent appeal,
and one of the best presentations Of
a case ever made before a Clatsop coun
ty jury. He said he did not believe
that the people of Clatsop county de-
manded at the hands of the jury the
life of mis- client or the life blood Of
any man. All that was demanded of
them was absolute justice. The pris-
oner was before them, an old, broken
down man, whose life was shattered
forever, unable to plead for himself,
but trusting in the jury's absolute
sense of justice for his safety. The
prosecution had not shown, or attempt
ed to show, that Hansen had ever been
cruel husband. His own son had
sworn that he was always kind to his
wife. The prosecution had attempted
to make them believe that the savings
of Caroline Hansen were her own, ac-
cumulated by her own toll Was this
the truth? Had not Hansen toiled for
weeks and years as a fisherman on the
river to contribute to those funds?
Were they not the result of his labor
as much as of his wife? Did any man
of the jury believe that Victor Hansen
had lied in the witness box? Victor said
the old man had been for years and
years so violent and acted so peculiarly
that they often had to tie him down
in his room. He would go for weeks
without eating; he would be absolutely
restless. and he would exhibit every
SyiHplOln VI DclliS Oub VI HIS iiiiAids AhC
prosecution had declared that the ques-
tion put by him (Afr. Fulton) to the
medical man was hypothetical, and
that no testimony in the case rested on
it. Was that true in the light Of facts?
Had not the questions embodied the
very condition of Hansen, as sworn to
by Hansen's son? Both DR.. Baker and
Or. Tuttle had stated that any act
committed by a man in the state he
described. would be an act Of impulse
and not of premeditation. Were not
the questions put to the medical men
In exact conformity with the testimony
Of Victor Hansen? And the jury darel
not, could not. brush the judgment Of
doctors to one side.
Hansen had confessed his crime. and
every act Of his after the fearful trag-
cdy, as borne out by the doctors. was
in conformity with the theory Of tem-l