St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-09-07
MRS. PERKINS HELD TO AWAIT
THE ACTION OF THE GRAND
JURY,
BUT BAIL IS ALLOWED,
A PRACTICAL PROOF THAT THE
EVIDENCE is NOT OF THEa
STRONGEST.
THE AMOUNT FIXED AT $4,000.
1t Is Not Believed the Grand Jury
Will Indict-Day's Testi-
mOny.

Mrs. Lora Perkins has been bound
over to await the action Of the
grand jury on the charge Of murder.
Judge Holt arrived at that decis-
ion yesterday afternoon, after listen
| ing to five days of testimony. Con-
sidering the strong evidence put in
| by the defense in the last two days
the action was a surprise to nearly
all who have been watching the
case.
Surprise No. 2 followed five min
utes later, when the judge an
nounced that he would admit the
prisoner to bail, and fixed the
amount at $4,000. "A judicial para
doX," one lawyer called it. The words
used by the magistrate in giving his
decision certainly places him in a
peculiar light. Disregarding the rule
of probable cause" he said his rule
would be the same as that pursued
in a trial court on a motion to dis
miss. 'I find that there is some evil
dence which should come before a
| jury" he said, land 1 will have to
bind the prisoner over" There was
a question about admitting to bail.
The statute was quoted, saying that
bail should not be allowed in cap
ital offenses when the proof is evil
dent or the presumption great" By
admitting to bail, the judge prac-
t1cally admitted that the proof was
not evident or the presumption
great.
"If that is the rule of preliminary
examinations" said Bert Hall, 'T
can't see what they are for. 1t means
that If the state has any evidence
at all, the prisoner
MUST BE HELD"
AS far as the counsel were con-
cerned the courts decision was a.
very even thing. The case was to
nave been carried to the grand Jury
anyway, and all the decision of yes
terday amounted to was giving Mrs.
Perkins her liberty until the grand
jury acts next week, though of
course the insurance men and Fly
cops consider it a justification, of
the arrest. Mrs. Perkins. was evil
IDENTIFY well pleased at the. outcome.
and regarded it as a partial tri
umph.
Yesterday until o'clock was taken
up with the testimony of several wit
nesses for the defense. DR.. Charles
M. K1stler took the stand for cross
examination and was given some
pretty hard rubs by the county attor-
ney on the question of his relations
with the defendant He was asked
point blank if he loved all his pa
tlents, and in reply said that he loved
them all. Afterwards he admitted
that he loved Mrs. Perkins a little
more than the others. *
Herbert Smith, the druggist, and
Bennie Oberg, who was his assistant
last April, carried out the testimony
as TO the prescription, and Mr.. Smith
and Charles Littlefield corroborated
the fact of Mrs. Perkins visit to
the coroner's Office. Thomas Mayer
witnessed to the evening call at the
Perkins-Hawkins residence, and thus
every thread of the doctors story
was supported.
Another interesting witness was
Frank Dickenson, one of the hitherG
to undiscovered Spanish class. Mr..
Dickinson was evidently an unpreju-
diced witness, and the state got very
little out OF him on cross-examina-
ton. His testimony established the
fact that Mrs. Hawkins was aware OF
the insurance on her life. A, f.
Williams, another witness, produced
a negative alibi for Mrs. Perkins on
July 13, when she was said to have
visited the Security Mutual people to
pay a premium. He testified to see-
ing Mrs. Hawkins in the Guaranty
Loan building on that day, going up
in an elevator.
A. III. Hall made a lengthy plea for
his client, scoring the prosecution
and especially the insurance men.
very heavily, and not forgetting a
sharp knock at his pet aversion, Of
f1cer Hoban. Mr.. Nye made no plea,
just submitted the case on the evi-
dence.
| A. H. Hall says positively that the
bail will be furnished today. A
wealthy and prominent citizen is
said to have guaranteed the, entire
amount beforehand, and all that is
necessary is to produce it and have
it approved by Judge Holt. Mrs.
Perkins was taken back to the iaif
yesterday afternoon, and will STAY,
there until the bond is signed.
The grand jury meets next week.
and the case will probably be taken
up early in the session, if the state
preserves it's present attitude. There
| are some, however, who believe that
the county attorney will drop the
| matter just where it stands, admit
ting that conviction is impossible.
HE LOVED MRS. PERKINS.
There was comparatively small
| crowd in attendance at the Perkins
| examination yesterday morning, The
| defendant seemed to be much stronger
| than heretofore. DR.. c.. M. Kfstler s
| cross-eXamination was resumed by the
| county attorney. The doctor was aues-
toned regarding the visit Mrs. Haw-
kins paid to his Office April o. when she
| notified that Mrs. Perkins was sick,
apd as to why he had taken Mr.. Mayer
along when he went up to the house
in the evening. He said. he. had met
Mr.. Mayer and asked him If he want
ed to take ride. Mr.. Nye asked sew
eral questions leading up to. a demand
| If witness was engaged to Mrs. Per-
kins. Mr.. Hall objected in vain.- Wit
ness replied he was not. In answer
to questions regarding his feelings