Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-05
NATE COMPELLED TO REST
All of the Testimony Against Morgan is
Now In.
JDGE CUT THE PROSECUTION SHORT
Declared Too Much Time Was BEING
Consumcti-Contin of Dnm-
aging Testimony Against Ac-
cused-Dcfcnse opens Today.

afternoon in most unusual way, IL lalFy
took the breath away from the attorneys
present at the trial. including that OF the
county attorney
IL was at 430 O'Clock half hour before
the regular time for adjourning court.
witness was on the stand and Judge Scott
was called upon to decide an objection. After
he made the ruling he said:
"Mr. County Attorney, l think you are
going over a good deal of old ground by these
witnesses I have been hearing good deal OF
the same kind of evidence. Therefore | have
decided that you must finish your case to-
night. We will adjourn at o'clock and re-
convene at 1880 and stay in session until
you introduce all OF your evidence
The county attorney jumped up In surprise
"Why, your honor, have fifteen more
witnesses and some of them Will ofer I'M
portant testimony. I have not talked with
them ALL If you do this l can't Introduce
their testimony intalligently. Remember tha'
this is case OF great Importance. Lie ana
death are involved If you had told me oil
your decision this morning might have been
prepared But cannot get all my testimony
in before tomorrow noon and | hope you Will
give me that time at least"
81 don't care If you have $1,000 witnesses
responded the court. IL said you would have
tonight and only tonight and that's all there
is about it, Proceed with your examination.
The court could not be moved. Conse-
auently the county attorney hurried his testl-
mony and when he had finished he had stiii
six subpoenaed witnesses whom he could not
put on the stand because he did not Know
what they would testify to.
During the Morgan murder trial most Oh
Yesterday morning was occupied WIFI lHc
cross examination of Willie Gaskill, the
brother of murdered Ida Gaskill.
The little fellow, only years of age, stood
up under the close questioning OF the de-
PENDANTS attorneys remarkably well. His
answers were direct and positive and at
every point he reiterated his story OF the
events of the Sunday on the evening OF
which Ida was murdered, the facts con-
cerning which he told in the direct exami-
nation late Tuesday afternoon. The de-
fense put all kinds of questions to him IN
the hope of tripping him up, but the bright
little boy was more than match 1or the
lawyers So far as the cross-eNamination
went the defense was utterly unable to
weaken his testimony.
When the attorneys for the defense saw
that his testimony could net be broken down
they set to work to break down the boy
himself and in this they succeeded. They
questioned him on the same points again and
again, went over ground that was immateria
to the issues and hedged him in corners by
tnelr questions, lTOln WHICH tue oiuest ohu
most experienced witness would have found
difficulty in exricating himself Judge
Scott permitted it despite the objections OF
the county attorney. Finally the boy gave
HE BEGAN TO CRY.
He had Just said that he had gone to bed
on the night Of the murder at about o'clock.
How do you know that 1t was o'clock?'
was asked.
The little fellow was tired. He had tried
inn N
had been on the stand for two hours, and
through all that time had gone through SINH
lar questioning He was asked, 'How 90
you know this?" and How do you know
that?" and why might such and such
thing have been so and SOP" 1t was more
than his nature could stand He began to cry.
There was hardly man or woman In the
crowded court room who was not moved
Tears welled up at the sight of the pitirul
little boy. who had before answered every
thing so bravey and 80 inteiligentiy. Even
the court moved.
'Mr Bailiff," said Judge Scott take the
jury out for few minutes. Little boy, go
to your mother
When court reconvened Judge Scott re-
fused to allow the cross-examnation to con-
tinue at the time and consequently 1t was
postponed to the afternoon.
MORGAN SHOWS UNEASINESs.
Morgan, however, was not moved. He sat
through the questioning without an eX-
preston on his face, although he followed
every word that the little witness said. But
he is beginning to look worried. There is
scowl on his forehead almost continually and
he casts frequent and furtive glances at the
Jurors He speaks to his attorney quite
frequently and at one time during the morn
ing conference of several minutes duration
occurred between them.
Immediately upon the convenng Of the
court yesterday Willie Gaskil placed
on the stand and after few questions had
been put by the state the boy was turned
over for cross-eXamination.
He was questioned regarding Bookers re-
lations with the Gaskill family. Members
had known Booker for some three weeks
and he was considered pretty good friend.
He had given the children money several
times to buy candy. On the Sunday Willie
and Ida had gone to dinner with him in ac-
ceptance Of an invitation which had been
given to Ida The children had known Nor
gan about three weeks.
On Sunday, between and o'clock, Willie
saw Ida when he was near the tany mans
place, just north of his home. She whis-
pered that she was going to invite Booker to
supper Then she walked away toward the
red house on her way to Booker's house.
That was the last time he saw Ida.
did you no, go to the grocery store with
Ida on Sunday night after you saw her on her
way to Booker's?"
mo, sir. That was on Saturday night"
Willie was closely cross-examined as to his
meeting with Morgan. which he said occurred
between 3 and o'clock Sunday afternoon
His testimony. however, was not shaken. He
said that he met Morgan at the tinshop near
St. Mary's avenue, walked with him to the
red house. to the east side There Morgan
got in through window and said:
MORGAN WANTED IDA.
"You so and tell Ida want to see her
/ want her TO go on an errand. Don't tell
anybody else. though, not even your mother y
After delivering the message he went back
to the same side window.
"Why did you not look into the front win
dows? 1t is out of the way TO go back TO the
side window"
II don't know Because thought he would
be by the other window"
At this answer Assistant County Attorney
Slabaugh made some remark. One OF the
attorneys for the defense charged him with
audibly saying, That's business" The at
torney charged him with coaching the wit
ness.
"That's a falsehood," said Slabaugh.
The court avered the threatened storm by
remarking that he had not heard the remark
but informed the county attorneys that they
could address only the court during the
cross examination.
The boy was very closely questioned re-
N "a cd hnu af, IA