The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-25
BETTER FOR HINSHAW
DEFENSE SCORED SEVERAL MORE
POINTS YESTERDAY.
Two More Physicians That Believe
and Notwithstanding the End.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
DANVILLE. Ind. Sept. 24-The defense
in the Hinshaw murder trial had it's most
important and best witnesses on the stand
to-day. The State was aware of the fact
that the defense intended to show it's hand
and from the commencement Of court until
the close there was the sharpest kind of
legal sparr-ng between the opposing attor-
neys. Each step taken by the defense was
fought by Mr.. Span, for the State. and
the opposing lawyers contended vigorously
for the last chance at each of the wit
nesses- The repartee between the attor-
neys and the close questioning of the wit
nesses by Mr.. Spaan was all very interest
Ing to the crowd presen The court room
was filled during the afternoon, as usual
Many Of the spectators were from the
country, and quite a number ate their
lunches in the court room. Others brought
apples, which they munched during the
proceedings. Court took a recess, as usual
at noon until 1:30 o'clock At a half an
hour past noon the room was comfortably
filled by persons who came early in order
to get front seats. When the lawyers and
reporters arrived they found that their
chairs had all been seized, and there was
some little delay in getting the attorneys
seated. and those who had to give up their
seats were somewhat vexed.
Two physicians testified for the defense
to the effect that person wounded as was
Mrs. Hinshaw could have walked and
talked. Albert z. Sterne and J. b. COMM
gore were the two physicians who gave this
testimony in favor of the defendant, for
the State has held that Mrs. Hinshaw
could not have moved after being shot
Both OF the doctors are from Indianapolis.
Dr. Sterne was. one of the best witnesses
of the trial. He was as collected on cross
examination as he was on direct He, as
did also DR.. Comingore. expressed the opin-
ion that no sane man could inf1ict such i'm
juries on himself as the prosecution charges
Hinshaw with doing When Mr.. Span
arose during the cross-examination of DR..
Comingore and dramatically raised his hand
over his head hush fell over the court
room. He asked:
"A hypothetical question, Doctor: Sup
pose that man who had murdered his
wife. a minister of the gospel. who stood
with unblemished character and respected
Dy all, aw0ke TO the realization that he
had murdered his wife at an early hour
in the morning, and that disgrace and the
gailows stared him In the face; under these
circumstances, do you not think IL possible
that a man in that condition might infiict
injuries to himself such as have been de-
scribed?'
toward Hinshaw, but the defendant did not
change color, keeping his eyes fixed upon
the. witness The question was. followed
by silence, and there came q sigh of re-
lief when the, Doctor replied doubtfully:
He might"
Mr.. Smith conducted the examination of
knowledge of the human body and the con-
struction of the brain which he has shown
Is a surprise to his partner. Mr.. Duncan
who SAID yesterday:
Deacon, when you get through with this
case, you can try medicine If the law won't
make US living"
AIR. Smith has shown a wonderful famili-
the defendant that he has. for Mr.. Span
seems TO have posted himself pretty thor
oughly on the subject.
NO IMPROPER RELATIONS.
The State showed pretty conclhsively that
the intimations of improper relations ex-
isting between the defendant and Allie
Ferree were ungrounded. BY Oyler. a.
brother to Mrs. Hinshaw. it was shown
that on Sept. 10 20 IL. 1898. the defendant
was In Randolph county attending re-
union of the Hinshaw family. The State
introduced testimony during the presenta-
ton of their side that on the 10th of that
month Allie Ferree was seen to enter the
alley BY the Hinshaw parsonage and much
stress was laid upon the circumstance. 1t
was also in the evidence of the State that
Hinshaw visited house in Indianapolis, in
september, two years ago, and the intima-
ton was that he went there to meet Allie.
Ferree. who was visiting there at the time
Mrs. Cylvia Baillis, at whose house the
duced by the defense to-day, and she stated
that Hlnshaw upon that occasion did not
enter her house nor did he ever meet Allie
ated by Mrs. Edwards, who was present
when Hinshaw drove TO the house In his
buggy.
Miss Nettie Nays was on the stand again
to-day. She was cso and deliberate as ever.
Her testimony, Intended to impeacn that of
William East was given emphatically, and
when Mr.: Span aske ! questions inclined to
worry her, she shook her finger at him and
gave short, snappy answers in reply. Mr..
Spaan did not get Miss Mays to contra
dict herself or say one word which she did
not wish to say. Mrs Matilda Cornwall
testified that at the time of the tragedy she
was OF the impression that she saw two
men. She was of the same impression be-
fore the grand jury and the impression was
with her to-day, but she would not swear
positively that she saw two men when she
looked from her home and saw Hinshaw ~
ing In the road. II was shown by the de-
Tense that Mrs. Hinshaw seldom wore
night garment.s That her body was found
m mas tse STATE tba has held h
A half dozen or more wit
nesses testified to the previous good char
acter of the defendant OF his work in the
church and the loving way in which he
treated his wife. The witnesses for the
defense Jared we'll and 1t was another good
day for w. z. Hlnshaw.
The defense is nearing the end of its tes-
timony. The defendant may go on the
stand Thursday. Friday night at most will
see the completion OF the defense's tes-
timony. Both sides are preparing for the
rebuttal, and IL Is thought the jury will get
81 Sc a laffar ma ~ If