The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-07
BLIXT ON THE RACK
SUBJECTED TO A SEVERE CRoSS-Ex-
ANIMATION BY THE PROSECUTOR.
FruitIess Efforts to Entrap the Slayer
of Catherine Ging-Hayward
Laughs-Mrs. Blixt's Story.

MINNEAPOLIS. Feb. 6.-There was an
intensely sensational scene in the court
room to-day shortly after the Hayward
murder trial opened. Blixt, the self-con-
fessed murderer, was still on the stand,
and Mr.. Erwin began his days campaign
by charging directly that the witness had
doctored his confession given yesterday
to suit public clamor. The State objected to
this manner of cross-examination and the
court sustained the objection, on the ground
that it was an attack on character. Mr..
Erwin then asked Blixt how he accounted
for the discrepancy between the two state
ments he had made as to Harry's giving
him the whisky. Blixt wanted to go into an
explanation after his own idea, but Mr..
Erwin insisted on direct answer. Again
Blixt tried to hedge, Answering that he was
in no condition at the time Of his original
confession to remember details accurately.
"Any man in the condition I was in,'' said
Blixt, would not be likely to know whether
the time Hayward brought the whisky was
5 o'clock or half past T..
Hayward laughed aloud at this and looked
sQuarely at Blixt. 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 his
shaking hand straight at Hayward and his
lips trembled as he gasped, ''Yes. you-you
are the man that did it all. I know I tell
the truth and you know it,
Hayward. with chin resting on his hand,
his white teeth showing as his lips parted
in broad grin, had enraged the witness
beyond endurance. Blixt was rebuked by
the court and the cross-examination went
MINNEAPOLIS "4Oo' IN COURT.
The court room was crowded, at least four
hundred women being present. Every sub
terfuge that ingenuity could devise tried
on the doorkeepers to obtain admission,
and angry crowds were turned away. After
the court was called to order it took fifteen
minutes for the deputies to get every one
seated and secure quiet enough for the trial
to proceed DR.. Thaddeus t. Hayward,
brother of the accused was present, but
did not go near his brother. 1t was evident
as the cross-examination proceeded that
Erwin had determined on different lines of
attack from that attempted yesterday,
which had SO signally failed. Fe threatened
and browbeat the witness.
~---sfs-swant to explails something" said
Blixt.
mo. you don't" retorted the criminal
lawyer. You've babbled long enough;
you've got to get down to business now.
Did you not change your statement as to
what time 1t was when Harry brought you
the WHISKY because you Hap Deen INFORMED
that at that very time he was with man
named Waterman"
LAS ] sit here before God, what I have
said was of myself. No one had told
anything at all.
ibid you not make your second statement
at the muzzle of revolver and under
threat?''
NO. did not
'In your first statement you said Harry
gave you the cartridges about o'clock;
now you say it was z.
II did not change; L did not change. 1t
Then the witness was led over the story
again back and forth and through. in an
took up each discrepancy between Blixts
testimony yesterday and the first confession
he made wherein he asserted that Hayward
had done the actual shooting and asked the
witness the reason for it. Blxt invariably
answered that he confused at the time,
and his recollection was not clear. He had
thought it over every day since then, and all
the details had come back to him. Often
plcity of the witness
Did you not change your story and in
vent this one e. to fit It the & green GOODS theory
ne. Nc sad said BiiSt. haeo my memory was not
good then it is now
All said the questoner. sarcastically.
Mr.. Erwin wanted Biixt 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 question he wanted,
81 thought maybe he had changed his
mind since yesterday" said Erwin in a half
aside to the jury, "and we have right to
the latest edition.
For another hour in the afternoon the
merciless Erwin kept Blixt on the rack.
Not once did he entrap the witness into
any serious contradiction, bring out
any new facts that would be of service to
the defense.
MRS. BLIXT QUESTIONED.
Blixt finally complained of a headache and
was excused until tomorrow. His wife was
called next. Her testimony was mainly cor
roboratiye of Blixts story of his relations
with Hayward and the many conversations
they had. Coming to the night Of the
murder she said: about IL o'clock Harry
came in and went to our bedroom. He
said:
!" Blixt, are you asleep?
about o'clock Harry came down stairs
again and hollered out: 'Blixt, are you
asleep? twice. Then he said:
" That girl on the fifth floor has been
murdered. She was murdered for her
money. Some feller of hers met her out
there and murdered her for her money Is
lost / wonder if I'd better go asld tell the
insurance people in the morning. And they
don't know who done it. They amt got no
clew.'
Mrs. Blixt overheard a part of the con-
versation and said in telling it: Harry
bedroom. | heard him say: Those darn
fools think l know something about that
case. They thought they would take me
before them and l would break down.
Bahl' -
The cross-examination was in progress
when court adjourned.
II