The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-23

the Hamilton murder case at $3.50
O'Clock yesterday morning. He spoke
until about 11:15 and then Attorney
Fred I. MeGurrin addressed the jury
for an hour on behalf or Mrs Ham,
1iton. AT 2 o'clock after the usual re-
cess, Judge Powers commenced his ar
gument for the defense ana at o'clock
when court adjourned, he was sim
taking and VIII finish his address this
morning. after which County Attorney
an Colt for the prosecution, will close
the case 1t may be expected that the
faue of Mrs. Hamilton win be commit
ted TO the jury late this afternoon. The
court room was crowded to Suffocation
all day.
Mr.. PUTNAM OPENS.
Mr. Putnam made a cool and argu-
mentatiye address. He began By pic
turing the Nervousness of the crime OF
murder and then went on to tell the
jury that they had not to judge of the
deceased by his own statements. His
voice Is siienced, but judging him by
his accuser. this woman. take her les
timony, and it shows that he was a
noble, an honest, generous, most eX-
enplary man. lie took an unusual pride
and pleasure in his home and in his
vile, but his ideal WAS shattered. every
thing that he held dear was swept
away, He found that his wife was the
mistress Of another The nobility of his
character is shown by his actions. after
he made the discovery of her infdelity.
He die not beat, abuse or threaten her,
who had done him that great wrong.
He did not drive her from the house.
but talked to her in q respectful and
Kindly manner, and after she, finding
that her paramour, PaYey, had aek-
nowledged his guilt. confessed to her
husband. he made arrangements for her
to go TO her mothers and escorted her
there
The story about Hamilton taking her
BY the hair of the head and throwing
her on the floor, NIr Putnam charao-
IeriZed as fabrication, a tale invented
10 tell her mother as an explanation of
her leaving her husband Al through
the terrible ordeal, which must have
been he'll on earth, the evidence
shows he never laid hand on her or
attacked her either physically or by
vile epluhetS- Counsel threw discredit
on the evidence of Mrs. Hamilton when
she stated that her husband had told
her to so to PaVey If she wanted
money, and other harsh things which
Mrs Hamilton said her husband had
said to her. Following up the line OF
Aamilton's kindly and considerate
II IetttkACAl VI luC hOuidH WHO n6u de-
celFed him, counsel drew the deduction
that il was impossible that lac could
nave made the attack upon her and
shot.tlt her on the night, that he was
killed, and insisted that the DEFENDANT
story of the manner that the deceased
met his death was fabrication pure
and simple. The love which the de-
fendant professed 10 have for her hus-
band, Mr. Putnam said. WAS only sham
A woman may love her husband and
be hot tempered at times. She may be
eStraYaSant. She may waste his
money. She may do a great many rep
rehensihle things. but if she loves him
she viii keep her person pure and
sacred for him and him alone
In support Of the Prosecutors con-
tention az generalization. Mr.. Putnam
called attention TO the conversation
which occurred between Mrs. Hamilton
ana MIR. Kelly, when the latter told the
former about the scaudalous rumors
which were in circulation about her
and advised her TO stop Hamilton from
speaking. and then, according to
helly's testimony. she said: IT l find
that he is circulating such thingg I VIII
kin him Il ! hang for it the next min
ute. Counsel argued that Keily's tes-
uTnony III that regard was true in every
particular and that she was undoubt-
ediy speaking of Hamilton and not of
any other unnamed and unknown per
sons.
The threats testified to by Mr and
Mrs Seddoa il which Mrs Hamilton
vas reoreseHted as saying that John
would never live to get divorce. and
that she could say all she had to say TO
nina III ten minutes. and that after she
GOT through with him Seldom Wouldn't
have 4 chance to talk to him and the
fact of her buying the cartridges were
enlarged UPON by counsel. The theory
that Mrs. Hamilton contemplated sui
eide AID bought the cartridges with
the intent of taking her oUn life and
had stated that she would never live
through divorce Was discredited by
counsel
Counsel argued that the Seddons had
no object for testifyiEg falsely at the
trial that they had no desire to sec
The defendant sent 10 the penitentiary
for years. or may he Tor life an sus-
picion OF Seddons completely in the
crime were removed, and Seldom and
his wife had absolutely no motive for
telling ANYTHING but the truth while
the defendant had the strongest pos
sibie motive go bear false Witness. for il
she did abt She must necessarily be
convicted AT the coroner's inquest the
SeddonS had motive Tor classifying.
They wanted 90 shield their sssfer-jrl-
tive but to tel the exact truth
Mrs Hamiltoa's answer when Mrs.
Seldom asked her if she had killed John
WAS practically an admission of her
guilt She Simply said: He struck me
On tho mouth Counsel argued that
the reason she did not tell the same
story when arrested that she told noY9.
was that she hadn't got it fixed up. She
never denied that she had told Mrs
Seldom that if Tom told al he knew
about the shooting that it MAS all over
with her.
The testimony Of Mrs Wright Ia the
effect that she heard the angry talk be-
tween Hamilton and his wife on that
night, SAW Hamilton shoot at his wife
and that hrs. Wright then walked
away across the street and home to
her own house without waiting 70 see
the result ot the alteration. without
asking any questions and without say
ing anything to anybody about what
she had seen and heard. counsel said
was not worthy Of any credence what
ever p fiead OF an incarnate
devil might act that wav. but a
woman never. The prosecution bac
also put number Of witnesses on tbs
stand who positively Swore that Mrs
Wright was rot there az the time she
said she was and could not have beer
there without those people seeing her
If Hamilton wanted his wife dead
why didn't he let her commit suicide
Why did he, If she eyer threatened
suicide. dissuade her from ii why die
he try 10 cheer her and why didn't ht