Evening journal., 1896-02-13


Stood His Cross-Examination Like a
Hero.
The State began In earnest yesterday
afternoon the task of weaving web OF
guilt around lynch, Brown and Swan,
the three Farnhurst asylum attendants
indicted for the murder OF Leon Pisa,
or Pisa Louis. the unfortunate aud
demented son of sunny Italy, who met
his death In the corridor or bath room
of Ward O, at the Delaware State
Hospital at Farnhurst. Thomas Oakes,
the discharged attendant whose state
mept led to the investigation and con-
Hequent trial, posed as the States star
witness and was on the stand during
the entire afternoon. He told a pretty
straight tale under direct examination,
but wbeu he fell Into ths hands of
Walter II. Hayes and the other Phili8-
tines and witness twlsters retained by
the accused he became sadly demoralizsd
and gave them ample opportunity for
contradiction further on in this legal
game in which the life's freedom OF
three rnsn Is at stake Cakes became so
ratified that he became reckless In his
ans Hers, and gave positive replies to
understand. he even went 80 far as to
deny certain statements which were
made before the court stenographer at
the coronef's iDquest, and at q subse-
quent private hearing before Attorney
General White, Deputy Attorney General
Cooper and Court stenographer Z o.
Hardesty In the Bayard building He
was so willing, so insistent and 10 con
Trajectory that he cut both ways, and
probably served the purposes OF the
defense almost as we'll as he did those OF
the state Even Reporter Bymonds. who
entered Fsrnhurst asylum as Lord De La
War;, admitted at the close Of the hear
ing that his whllom friend had been
badly mixed by the methods of cross
examination in vogue in the Delaware
courts.
big Crowd in Attendance.
There was no falling off in the atten-
dance. II anything. 1t WAS larger than
at the morning session. Every seat was
taken both witain and without the bar
enclosure. Many persons were standing
In the open spaces at each end of the
bench and behind the reporters table
and Jury box Probably hundred men
were crowded on the large landing at
the head of the main stairway, the
double doors from the court room
being open. There they stood. packed
like sardines and crAning their necks
like chickens In coop. Several ladies
oeeu pied chairs within the bar enclosure.
Seated Immediately 10 front Of the box
was pretty Miss Brown, sister OF one Of
tho accused. Next TO her sat a motherly-
looking old lady who proved to be her
aunt, Mrs Elizabeth Given. Both had
come ali the way from Lafay cite, Indiana
10 bs near the brother aud nephew Ia
his days of trial and trouble. They
looked out Of place and were evidently
embarrassed by their situation, but
bravely persevered In sticking 20 their
post At the south end Of the dock
we're local relatives Of Lynch and Swan.
where Leon Pisa Died.
Civil Engineer William B. Cars we'll
was sworn. he presented q neatly
executed and accurate plot Of Ward o,
on the second floor of the asylum
That was the ward In which Pisa met
his death. The scale Of the transparent
plot was one-fourth OF an inch to every
foot. It showed the corridor and all
rooms communicating with 1t, together
with the particular appointments Of the
bathroom. Below the general drawin &
was q special one showing the shape and
| dimensions of the bathtub into which
the state alleges that Plsa WAS thrown
by At least two of the accused.
| Judges lawyers, Jurors, prisoners
and spectators scrutinizsd the drawing
closely and listened with intstest to Its
l exem pliication By Mr. Carswell The
lawyers clustered a. the foot Of ths
witness stand and Deputy Attorney
General Cooper and Mr.. Gray PROFOUND
ed a number Of questions relative to the
various me asurements.
Mr CaIswell said that the distance
from the bench upon which Pisa was
sitting when called upon TO take BATH
to the center OF the bathroom door,
where 1t Is alleged that the asylum
trip" was given him, was 122 feet. His
measurements showed the bAthtub to be
nineteen inches deep at the top IL Is
Eve feet six inches long, while at the
bottom bat three feet one inch long.
He left the stand aud the plot was sci
leaning against the court stsnographer'
desk, and used frequently for references
during the afternoon.
Star witness cakes story.
"Thomas Olkesl" called out thl
attorney general
There was 3 rustic, q crRning of nscks
and every eye was upon the star witness
for the prosecution as he walked from hiI
chair to the witness stand 0Akes Is noi
9 pleasant-looking man, but he is al
obligiDg one He has face whiol
inspires one with the belief that he 4
either a coed friend or a bitter foe
There are no lines. of neutrality In II
His face was pale, aud the p,llor wa
made more pronounced By his blRcl
clothing. There WAS q wicked snap II
bis eyes. and at his appearance on th
stand his former associates at Fsrnhurst
whom he had landed In the dock, looke'
trihe uneasy.
He was sworn, and the questions o
Attorney-0srerAl White, who conducts
the direct examination led to tn
following story, which by reaso
of the frequent Interruptions on the par
Of both the state and defense, is rathe
disjointed
Il reside at No sl2 South Tronto
avenue. Trenton, N. am scqualnte
| with the prisoners Lynch WAS super
, visor aud Swan snd Brown wer
attendants st.the asylum at Farnhurs
.