St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-05
AID. MURPHY,S TRIAL.
MIS-. Root Tells the Jury About Her
Two Visits.

In anticipation Of the actual begin
ming of the trial of Aid. E. l.. Murphy
on the charge of conducting a disorder
~ mouse III connection with his saloon,
the municipal court was filled with a.
curious crowd as soon as the doors were
opened yesterday morning. There re-
NAMED to be selected, however, four
more Jurors, process which delayed
the taking of testimony until nearly
noon.
After the last juror had taken his
seat County Attorney Butler opened
the states case by explaining the
charge against the defendant. Not
only was the technical charge dwelt
upon, but also the surrounding circum-
stances which had given rise to the
formal proceedings begun by Mrs. Root
and her associates, in the interest of
the w. G. 7. U. and the rescue Of fallen
women. Mr.. Butler stated that the
charges OF the prosecution were of a
serious nature, and were denied in toto
by the defendant. This, however, was
a question for the jury to determine.
When the county attorney had con-
cluded his statement Of the case to the
jury, Mrs. s. V. Root, the complaining
witness, took the stand and told what
she claimed to have seen on two visits
to. Aid. Murphy'S place. Her testimony
phys attorney, Henry Johns, who de-
c1ared the county attorneys examina-
ton was immaterial and irrelevant.
The court, however, permitted the wit
ness to continue her recital as it was
deemed eXpediept to admit all possible
facts in the case.
Mrs. Root. continuing, detailed how
she had made her first visit to Aid.
Murphy's saloon some two months ago
n rxyit Inly 0f
Chicago. who came to ST., Paul to as
sists in the closing up Of st. Paul re-
sorts. On that occasion the party had
met Aid. Murphy and talked with him.
The alleged wine, rooms had no occu-
pants at the time that visit was made.
In a private room, however, Mrs Root
said she had seen two men and two
women. Mr.. Murphy had stood in
front of the door to the. room and said
it's occupants were men.
Attorney Johns interposed a strenu-
Gus objection at this point, claiming
the entire line Of questioning was
wholly immaterial. In his opinion it
made no difference in the present case
who was in the room. The objection
was overruled and Mrs. Root finished
the story of the visit. She then told
of the second visit. This was made
Sunday evening, Jan. 29. This time
Mrs. Root was accompanied by her
brother=in-law, Herbert Root, of Valley
City, and another companion. She had
seen a number of women in the wine
rooms ranging from seventeen, to up
wards of forty years of age. There
We're six, or seven men in the stalls.
Mrs. Root told the. jury everything she
had seen and heard, including the lewd
conversation indulged in by both the
men and the women. Objections were
entered at various points by ATTORNEY
Johns, though in each instance over
ruled by the court. Mr.. Johns insisted
that if witness told the conversation
she claimed to have heard, it must be
in the same words. Mrs. Root said she
could not remember the exact words
but could give the substance of the re-
marks. On cross-eXamination Mrs.
Root stated she did not live in the
neighborhood of the place in question:
but had instituted the present proceed
ings in the interest of the W. G. T. U.
and the rescue of fallen women.
At this point an adjournment was
taken until today at 8 o'clock.