Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-02-20
FARNHURST MURDER CASE
Trial of the Alleged Slayers of
Leon Pisa.
TAKING OF TESTIMONY BEGUN
Thomas Oakes Seemingly {
Willing Witness.
Wednesday Afternoons Session of the Court
of Oyer and Terminer Devoted to Hearing
His Evidence Against the Accused Hospi-
tai Attendants.

The examination of witnesses in the
trial OF the alleged sayers Of Pisa was
begun Wednesday afternoon and the
session continued until after 5 o clock.
After proving plot showing the scene
of the alleged murder of Pisa, the State
called Thomas Oakes to the stand. Mr..
Oakes may very properly be called
star witness for the prosecution. He
was formerly an attendant in the State
hospital and was an eyewitness TO the
circumstances surrounding Pisa's
death. 1t was he who gave the infor
Nmation which resulted in bringing
Brown, Swan and Lynch TO trial.
Mr.. Oakes may also be termed a
willing witness. He did not appear,
however, to be all that the State might
desire. Either from misunderstanding
or for some other reason. he was rather
thoroughly awry in some OF his answers
on cross examination. The defence had
the advantage over the witness in DOS.
sessing a copy of his testimony given at
the coroner's inquest ami before the
attorney general. 1t was AN easy thing
to ask Oakes ,f such and such were
30 and when he gave his answer to
place ii alongside his answer at some
other time, and then ask him TO OK
plain the discrepancy that might ap
pear OaSes even went so far az to
deny some Of the things that in all
reason he must have said in telling his
story before. In material parts his
testimony as to the assault was not
badly shattered.
The defence attempted a strong move
in cross examination, but we're pre-
vented from making any advance.
and that was when Mr.. Hayes asked
Oaises il he did not strike Pisa in the
head about week before the time in
question. The Court refused to allow
the question, although Oakes, who was
much aroused by it, picked up the
Bible and attempted to answer.
Cakes was on the stand the greater
part of the session, When he stepped
down David M. NAPLES was called, but
his examination was begun pending
the argument of the question of in
sanity, which was raised by the defence.
Waples was an inmate of the hospital
at the time of the alleged assault.
AFTERNOON SESSION IN DETAIL.
Court reassembled Wednesday after
noon and Bailitf Fleming brought the
jury in from the grand jury room,
where they had dined. The prisoners
sat in the dock and some of their
friends were near by. Miss Brown was
again in front of the prisoner box
with her aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Given
beside her. They both came on from
Lafayette, Ind, to attend the trial.
The attendance was larger than the
seating capacity of the court room.
Door keeper Amos Brinton had his bar
down at the door and crowd of people
stood out in the hall.
Civil Engineer William B. Carswell,
a ..f
Ward G. of the second floor of the State
Hospital for the Insane, showing the
rooms, the corridors, and the bath room.
Both State and defence had agreed
that Mr.. Carswel should make the
plot. The plot was on the scale of one
quarter of an inch to the foot. Mr.,
Carswel testified to the distances be-
tween different parts of the ward. A
longitudinal section Of the bath tub
was shown. 1t was l22 feet from the
bench (where Pisa is alleged TO have
been sitting at iirst) to the centre Of
the bath room door
In reply to Mr.. Hayes, Mr.. Carswell
said the bath tub wa 10 inches deep.
On it's longest line tho tub was 51s
feet; on it's shortest 3 feet inch.
Thomas Oakes was put upon the
stand and examined by Attorney Gen
era White. He gave his residence as
Trenton, N. j. He said he knew all
the prisoners On October 9th he was
at Farnhurst, where he was employed
as an attendant. Brown and Swan we're
employed there. Lynch was there CIV
ing instructions to the patients.
"Do you know when Pisa Louis
died?" asked the attorney general.
81 do. was the answer.
Were you there?"
g l was in the hallway there. =
Mr.. White then directed Oakes to
tell the story, which ho did. He said
that on tho morning of October 9th,
between and . o'clock he was in q
small room off the corridor Pisa was
sitting on a bench. Brown came ir
and asked Oakes to help him take Piss
down to the bath room. Oakes helped
him and Pisa'went without resistance.
Al tho bathroom door Brown trippeG
Pisa and jumped on him. Then Swar
came up and punched Pisa four times.
Witness exclaimed, For Gods sake,
Swan, don't do that. !" Then DR..
Clayton and Lynch came up, Pist
was carried into the bath room. Lynch
caught Pisa by the head and pressed
him down. It's Il wonder he didn'i
break his neck. The witness illustra
ted upon State Detective McVey how
they treated Pisa. When Brown trippec
Pisa, he fell heavily. He made nc
resistance Then Brown JUMPED or
Pisa with his knees and caught him
by the throat Swan came up anC
punched Pisa four times.
Deputy Attorney General Cooper in
terrupted TO tell the Court that he be
lieved some of the witnesses were il
the room, which was contrary to tn,
order of the Court. Chief Justice Lore
stated that witnesses must not COM
into the court room. II they did the,
would be fined for contempt Witnes!
McFarlan, : who had been visible
had been excused for tho day by Mr.
Hayes, but that gave him the privlcg
of hearing the evidence.
Continuing, Oalies said after the
took Pisa into the bath room DIR. Clay
ton threw water into his face. Witnes
saw that Pisa's eyes were closed. Tho,
put him in the bath tub and the waite
splashed out. DIR. Clayton exclaime,
that the man was dying. When the
threw him in there were signs of life
Brown asked Oalzes to go after towels
Oakes asked if Pisa was dead. III
couldn't be no deader,' was the reply
Pisa's body was put in roou
across the corridor Witness saw th