The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-03

though Miss Hellingsworth was the
strongest for the state. The testimony
was racy in most marked degree and
while the trial was, as above stated, very
brief, comparatively speaking, it was quite
as interesting as though it had lasted
several weeks. The main points of all
testimony are to be found below in the de-
tails of the trial and especial attention
is given the testimony of Mrs. and Mr..
Cooper, on which the whole trial may
be said to have hung as to the cause
of the rash act, though some of the tes-
timony of the trial had to be eliminated,
as it could not appear in print. The
taking of the testimony was concluded
last afternoon about 4 o'clock and the
arguments began.
All during the trial yesterday the pris-
oner conducted himself quietly and with
perfect composure.
The trial was ably managed, District
Attorney Burleson, assisted by County
Attorney Calhoun, representing the state
and Attorneys Geo. PendeXter and Il.
II. Moore representing the defendant.
After the taking of the testimony all
these gentlemen made most able argu-
ments in behalf of their respective sides.
After the taking of the testimony the
wife Of the prisoner and his little baby
came in and seated themselves by his
side, where they remained in silence until
the jury filed out of the room at 7:15
last night. The wife's face was II
picture of sorrow and there were none
who looked at her but whose hearts
swelled with sympathy for her The
little child was fast asleep when the
charge of the judge was read to the jury
and did not know that the hour of SUI
preme trial had come. The wife was
fully conscious, however, and ,wept
quietly as she bowed her head in submis-
sion to the fates that had decreed the
prominent and not enviable part she had
played in the drama of the day
As the jury left the room the crowd
of spectators left and the prisoner was
taken back to Jail to spend the night in
anguished doubling as to the morrow
and the wife and the innocent little
baby went forth into the night air to
their home, the one suffering in. silence
all the agony a woman can suffer and
tbe other ignorant of what had been
taking place, as any child in its limo
cence is.
The Jury, after securing supper. re-
paired to their room at $50 o'clock. They
were still up and talking ut midnight,
Judging from the light that was burning
in their room. They may possibly bring
in n sealed verdict today. but it, of course,
can not be opened until tomorrow.
THE TRIAL.
The court opened promptly Mt O'Clock
with a good attendance and the examina-
ton of witnesses was begun ut once.
Albert Stellfox was the first witness
put on the stand. He testified In SUD-
stance as follows: wv
working for G.. A. Balm about the list
of last August. l do not know w. Il.
Cooper l did not know Jesse Rudicil.
Saw a man on August q they said was
Rudicil. 1t was on East Sixth street,
below San Jacinto. ] saw him on car,
acting as motorman. | saw another man
enter the car from the rear, and when
near the center of the car he shot at the
motorman, and continued shooting three
or four times, and maybe more. The mo-
torman was not looking at the man who
shot him when the first shot was hred.
About the third shot he sunk to his knees.
He was afterward carried into the butch
er shop. 1 don't know what became OF
the man who did the shooting"
Cross examined by Mr. Pendexter:
The witness described the location OF
Bahn's store and continued: Il was
talking to BERTHE Fletcher. When the
car DuSScu L lOOhtu Ut "oo oA
inside of the store, probably fifty feet
from the door. There are three doors in
the front of the store. AS near as l can
remember, the car was in front OF the
middle door. What first attracted my at
tention was the running of the car.
saw both men when the first shot was
fired.
Redirect: Tile moiorman had ms
back turned to the man who shot him
when the first shot was fired"
Ned Jackson testified: II know VIII
Cooper and knew Jesse Rudicil. / was
on East Sixth street the 21st of August.
was standing in front of the Mckinney
barber shop waiting for jess RudiciPs
car. ] did not see Will Cooper get on
the car. | first saw him near the center
of the car. He put his hand behind him,
as | thought. to get money to pay his
fare, but instead, he drew pistol. Ru-
dicil was at the lever and had his back
turned to Cooper when the latter fired
n shot. Cooper then walked to the door
of the car and fired three more shots into
Rudici!'s back"
Cross-examined by Mr. Moore: II was
standing in front Jf the Mckinley bar
Der shop. | was waiting for the car to
get opposite to where | was standing, TO
get on it. did not see Cooper get on
the car. When | first saw him he was
near the center of the car. Rudicil was
looking straight in front of him when the
FIRST shot was fired. There was a lady on
the car. | think she was sitting on the
side next to me, near the back Of the car.
| will swear positively that Jesse Rrti-
cil did not use his hands in any man
ner by way of defending himself. At
the first shot he turned his head, and at
the second shot he fell | was not expect
ing any trouble"
Redirect: after Cooper fired the first
shot he walked toward Rudicil. RudiciTs
body fell from the car ran to him;
saw him when they were taking off his
clothes. At no time did see any weapon
On Rudicils person.
Miss Cora Hellingsworth was next
placed on the stand and testified as fol
ows: II live in Sherman. Formerly
iyed in Austin. Lived here eighteen
rears. Was in Austin about |
list of August. Was on the car on Sixth |
street when the shooting occurred. Was
20 frightened that don't remember the |
.xact locality the car was in at the time
When the car was going pretty rapidly a
nan swung himself on it. / was sitting |
10 in front, near the motorman. The |
nan who got on the car came to the front |
nd and shot, and the smoke was in my |
ace / was very much frightened and
an TO the back door OF the car and
screamed for help. The man who did
he shooting advanced on the motorman
nd shot again. He afterwards threw the
notorman from the car. When the motor
nan was shot first he had his hands on