St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-28
THE VERDICT.
The COrOner,s Jury Finishes It's
IfahOrs

$50 far as it appears before the
jurors from the evidence produced,
she came to her death through burns
caused by the upsetting or the explo-
sion of a lamp. Said Lola Hawkins
ON ne 1851 6 :Snv qlesp Isq o. eueo
2917 Tenth avenue south, Minneapo-
lis
Such is the verdict of the coroners
jury in the Hawkins case, returned at
$40 yesterday afternoon 1t was no
surprise. In fact, both sides were ex-
pecting just such a conclusion, and the
proceedings yesterday were brief in
the extreme. Not a line of testimony
was taken, and the jury took the case
just as it stood after the adjournment
Saturday
A. H. Hall, attorney for Mrs. Per-
kins, would not permit his client to
testify, as DR.. Charles M. kistler, who
is attending her, gave as his opinion
that she was too i'll to leave her room.
1t appeared, however, that there. was
still another motive for the refusal.
The state had not produced sufficient
evidence to implicate Mrs Perkins in
the verdict, and her attorney was evil
IDENTIFY determined to save her testt-
Thursday.
IF you want to take the jury up
there to look at her I've no objection, -
he said, but as to interrogating her,
L will not permit it,
The roll of the jury was called at
2:30, and the room was cleared Of
Spectators. Attorney Hall then made
his explanation to the jury. He said:
1.-THE immediate reason for my advis-
ing my client not to appear here is her
present condition, but my ultimate rea-
son is that the laws of the state and
constitution provide that every one
charged with crime be confronted with
those making the charge and with a
speedy trial. They are also presumed
to be innocent. If this was coroner
inquest and made for the especial pur-
pose of ascertaining the cause of death,
my client would be the first witness to
claims that it knows the causes of
death. The two positions are incom-
patibie. The verdict Of this jury, what
ever it may be, will amount to nothing.
To put woman on the stand and
hazard her to inquiry without knowing
the charge against her is a dangerous
thing. This examination, due, perhaps,
to an over-zealous activity on the part
of the county officers, is wholly unwar-
ranted, foolish and fiimsy.
My client will appear in the munic-
lpal court Thursday and the charges
will be met there. ] am here to insist
that the investigation of crime in this
community shall be done in an honor
L
to have my client come here and dig
nifty these proceedings with evidence
She is entitled to that much good treat
ment."
County Attorney Nye, in reply, said
he should have nothing to say about
the weight of evidence. He thought it
would do Mrs. Perkins no harm to re-
peat what she had told to scores of
people, and if she was innocent. it
could not hurt her to say so. But if
Mrs. Perkins testimony was not to be
given, there was no use of continuing
the investigation further. The case
was then given to the jury, with the re-
suit told above.
AS soon as the verdict was rendered,
and the jury discharged, they were es-
given an audience with the accused
woman. 1t was very brief as she was
not apparently in a condition to talk
with them. Each stepped TO the side
of the cot and shook hands with her,
but no words beyond the usual greet
about the verdict just rendered. The
party then Went across to the big jail
room, where Jailer West took them to
the top tier for a little visit with Harry
Hayward, the star boarder.
The defense has won first blood in
the battle, but even y. H. Hall does
not take much account of the verdict
The whole thing was farce" he said
last evening, land it was all foolish
ness to take a line of testimony. [
called their bluff in good shape, though.
1 did not propose to have that woman
brought before such an inquisition, and
they had no legal right to make her
Not word of that testimony can ever
be made use of in later proceedings,
not even for Impeachment for the jury
was not sitting in the manner pre-
scribed by law, and the whole trans
action could be thrown OUT