The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-14
PRENDEEGAsrs TRIAL.
Mr.. Todd Compares HRrrison's TnEInG Oi
to that of IiucoIn's aud Gnrfleld's.

| MIR. Todd Compares hRrrisons 4hklnS Oh
to that of I.incoln'S aud GRrfleld's.
CHICAGO, Dec. l3.-Assistant States
Attorney Todd opened the trial of the
Prendergast case to-day with an address
to the jury, in which he outlined the
plan OF the prosecution. Mr.. Todd paid
a tribute to Mavor Harrison and refer
red to the similarity OF his assassina-
tion to that OF Lincoln and Garfield.
Mr.. Todd said that the prisoners actions
at the time OF the murder indicated
that he was sane. The attorney called
particular attention to the assassin 8
well developed sense OF self-preserya-
tion as evidenced by the way he cared
for his personal safety during and after
the shooting. As Mr.. Todd told the
story OF the shooting Prendergast turR-
ed 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.
"We will not deny that the prisoner
killed Mr.. Harrison" he said. "rhe
sole question to be solved is-did he, at
the time Of the murder, know the dii-
ference between right and wrongW
After the conclusion OF Attorney
Walsh's opening speech for the defense
the first witness called was Mary Han
sen, the servant who admitted Prendor-
CAST to the house. She said that she
answered the bell at about Z p. N. and
told man, whom she identified as the
prisoner, that the mayor was at dinner,
but that he would have finished in half
an hour; that when the time had elaps-
ed he came again and was admitted by
her. Maggie Freansch told OF seeing
the man leaving the house. The pris-
oner was ordered to stand up. He did
80 promptly and, stepping toward the
witness chair, said to the girl: ~ am
the man that you saw, amt II" After
an affirmative answer to this question
the witness showed how Prendergast
left the house, illustrating it by walk
ing along in front OF the jury in a
crouching mannar.
Helma Johnson, the cook, gave evil
dence Of similar character.
Risberg, the coachman. told his story
next and explained the attitude of the
prisoner when he first saw him between
the second and third shots. To make
the recital more graphic Mr., Todd, the
prosecuting attorney, borrowed revol-
yer from one OF the bailifs and after the
cartridges had been removed and two
or three examinations had been made
to bs sure that the thing was not load
cd IT was given to the coGchman, who
PLAYED Prendergrast for the enlight-
ment OF the court. He said
that when he opened the door
leading to the dining room
the prisoner leyelled the revolver at
him and that he retreated to the barn
for his own weapon, which, after secur-
ing, he fred twice on his way back to
the house in order to alarm the police
and neighborhood. When the coach
man was telling how Prendergast turned
from his victim and covered him with
the revolver to keep him at bay the
prisoners to his attorney in loud
whisper: "Thet is not the way that l
did it"
William Preston Harrison, son OF the
late mayor, told what he-knew OF the
shooting He was not an eye witness,
SO his evidence was confined to tho
events Immediately following the MUIR
der OF his father When his testimony
was finished the court adjourned,