The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-03
THREW NITRIC ACID
VERY SERIOUS CHARGE MADE
AGAINST ESTERLEY, THE EAST
SIDE DRUGGIST.
TWO WOMEN ARE BURNED
ny ACID ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN
THROWN UPON THEM IN
MALICE.
THE TESTIMONY IN THE CASE.
Another Dam to Have 5000 Horse
Power to BE Constructed in
the City.

The case Of the state against Theo-
dore w. Esterley, the East side drug
sist. went to trial before Judge Elliott
in the criminal branch Of the district
court, the jury being completed before
noon.
Marie Hankes and her mother and
pretty little sister, who with her was
injured by the crime alleged, were in
court, as we'll as a large number of
people from the East side, prepared to
give evidence in the case for and
against the defendant. Marie Hankes
was the first witness called, and proved
to be a witness whom the state did not
need to prompt to tell her story. The.
defendant stands charged with burn
ing Miss Hankes and her little sister
with nitric acid, which, 1t is claimed,
he threw from window in his house
over them, burning their clothing and
shoulders badly, the faces only escap-
ing by chance.
my mother, myself and my little
sister," said the witness, were up on
the shed next door to Esterley's house
on Adams street, putting up some
boards that had been torn down. While
we were there, my mother went down
in the yard, and while I was engaged
in putting up the boards I saw Mr..
Esterley in the dining room of his
house, and 1 knew he was going to
throw something, and I called to my
mother. Then he threw 1t out Of the
window on my sister and myself"
The witness stated the extent of the
injuries, which were very severe. They
had seen the motion and ducked their
heads, so that the acid fell upon their
shoulders. The clothing worn at the
time was placed in evidence, and show
ed the strength Of the acid by the way
in which the material was eaten away
and the coloring taken out.
Ludwig Arctander, who had been Sc
cured as associate counsel by Mr.. Es-
terley, took the witness for examina-
ton and showed that there had been
trouble between the parties for some
time. The witness stated that some
time before Esterley had built a fence
so that it INSTRUCTED the light from
cne of the Hawkes. windows In re-
turn the Hankes had built a Shed di-
rectly opposite the dining room win
dow Of the Esterley house, and had
nailed boards on the top, so as to fur
Their obstruct the light from the Ester
ley window. She admitted that there
was no other reason for placing the
boards there, except to return compli-
ments with Esterley for his fence.
Some one had torn those boards down,
and the witness had gone to the roof
of the shed to put up the boards again
when the acid was thrown from the
window.
In the afternoon DR.. William Glenn
gave evidence as to the seriousness of
the burns, and he was corroborated by
DR.. R. M. Peters, who attended the in
jured parties c. w. Drew, a chemist.
gave evidence as to the nature Of the
acid and it's dangerous character. The
cross examination was unavailing
against their evidence
Maggie Nay, a neighbor of the de-
fendant, testified that she was looking
out Of her door Just after the trouble
occurred, and she heard the woman
and little girl scream. She looked up
above them and saw a foaming sub
stance upon the window screen to the
dining room window. Since that time
the paint had faded off, and it had
been painted. This ended the evidence
for the state, and Mr. Smith rested the
case, stating that, If the defense wish
ed, he would take stenographer and
go to the house of Mrs. Ollofsan, who
Is Ill, and take her evidence. although
1t was favorable to the defense, ac-
cording to their affidavit The case
will be resumed this morning.