The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-12
HEARNE ON The RACK.
His Trial for the Murder
Of Amos J. Stillwell
Begun.
CASE OF THE STATE.
The Prosecution Outlines the
Evidence Against the
Doctor.
STORY OF THE ALLEGED CRIME
The Prisoner Accused of Staying an
Old Man That He Might
Marry His Widow.

BOWLING GREEN, Mo-, Dec. 1.-THE
actual trial of Dr. Joseph G. Hearne for
the murder of Amos J. Stillwell began to-
day. Many ladies were in attendance in
the crowded courtroom when the trial
opened at 10 o'clock.
When the jury was sworn Attorney Dry
den for the defense announced that with
few exceptions, on which he thought the
States attorneys could agree, he would
like all witnesses excluded during the TAX
ing of the testimony. The list of witnesses
for whom subpenas have been returned
was read. Colonel Dryden insisted that
the State disclose all witnesses it expected
to call. The prosecution refused to do
this. The court withheld a ruling until
those additional witnesses should be called
and declared that the State must take upon
itself the responsibility of having this tes-
timony admitted. The States attorneys,
apparently being afraid to take chances,
asked for time to consult. AT 11:30 court
adjourned until 80 P. NJ. to give them
this opportunity.
When court met after luncheon, Fl.
Clay Heather, prosecuting attorney of
~ oiAOu OOuitty, Sdld tudt tudu
ieopardize the States case by leaving any
possible opening for reversal by the Su-
preme Court be had prepared list of all
witnesses who had been subpenaed by the
State. The list was handed to the lawyers
for the defense. He then read to the Jury
the indictment against DR.. Hearne charg-
ing him and Mrs. Hearne with having
murdered Amos ]. StilIwell on Decem Der
%, 1889. While it was being read, Mrs.
Hearne and her two stepdaughters en-
tered.
Mr.. Heather next made the opening
statement to the jary. He said that it
would be necessary for the State. in order
to secure a conviction under the indict-
ment, to prove first that Amos. J. Stillwell
was murdered. and then that DR.. Hearne
was the murderer. The State would rely
wholly on circumstantial evidence.
Mr.. Heather reviewed the case, begin
ming with the trip East made by Mr.. Still
well when he first met and married the
woman who is now Fannie C. Hearne
He was then over so years of age and she
was girl of %. He brought her to Han
nibal and installed her in his home, and
she was recognized at once as the leader of
a swagger set. In Hannibal at that time
was Joseph G. Hearne, doctor, married.
AS time went by DR.. Hearne's wife died
and Mrs. Stillwell grew tired of being an
old mans darling. She said frequently to
friends that she wished she had
a young husband, a strong young man
like DR.. Hearne. DR.. Hearne heard this
and began paying her attentions so marked
as to be commented upon freely. Their
relations were discovered by the aged hus-
band. Mrs. Stillwell told her frienus that
DR.. Hearne had hypnotized her so she
could not give him up.
Their relations grew so scandalous that
the story crept into the papers, and then
came the murder at midnight, after Mr.
and Mrs. Stillwell had returned from a
ward party.
Mr.. Heather detailed the events follow
ing the discovery of the murder. His de-
scrlption of the finding of the body of the
murdered millionaire, with his head cleft
to the shoulders by a swinging blow of an
ak, was graphic, and during its recital
there was a silence that was intense in the
courtroom. DR.. Hearne leaned back in his
chair, with one arm thrown over the back.
to every word, but with no sign
of particular interest. Mrs. Hearne bent
forward and lost not a word. Her eyes
the jury and looked up and down
the two rows of faces, but not a muscle of
her body moved. The fixed frown never
relaxed and the lips were never opened.
II was almost painful to see that unchange-
able look of concentrated thought that sat
on her face.
All of the love affairs of Mrs. Hearne
viii be fully told at this trial. Her petit
ton for divorce, which was filed in Califor-
MIA in 1894, will be in evidence. She was
divorced from DR.. Hearne on August 10,
and they were remarked on Septembe %,
1894.
The petition IN the divorce case had laid
bare the domestic infelieity of the two.
She claimed that Hearne never gave her a
dollar, but lived on her money: that he
beat her cruelty and threatened to kill
her; that he tore her clothes off, cursed her
wished her dead and Gagged her
in a room for hours at time.