The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1895-03-08
NYE WAS TALKING
Attorney For the State Sums
Up the Evidence in the
Hayward Case.
A SCATHING ARRAIGNM 7
No Pity For Harry Hayward,
But a Kindly Feeling
For BIixt.

MENNEAPoLIs, March 6.-Prosecuting
Attorney Nye had the sympathy of the
public in making his closing argument
and faced the patient jurors, he looked
very ILL., His face was ghastly white,
and for moment, on leaving his char,
he leaned against the table, gathering
strength for his effort.
MI. Nye's closing argument was Ill
the main review of the evidence pre-
sented by the state. He event briefly
over the record of Haywud's career, his
course as a gambler, his associations
With the murdered woman and his fate
full influence over BliXt. The murderer
had confessed his crime, he had told the
awful story and laid bare the horrible
character of the man who had melted it.
That man was Harry Hayward, who had
been the constant companion and
tutor of Blixt during the weeks
preceding this frightful affair. The
crime had been committed by Blixt, as
he himself hal tod the jury, fearing
nothing, hoping for nothing. He de-
scribed the despair presented in Blixt's
life during the day before conscience
asserted itself; and then the man had
told the truth, fully prepared to take
the consequences, whatever they might
be- He had ,ked for Il chance to tell
his story in the light OF justice 1t had
been asked why the state did not try
Blixt first, and the answer was it de-
| sired to probe to the very bottom of the
danlnable conspiracy, to sound the mind
that was SO infamous as to conceive SO
vile a plot.
| Made IA Plea for Blixt
Mr. Nye ale strong plea for BiiXt
and it was naturally put before the jury.
Accomplices, he held, We're not gener-
ally selected from the ranks of the saint
ly, and Blixt was a criminal in that he
had committed this awful crime, but a
different feeling had been inspired in
the mind of the states attorney toward
this poor, benighted man than had ever
appealed to him i'll behalf of
a criminal during a long experience
with criminals. He had talked
with this man i'll his cell, had analysed
|
convinced that no greater moral misfor-
tune had ever overtal1en a human soul
than that which had drawn Claus Blixt
under the ba.eful influence of this man
Hayward. He was not murderer at
heart Had not his hands when dis
patched Oh this fearful e1rand been
black and grimed with the marks OF
honest toll?
The Power of God.
Cortinu ng, Mr.. Nye referred to En-
wins scoffing treatment of Blixt's
religious feavor and faith. This poor
ignorant man, he pointed out, had sat
through a scathing cross-eN;tmination op
posed to IA man unequalled in the art OF
conducting such inquiries. What had
been the result? Why, and the prose
, cutting attorney smiled seraphically
Mr.. Erwin had been for two days doll
a puppet i'll the hands of this poor
creature with the light of Gods al
: mighty truth shining i'll his haggard
: face. The power of God had come tt
, him in his hour of peril and darkes
: need. God had made him the instru
+ ment of truth and justice.
+ Nnlle tlle attoiueJ WAS tilhlnS VIZ
: II jurors leaned forward i'll their seat
and listened most earnestly. Dyer, thu
aged invalid of the jury, sat with
s slightly leaning attitude i'll his wic]1e
D chair.
t At the afternoon session Attorney Ny,
o reviewed the insurance testimony, tn
n testimony of Mrs. Blixt and the utter
+, ances of Hayward Immediately after tn
murder.