Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-02-08
ERWIN AND BL|XT
The Attorneys Heavy Fire
Unable to Alter the Lat
ter'S Testimony.
STICKS TO HIS FIRST STORY.
Witness Becomes III in the
Afternoon and His Wife
Takes the Stand.

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 6.-Clause Blixt is
proving an invaluable witness to the
state in its case against Harry Hayward
P'tted against the most skillful analyst
of evidence to be found from one end of
the country to the other, subjected to
a cross-examnation SO scathing that con-
tradictions might be expected to occur,
oven were the witness gifted with a
more subtle understanding than that Of
Blixt, tho man has stuck to his story
without alteration of single detail that
can be regarded as important or in any
way essential. Blixt's long seige on the
stand has told on him and during the
afternoon he complained Of q severe
headache and was excused. His wife
was then called and was on the stand
When court adjourned.
Very Few Deviations.
While the defense has succeeded in
getting some denials, and showing some
discrepancies between the second con-
fession and his testimony, it is generally
conceded that Blixt has not deviated to
any great extent from the statements he
made in the second confession. At the
close Of tho morning session ex-Mayor
Eustis gave expression to his surprise
in the statement that he had never seen
the like of it in the history of jurispru-
dence. Everything fits in," said the
ex-mayor. HE has not seen his second
confession, and I consider it a remark
able case. He is in the hands Of his
God, and is telling the TRUTH
There have been some intensely sem
sational scenes in connection with this
cross-examination.
Mr.. Erwin openly charged Blixt with
doctring his confess; on to suit public
clamor and the charge was emphatically
denied
A Different Line Of Attack.
It became very evident to everyone
as the CT O ,s-examination proceeded that
Erwin had determined on a different
line of attack from that attempted Tues
day, which had so signally failed. he
threatened and browbeat the witness.
II want to explain something" said
Blixt.
.s mo YOU don IT, 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 it was when Harry brought
you the whisky because you had been
informed that at that very time he was
with a man named Waterman?"
LAS I sit here before God, what Ihave
said was of myself. No one had told me
anything at ALL"
''Did you not make your second state
ment at the point Of revolver, and
under threat"
"No, did not"
Gin your first statement you said
Harry gave you the cartridges about 8;
now you say it was at ~
II did not change! I didn't change!
It was between 6 and T."
Was Confused at the Time.
And then the witness was led over
the story again, back and forth and
through, in the effort to secure contra
dictions.
Mr.. Erwin took up each discrepancy
between Blixt's testimony and the first
confession he made, wherein he asserted
that Hayward had done the actual
shooting and asked the witness the rea-
son for it. Blixt's invariable reply was
that he was 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. Oftentimes the efforts Of the law
yer to entrap him were foiled by the
stolidity and simplicity of the witness.
His Remember Improved.
"Did you not change your story and
invent this one to fit the green goods
theory of the state?' asked Erwin.
NO." said Blixt. my remember
wasn't as good then as it is now.
''Ah," said his questioner sarcastic
cally. Mr.. Erwin wanted Blixt to de-
scribe 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 spe-
cific question he wanted, but the whole
recital need not be gone over again.
Il thought maybe he had changed his
memory since yesterday" said Erwin
in half aside to the jury, land we have
q right to the latest edition"
Erwin's Work Fruitless.
For another hour in the afternoon the
merviless Erwin kept Blixt on the rack,
going over the various parts Of his story
& .dn and again. Not once did he get
the witness into any contradiction;
neither did he bring out any new fact
that would be of service to the defense.