Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-12-13
Her Account Of the Happenings at the
Ranch or the Morning of
the Homicide.
The Wadsworth Case.
THURSDAY.

THURSDAY.
At the Wadsworth trial yesterday aft
ernoon, Ed Dietz wasput upon the stand
by the state. The witness was one of
the coroner's jurors who first held an in
quest over the dead body of Edward
Severson. He was summoned as such
juror by Coroner Eaton, and was at the
Wadsworth ranch for two days follow
ing the homicide. The prosecution
brought out from him what he remem-
bered Of the testimony Of Marcus Wads-
worth at this inquest, although the de-.
Tense entered objections to each ques-
ton touching this matter, on the grounds
that it was not shown that the inquest
had been a legal inquiry under the laws
of the state, or that the witness, Wads-
worth, had been informed of any rights
he might have had as such. The court
overruled the objection, and the defense
excepted to the rulings in this matter.
The witness stated that Wadsworth
had made to the jury the representation
that Severson had died from the kick Of
a horse; that the jury had found a YER
dict: that afterward an examination of
the body had revealed the bullet holes,
and they tore up their first verdict and
proceeded to consider the case anew:
that upon the first discovery of the
bullet holes they had gone to the house,
in which were Wadsworth, his wife, and
Fred Roehm; that the coroner had made
the announcement that Severson had
not died from the kick of a horse, but
had been murdered; that they had found
a bullet hole through him: that Mrs.
Wadsworth had said that she knew
something was wrong when she saw
them entering the house; that Wads-
worth manifested no surprise or interest
when appraised of the fact that Severson
had been murdered; that he said moth
ing except to state, when the coroner
had said that he must take the boy,
Roehm, away with him, that he did not
believe the boy had anything to do
with it.
The witness further stated that the
Wadsworths did not at any time after
this go out to look at the body, 0 give
any directions as to what should be done.
The witness told also, in connection with
the finding Of the bullet hole, the method
by which the clothes of the deceased had
been cut by him. when he started to re-
move them; the presence of the body in
the summer sleeping room, where it was
subsequently placed in the coffin and
taken to Medora.
The clothes of the deceased, worm at
the time Of the homicide, were in court,
and offered in evidence by the state;
there was a coat and vest, pants and two
shirts; the witness identified the cloth
ing as that which had been worn by
Stevenson; said that at the time they
made the discovery of the bullet hole
there was a small spot Of blood on the
vest, where the bullet had come out Of
the body on the right side, and quite a
large amount of blood on the shirts.
This evidence was being given when
court adjourned.
All this forenoon the witness Dietz
was on the stand. He told Of gathering
Severson's effects, and taking down the
saddle from the peg inside the barn. He
identified the clothing which he cut
from the body of Severson on the day
after the shooting. The witness was
cross examined at lengthbyM MI. Boucher.
In the course Of his cross examination
he stated that he had learned before
going to the Wadsworth ranch that
Severson had been kicked by a horse,
and he was not told that by either Of the
Wadsworths or by the boy. He con
tended that Mr.. Wadsworth sat in the
house during the day following the
| shooting, and made no remarks what
ever concerning Severson Or the manner
in which he met his death. The witness
was still being cross examined when
court adjourned for the noon recess.
This afternoon the cross examination
of the witness Dietz was resumed.
FRIDAY.
Yesterday afternoon the witness Deitz,