The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-07
HAYWARD THE FIEND
Sits Grinning at the Witness
Against Him.
BLIXT ALMOST MADE MAD.
Sensational Scene at the Trial Of
Miss Ging's Murderer.
LAWYER ERWIN TRIES BROWBEATIKG
Just the Same lie Cannot Shake the Man
Whose Testimony Is Apt to
Hang His Client.

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb 6.-There was an in
tensely sensational scene in the courtroom
to-day, shortly after the Hayward murder
trial opened.
BliIt, the self-confessed murderer, was
still on the stand, and Erwin began the
days campaign by charging directly that
the witness doctored his confession given
yesterday to suit the public clamor. The
State objected to this manner of cross
examination, and the court sustained the
objection.
Erwin then asked Blixt how he accounted
for the discrepancy between the two state
ments he made as to Harry's giving him
whisky. Blixt wanted to go into an ex-
PLANTATION of this after his own ideas, but
Erwin insisted on a direct answer. Again
Bllxt tried to hedge, answering that he
was in no condition at the time of his origi-
nal confession to remember the details ac-
curately. ANY man in the condition I
was" said Blixt, would not be likely to
know whether the time Hayward brought
whisky was o'clock or half-past seven"
Hayward laughed aloud and looked
squarely at Bixt the while.
The face of the murderer turned livid,
his voice trembled and he half rose from
the witness-chair
Yes" he cried, ''this is no laughing
thing, tell you" He was pointing one
shaking hand straight at Hayward and his
lips trembled as he gasped: Eyes, you
you are the man that done it all. know
1 tell the truth and YOU know
Hayward, with his chin resting on his
hand, his white teeth showing as his lips
parted in a broad grin, enraged the wit
ness beyond endurance. Blixt was Gained
down by the court and the cross-examina-
ton went on. There was an immense
throng present, at least 400 being women.
1t was evident as the cross-examination
proceeded that Erwin had determined on
a different line of attack from that at
tempted yesterday, which had so signally
failed. He browbeat the witness.
Il want to explain something" said
Blixt.
mo, you DON'T" retorted the criminal
lawyer. ''You have got to get down to
business now. Did you not change your
statement as to how and when Harry
brought you the whisky because you had
been informed at that very time he was
with a man named Waterman"
Gas / sit here before God what 1 have
said was of myself. No one told me any
thing at all"
ibid you make your statement at the
point of revolver and under threat?"
mo; 1 did not"
"In your first statement you said Harry
gave you the cartridges about clock, and
now say it was ~
II did not change; did not change. 1t
was between 6 and T." and then the wit
ness was led over the story again, back
and forth and through, in the effort to Sc
cure contradictions.
Mr.. Erwin took up this discrepancy be-
tween Bixt's testimony and the first con-
fession he made, wherein he asserted that
Hayward had done the actual shooting,
and asked the witness reaeon for it. Blixt
replied that he was confused at the time
and recollection was not clear. He had
thought it over every day since then and
all the details had come back to him.
Oftentimes the efforts OF the lawyers to
entrap him were foiled by the stolidity and
simplicity of the witness
did you not change your story and
invent this one to fit the green goods story
of the State?" asked Erwin.
'No,' said Blixt. "My memory was not
as good then as it is now"
Mr.. Erwin wanted Blixt to describe
again all about how he got the body out of
the buggy, but the objection of the State
was sustained by the court, who told Erwin
he might ask any specific questions he
wanted, but the whole recital need not be
gone over again. 81 thought maybe he
had changed his memory since yesterday"
said Erwin in a half-aside tone, land we
have right to the last edition."
For an hour in the afternoon the merci-
less Erwin kept Blixt on the rack. Not
once did he entrap the witness into any
serious contradiction or bring out any new
fact that would be of service to the de-
tense. BIixt finally complained of head
ache and was excused until tomorrow.
His wife was called next. Her testimony
was mainly corroborative OF Blixt's story
of his relations with Hayward and the
many conversations they had. The cross
examination was in progress when court
adjourned.
WORKING ON Il STRANGE CASE.