St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-06
DAVIS and SHERIDAN.
THE CRIMINAL ATTORNEY LITERALLY
R0ASTS THE STATES WITNESS
EVERY KIND OF A LIAR

Testimony-The SalOOnkeeper
Was Put on the Spit and
Turned Over and Over.
1t is no doubt the public's prerogative
to attend court trials and be entertained
by the testimony of witnesses and have
Its morbid appetite for morbid things
satiated, but the exhibition of encroach-
ment upon the laws domain yesterday
at the murder trial was nerve-Shatter-
ing, to say the least. The addressed,
badly-smelling crowd of men, boys and
even women poured into the court room
like so many rats. They crowded be-
mind the ratings, stepped upon the toes
of the attorneys in the case, pushed the
witnesses out of their places, sat in the
chairs designated for newspaper report
erS and disconnected even the judge.
There were three tiers of spectators, one
Tier standing upon the others heads.
The air was Sutfocating, and more than
once the ladies who were witnesses in
the case choked and looked discom-
forted. Before the trial got under
way in the morning, r. l.. Penney,
vino was associated with Mr..
Davis III defending Slim Dugan,
asked permission OF the court to with
draw from the case. he stated that Ger
tain differences of opinion concerning
certain lines of testimony had come up
between Mr.. Davis and himself, and he
felt it incumbent to withdraw at this
time. The permission was granted
This action of Mr.. Penney is due, it is
said, TO peculiar complication arising
from the fact that he is attorney for the
boys who some time ago were arrested
for numerous petty burglaIies. These
boys come of good families, and are
commonly known as the East side gang.
Their depredationS came TO light shortly
after the Harris murder, and the state
OF public feeling was such at the time
that their Offenses we're instantly re-
garded more seriously than would have
been the case at any other time. An
investigation of the case was made by
the mayor, who announced that there was
no evidence to connect the boys with
the murder; bat Notwithstanding this,
it is said that Mr.. Davis will make use
of the element of uncertainty due TO
the boys arrest to clear Dugan. Mr..
Penney, being attorney for tine boys,
could not consistently continue to assist
in Dugan's defense. thus discriminating
his own clients.
The states principal witness was put
on the stand in the afternoon. He was
Tim Sheridan, the keeper of the saloon
opposite the court house, place fire.
quented by thieves and folk of that ilk.
1t was Tim Sheridan who gave to Sheriff
Eye and County Attorney Nye the first
pointers on the murder case, and it was
through him the four suspects, Dugan,
White, Reed and "YOrkey" Lyons, were
arrested. At the instance of Mr.. Nye.
yesterday, he told the jury how he had
seen the four men in his saloon on the
night of the murder, how he had heard
their conversation concerning a lob"
how they had exchanged hats and taken
away with them revolver which be-
longed to him. The chances are that,
when evening came and court was adj
journed, Sheridan cursed himself both
backward and forward for ever getting
mixed up with such case.
Mr.. Davis, figuratiyely speaking, tore
the witness to pieces. He rended the
testimony given by him like rotten rags.
and shamed him before that big crowd
in such a manner that even the pris-
oners must have pitied him. Mr.. Davis
called him an expansive liar, an artistic
liar and then practically proved these
appellatiOnS were true by the mans
own admissions. 1t is doubtful if his
testimony will cut much of a figure,
though the prosecuting attorneys avoW
they are satisfied with it. "Yorkey"
and Reed were IN the court room and
sat near the defendant, Dugan. They
were called in for Identification. Sheri-
dan identified all three, though he
failed to give good reason for recog-
nizing Reed. "Yorkey" is a sleek-loOk-
ing fellow, dark and saturDine. His
hair, eyes, mustache and side whiskers
are jet black. He dresses well and
neatly, and is every inch sleek-look-
ing thief. Reed is young and intelli-
gent appearing fellow. He has the APP
pearance of a young man who had be-
come entangled with bad company.
The first witness OF the morning was
Coroner Spring, who testified as to the
finding of the bullet and the post
mortem examination proceedings. His
testimony consisted of: The wound was
"cross' wound-that is, it did not run
in the direction of the fingers. No bones
were broken. Mr.. Harris was six feet
two inches in height. The wound of exit.
where the ball was taken out, was
about three inches lower than the
wound of entrance. The direction of
the ball was slightly downward. and
broke through the eleventh rib.
The bullet taken from the headboard
of the bed was then placed in evidence.
A lengthy crOSS-eXaminatiOn followed,
in which Mr.. Davis demonstrated he
was pretty thoroughly acquainted with
anatomy. DR.. Charles Simpson cOrrob-
GRATED the testimony of the coroner on
the points of the manner and effects Of
the bullet wound which killed Mr.. Har-
riS. Henry Z. McMahan, of 1905 Sew
enth street southeast, a neighbor Of the
Harris family, was the next witness.
He testified to assisting the police Off
GERS the morning after the murder in
searching for tracks near the house.
He told of finding the coat, number Of
cards and piece OF cloth on the barbed
wire. DIR. NJ. z. Vanderhorck testified
Oh matters pertaining to the condition
of the wound, he being called to the
residence. III conjunction with DR..
DunSmoor, the morning of the murder.
Miss May Harris, daughter of the muir
dered man, testified to the events which
occurred on that eventful day. She
was the last witness during the morn
ing session.
In the afternoon Mrs. Anna Pultney
who resides at 14l4 Seventh street south
east, was called to the stand and told
how she had been awakened by the
screams and murderer'S shots IN the
Harris house, close by her home She
had arisen at once, and, looking out, had
seen man running diagonally across
the lot from the rear of the Harris
house. He had on a cutaway coat, and
carried something bright in his hand
She had not seen his features. The man
had worn SLOUGH hat.
1t was on the cross-eXamination that
Mr.. Davis took occasion to turn Tim
Sheridan around and around on the
| fire. He managed to mix him up con-
| Sldera6ly. He SWore that the four SuS-
| in ha iorbt i'm,