New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-10
AN UNINTEREsTING SESSION.
LEGAL DISCUSSIONS TIRE BOTH JURORS AND
SPECTATORS.


After the storm, the calm. The animated pro-
ceedings that marked the course of the FLEMING
trial on Monday and on the previous Friday
gave way yesterday to legal argument Nearly
the whole Of the day was devoted to the dis
cussion of the legality of admitting the VIII Oh
Robert Swift Livingston In evidence. and TO the
reading Of legal documents and the seVerai oe-
orees that have been given concerning the fire.
ouert litigation that has arisen over the dlspo-
siton Of the money left in trust for Mrs Fiem-
irr. Compared with yesterdays proceedings In
the trial. the long and monotonous examinations
Of talesmen for the selection Of jurynen was
one continued period OF wild and hilarious eX-
element 1t was evident TO the most casual ob-
server that the jurors found it difficult even TO
noanifestIa semblance of interest in the involved
questions that were being debated by the Judge
and counsel. Not until the last half-hour OF the
afternoon session was any testimony OF seeming
pertinence heard.
Mr. NrINTYRE TAKES THE WITNESS.
This was when Mr.. Mcintyre. impatient OF the
evaslve answers that II. II. Bliss. who was on
the witness-stand returned to the questions OF
Mr.. Miller took the witness in hand himself.
Some time ago Mr. Bliss in the District-Attor-
news office made long statement to Mt Mil
Ter detrimental to his stepdaughter which. ac-
cordng 10 the extracts read therefrom yes'er-
dav MAINLY hintcd his belief in the RESPONSE
hi,i,v Of Mrs Fleming for her mothers death.
Yesterday when the prosecuting counsel endeaV-
ored TO get the witness to verify this statement
bofore the Jury 10 had. strangely enough, for
gotten every word he had previously used. his
lanse Of memory such that he mad even
forgotten his wife's age. An unbroken success
sion Of 81 don't remember was the only salts
faction Mr. Miller could obtain from the witness
and AT last thoroughly eNasperated. Assistant
District Attorney Mcintyre himself examined
the witness and for space OF half an hour
there was lively exhibition Of thrust and parry
shown by counsel and witness
Mr. McIntvre sought to prove that the witness
nr tho morning after his wife's death deliberately
accueed the defendant of numbering her mother
This he denied but the prosecution eventually
dragged from Mr.. Bliss an admission that on the
dav of the funeral he did ask the defendant II she
had poisoned her mother When asked what leo
him to put such a question to her. the only reason
he could advance was the somewhat vague one
Because / wanted TO know
A QUARREL. WITH HER MOTHER.
Through this witness Mr. Mcintyre succeeded
IN establishing the circumstance that TWO days
before her death Mrs. Bliss Quarrened with the
defendant. and taOnleO Htr WIFI Hniii'i amy
Rliss was however. unable TO remember the
4xact words that were used by either OF the
women. These quarrels and determinations. ne
said had been Of such constant occurrence IN the
last fifteen or twenty years that he had ceased &c
pay heed to them.
Mrs Fleming kept attention riveted on her
stepfather all the time that he was In the chair
That abe was anxious as to the outcome or Mr.
pI,sss evidence was self-evident. The eyes OF
the witness and Mrs. Jennings frequently met
hut no sign Of recognition passed between them
The pallor that had spread itself over Mrs Elem
ing's face on the previous afternoon when little
Florence King gave her damaging testimony
against the defendant had entirely disappeared
uhen she made her entrance into the court yes
terday morning, and to all external appearance
she was the same perfectly composed and self
satisfied woman she has shown herself through
out the trial
Mr. BLISS ON THE STAND.
The first witness called upon the opening OF the
court was Henry II. Bliss. the stepfather OF the
defendant AS he made his way TO the witness
stand the eyes Of every one in court were upon
him Rumor has from the first been rife with his