The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-19
BLIXT PLEADS NOT GUILTY.
Surprise to the Prosecution in the
Cling Murder Case.

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 17.-Claus A.
Blixt, the self-confessed murderer Of Cath
crime Cling. was arraigned in the district
court today and in a weak voice pleaded
not guilty. The state had rather expected
a plea Of guilty and asked Blixt If he un-
derstood what he was doing. He said he
did and the plea was entered. r. r. Odell
appeared for him, Blixt having refused to
see the attorneys appointed by the court
TO undertake his case. The case was set
for trial Jan. %. Blixt was a picture Of
misery In court ana seemed scarcely able
to stand. The cases against the two Hay
wards in the municipal court were for
mally dismissed this morning, the grand
jury having taken action.
When Blixt entered the plea of not
guilty County Attorney Nye was taken
much aback. Mr.. Nye was forced to face
the probability of the trial Of the case
where he had expected a plea of guilty.
The defense will be on the plea Of tempo
rary insanity, brought on by the use of
alcoholic stlmulants given by Hayward for
the purpose Of provoking the deed. Mr..
Odell claims to have medical testimony
which viii bear out this theory. His past
history shows that whisky affects him so
as to make him temporarily insane, he
claims.
An afternoon paper says: "The latest de-
velopment in the Cling murder case Is the
discovery of evidence that leads the au-
"a
is the western agent Of a green goods COM
bination, whose headquarters are at New
York, with a principal branch at Chicago.
The money which Catherine Cling obtained
from Hayward just previous to her death
will be shown to have been a portion OF
the green goods which passed into her
possession from Hayward, who afterward
found it necessary 10 put his victim out of
the way To prevent exposure. The author
tiles do not claim that this was the main
cause of Miss Gings murder, but it was
a factor which counted
Next Saturday morning Harry T. Hay
ward will plead to the indictment charging
him with the murder Of Catherine Cling
This afternoon Sheriff Ege and a deputy
went over to ST. Paul to bring with them
Harry Hayward In order that he might
make his plea The officials took their pris-
oner from the Ramsay county jail, and.
without irons, boarded a car to bring him
to the Hennepin county court house. All
the way over he was airy and fiippant. He
joked with his capt0rs and appeared in
the very best Of spirits. No one on the
way over suspected that he was a prisoner
accused Of a capital crime. At o'clock
the trio reached the court room. The clerk
and Judge Hicks were sent for and court
was opened. Sheriff Ege motIoned Hay
ward to the bar and he glanced at the
clerk with a slight sneer as that official
began reading the indictment which charged
him with murder in the first degree for
aiding, abetting, counsellng, commanding,
procuring and hiring Claus A. BliXt to kill
Catherine cling. T3fr a few moments on-y
ne paid attention, then he turned and
looked at the little crowd of attorneys and
eyed the crowd with evident interest.
Never once did he quail
What is your plea-guilty or not
guilty?" asked the clerk.
''If the court please" broke in his at
torney, I'VE would ask until Saturday
morning at 10 O'Clock"
a word. He turned from the bar and
donned his overcoat, and the little party
left the jail
The prisoner was then lodged in the
county Jail in a cage directly below that
occupied by Blixt, his accomplice and ap-
parently in the best Of spirits, ordered his
supper sent to him soon it was
ready.