Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-12-12
DR.. Hearne on Trial.
SEVERANCE GRANTED IN THE
STILLWELL MURDER CASE,
NOW ON TRIAL.
Pale and Thin, But Entirely Sell
Possessed, Mrs. Hearne Surveys the
Lawyers and Spectators.

BOWLING GREEN, Mo, Dec. 81
Seven years have passed since the
murder of Amos J. Stillwell, the rich
pork packer of Hannibal, now finally,
after the finger of suspicion has been
pointed at them steadily all this time,
DR.. and Mrs. j. 9. Hearne are to
stand trial for the brutal crime. Here,
in the county seat of Pike county they
are to pass through the terrible ordeal
away from the passions and the
prejudice of the people who knew
them and the man whose death is laid
at their door. From the appearances
it would seem that Pike county will
give them a fair and honest hearing.
The sentiment in Marion county was
so strong against them that a change
of venue was deemed absolutely es-
sential by the defendants attorneys.
Although Pike adjoins Marion the
feeling is very different. The crime
and its punishment has never been
made a political issue here, as it was
in Marion county, and q fair jury will
be easily ~attainable.
Bowling Green is naturally worked
up over the trial, for about the crime
and the consequent circumstances
there is more of mystery than is usual
in such cases. The hotels are crowded
with the panel of jurymen which has
been summoned in the case, and a
great number of witnesses from Han
nibal and other points.
Very few of those interested in the
trial arrived in the city until this
morning. DR.. and Mrs. Hearne have
been here for six weeks in charge of
Sheriff Daugherty. They have been
treated as guests rather than as
prisoners, occupying the best room in
the Jail. DIR. Hearne has been around
town with the sheriff and Mrs. Hearne
with the sheriff's wife. Many ladies
have called on her and have been al
lowed to see her in the parlor.
The sheriff has been in receipt of
much criticism at the hands of a great
many persons on account of this. Last
Jury sat down on him severely for
turning the Jail into a resort for pleas
ure. He holds that he merely wanted
to make life as easy as he could for
the unfortunate prisoners and does
not feel that he has done anything
wrong.
Col. Nat G. Dryden, of st. Louis,
chief counsel for DIR. Hearne, came
up from st. Louis last night. He has
associated with him in the defense
seven other attorneys. They are: Col.
r. Z. Anderson and George w. Har-
rison, of Hannibal; ex-Gov. David A.
Ball, ~ex-Judge T. j. c. Fagg and
Edward b. Hicks, of Louisiana, Mo-;
Z. w. Major and Robert L. Motley, of
Bowling Green, Nc.
The prosecution is represented by
five attorneys. They r. H. Clay
Heather, Prosecuting Attorney Of
Marion county; Ras Pearson, Prose-
cutting Attorney OF Pike county; Col.
Richard p. Giles, of Shelbina, Mo-;
Congressman Champ Clark and /. c.
Dempsey, of Bowling Green.
OF these Heather is the only Marion
county man. Heather and Giles
reached here this morning on the
Short Line train from Hannibal. On
the same train were Richard Stillwell,
son of the murdered man, and John
E. Stillwell, of Joplin, Mo-, n of the
murdered mans nephews. the latter
has been particularly earnest in his
efforts to fasten the guilt upon the
Hearnes, his belief in their criminality
being very strong. Others on the
train were Misses Virginia and Kath-
crime H~earne, daughters of the indicted
physician by his first wife, Mrs. DIR.
Allen, Jim Abbey, the negro detect
i've; Lizzie Julius, Deputy Sheriff
Washendorf and others.
Court convened in the little Court
House on the square shortly after 10
O'Clock. Judge r. L. Roy was On the
bench. DIR. and Mrs. Hearne, who had
been in consultation with their attor-
neys, were brought in by the Sheriff.
The doctor looked very much as he
did before the Indictment. He was
perhaps a trfie thinner, but his face
was ruddy and his manner calm and
unruffied.
Mrs. Hearne was pale and thin. She
was dressed in a dark cloth suit, with
a gray coat trimmed in fur. A modest
little bonnet surmounted her head and
a thin dotted veil covered.her features.
After seating herself, however, she
raised this and calmly surveyed the
crowd of lawyers and newspaper men
who were within the railing.
The two defendants seated them
selves with DR.. Hearne's two daugh-
tiers between them. The ladies are
young and nice looking.
Just before the doctor took his seat
he looked around and noticed Mr..
Heather standing between him and his
"Don't come between me and my
daughters" he exclaimed sharply to
the young prosecuting attorney.
"Are you the Sheriff here?" asked
the latter, sarcastically, "rll stand
where / please"
The doctor looked angry, but moth
ing more was said.
The first question of the court to
pass on was the motion for a sever
ance made by the defense. The two
defendants had been jointly indicted.
Judge Roy granted the motion, as was