St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-14
THE AssAssIN's TRIAL.
Yesterdays Testimony OF the
Harrison Bouse Servants.

Yesterdays Testimony OF the
Harrison House Servants.
CHICAGO, Dec. 13.-Assistant States
Attorney Todd opened the trial of the
Prendergast case with an address to the
jury. in which lie outlined the plan of
the prosecution. Mr.. Todd paid trib-
Lutte to Mayor Harrison, and. referred to
the similarity Of his assassination and
that of Lincoln and Garfield. Attorney
Wade will open the case for the de-
Tense.
Mr.. Todd said that the prisoners
actions at the time Of the murder indi-
Gated that he was sane. The attorney
called particular attention to the assas-
sins well-deyeloped sense OF self-preser-
walton, as evidenced by the way he
cared for his personal safety during and
after the shooting. AS MIR. Todd told
the story of the shooting, Prendergas
turned pale and shrank into his chair
with ill-concealed agitation.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Todd's
speech, Attorney Wade addressed the
jury for the defense. 1--WE will not deny
that the prisoner killed MIR. Harrison"
he said. 1.-The sole question to be
solved is: Did he at the time of the
murder know the difference between
right an wrong?"
After the conclusion of Attorney Wa
des opening speech for the defense the
nrSt witness called was Mary Hansen.
the servant who admitted Prendergast
to the house. She said that she an
swered the bell at about Z. d. M,
and told man whom she identi-
fed as the prisoner that the mayor
was at dinner, but that he would have
finished in half an hour. That when
that time had elapsed he came again
and was admitted by her. Maggie
FrounSch told of seeing the man leaving
the house. The prisoner was ordered
to stand up. He did so promptly and
stepping toward the witness chair said
TO the girl, II am the man that you saw,
amt II"
After an affirmative answer to this
question the witness showed how Prem
dergast left the house, illustrating it by
walking along in front of the jury in
crouching manner.
Hoima Johnson. the cook, gave eyi-
dence of similar character.
Rlsberg, the cOachman, told his story
next, and explained the attitude of the
prisoner when he first saw him between
lh0 SeCouu ana tnlru SHOTS 10
make the recital more graphic,
MIR. Todd. the prosecuting attorney,
borrowed revolver from one of the
bailiffS, and after the cartridges had
been removed and two or three exam
nations had been made to be sure that
the thing was not loaded was given to
coachman, who played PrendergaSt for
the enlightenment of the court. He
said that when he opened the door lead
Ing to the dining room that the prisoner
ieveled the revolver at him and
that he retreated to the barn for
his own weapon, which after
securing he had fired twice on his way
back to the house in order to alarm the
police and neighborhood. When the
coachman was telling how Prendergast
turned from his victim aud covered him
with the revolver to keep him at bay,
the prisoner said TO his attorney, in a
loud whisper: That isn't the way that
Gid it,
William Preston Harrison, son of the
mayor. told what he knew of the shoot
ng. He was not an eye witness, so his
evidence was confined to the events i'm
mediately following the murder of his
father. When his testimony was fin.
ished court adjourned.