River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-07-04
THE WILLIAMS TRIAL.
The State Establishes the Killing
by Defendants Confession.
The Defense Puts Up the Plea of Tempo
rary Insanity, Caused by the In
timacy of Thomas with
Mrs Williams.

MINNEAPOLIS, June 27.-The trial of
Frederick Williams for the murder of
Henry w. Thomas is making rapid pro-
gress. The state had little trouble IL
establishing the fact that Williams shO,
Thomas; in fact, it was practicdl'y adj
mitted by the defense. The only wit
nesses put on by the state who could
give direct testimony were the police
officers, who testified &c the confession
made by Williams soon liter his arrest.
The theory of the defense is tempo
rary insanity, caused by jealousy of
Thomas, whom, it i, claimed. was in
strumental in alternating the affections
of Williams wife.
The defense sprurg sensation when
it introduced le'te from Mrs. Will
Jams, which Mr.. Williams claims he
found in Thomas room prior to the
homicide. The letter is as follows:
SUNDAY, 4-2I-'95.
"Dear Henry: Here it is Sunday
again and | am just ans. your letter,
but | know You are kind enough to
make allowances for the delay. I was
asked to the theater again this week,
but would not GO | was invited to go
riding tllis D. M, but refused and am
writing to you instead. Amt a good
girl. / wonder if Clark thinks he is
gaining anything by telling such lies?
1 have not seen Gus even since | have
been here. 1t made me so angry | was
going to sit right down aud write him
roast, but my better Judgment showed
me how foolish it would be, so | let il
pass. If f. should come up here he
would find his errand would be worse
than useless. You have my sympathy
if he bothers you very much. am
sorry to hear you speak so of Tena and
John the way You do. 1t makes me
feel blue every time | think of it. Did
mamma show you the bonnet / sent
her? Tell me what she thinks of il.
know she will tell me it is all right,
but want to know if she really thinks
so. Alma wrote and told me all about
Harvey getting lost the other day.
can imagine what a stew mamma was
in. Well, dear, how would it suit you
If came home on Sunday morning and
stayed till Tues. eve? If can possibly
get off will do so. Ii will be either
three days or only one. am nearly
wild to get back again. This has been
an awfully long day for me. How
wish that you were here to spend the
evening with me. | will forget what
it is to be kissed before j get back
again. Won't that be sad? suppose
j can count on you to teach me again.
Yesterday it rained all day, and when
! went home to supper | had to close
my umbrella. it was blowing so hard,
and my hair pin (the one you gave mel
fell in the mud, but / managed to get
home all safe and sound.
your loving little girl, Anna
Williams testified regarding Sunday
night as follows:
Il went out Park avenue to Lake
street, out Lake to Columbus, from
there to Thirty-first street, down to
Chicago avenue and then toward Thir-
ty-second street. | went down the right
hand side of Chicago avenue to Thirty
fourth street, and the back on the left
hand side till / came to the Berglund
residence at Thirty street.
saw the children there"
"What else did you see?"
Il went around on Thirth-second
street and looked in the side window. $"
"Who did you see there?"
81 saw Thomas there with my wife. -"
"Was tt ire any light in the room?''
"No. 81 the electric light on the cor
ner sho Ie into the room"
md you wait there?"
YES; | thought Thomas would go
home aud could see my wife"
do you remember what you dido"
mo; not exactly"
What do you recall?"
"Well, / remember I made up my
mind to GO home. ] saw a car and
thought ] would take it. Just then |
saw Thomas come out of the house and
my wife followed him. ! saw her put
her arms around his neck and kiss him.
Then turned away"
What next do you remember?"
II heard footsteps and then / saw
Thomas. remember seeing him throw
up his hands and fall and then | went
away"
Williams stated that when he came to
eighth street and Ninth avesue and
then he concluded to go home and did
so. The family had retired and he took
off his coat and vest and laid down on
the lounge. Willioms was shown the
revolver and identified it as belonging
to the Windsor hotel. He often used it
at the hotel to protect the cash drawer
and while going on the cars, which
were sometimes held up.
William also testified to injuries re-
ceived when young which had impaired
health. etc.
A number of witnesses testified to
the intimacy of Thomas and Mrs.
Williams while boarding at the Wind
sor hotel; that Thomas was unusually
friendly with Mrs. Williams, giving
her presents, theater tickets and kisses.