The herald., 1897-01-22
times not responsible for what he

| dl tlliltS HOt icSPonSAOiC Atf WHdl Ht
| said and did.
on cross-examination Mrs. Weeks said
her occupation was that of housewife.
She admitted that she had taken an un-
usual interest in her roomer. He would
come to her rooms and she would go
to his TO talk together over the poor
mans troubles for an hour or so at
time. Witness at first did not think
there was anything wrong with Barthel-
man. When he first came to the house
his eyes We're sunken and hollow. The
witness was asked to look at the defend
ant, and she admitted that he looks
worse now than he did then. Barthel-
man was always talking about his wife
and child. and cried when he spoke of
| losing them. to which the prosecuting
attorney said: You did not think that
because he loved his child he was crazy,
did you? If he had said he hated her
and would like to kill her you would
have been more apt to think him crazy?
Witness considered defendant as very
honest man. He told witness all his
troubles. Defendant had told her that
his wife had secured a divorce from
him on the ground of extreme cruelty;
that he had knocked her down and spat
in her face. Witness had no reason to
doubt defendants story. as it was rea-
sonable. When asked if defendant had
not told her that he was engaged to be
married and was hurrying up his di-
vorce so he could marry, the witness an
swered NO" Witness said that defend
ant always seemed excited on his return
to his room after a conversation with
his wife.
When counsel asked witness for, an
other fact that made her think Barthel-
man crazy. she said he would often
complain of hard times and people would
not buy sewing machines.
rs that sure sign that he was crazy
Lecompte Davis asked.
We'll, it led me to believe that he had
not the faculty for selling things
If he had shot you down while he
was your roomer would you have
thought he was responsible ??
II don't think he would have shot
anybods without provocation, was the
reply.
To further queries witness said she
thought defendant had provocation 70
shoot his wife.
Mrs. F. Miller, who boarded Barthel-
man while he roomed at Mrs. Weeks
testified much the same as Mrs. Weeks
She. too, thought great deal OF the ds-
fendant. one sure sign that he was
crazy was that often her boarder could
not eat his supper. Fl often compiained
of headache. Witness one time told de-
fendant that he was crazy. Defendant
was eternully talking about his troubles
and crying over them He was not re-
sponsible.
IF he had broken your furniture while
he was in your house you would have
thought him responsible. would you
not?"
Il would have thought him crazy.
"Wel if he had said to you some Sat
urday afternoon, Mrs. Miller, your
board isn't tit 10 eat, and l won't pay
you for it, you would have considered
him responsible. wouldn't you?'
would ha q flOI1 cnht he WAS crazy,
was the reply.
Earl Vennum and James Tobie, the
next two witnesses called, testified to
Barthelman's frequently telling them
his troubles, with the accompanying
tears.
Mrs. Vennum the next witness, was
the same who testified the day before for
the prosecution. Mrs. Nennum said she
was an intimate friend of the defendant,
and often counseled him about his wife.
She was convinced that at times Bar
thelman was not responsible, which she
judged by the appearance of his eyes
and his general behavior. Defendant
frequently complained of sleeplessness.
Witness accounted for the bottle of
laudanum by saying that defendant told
her he had bought ii TO put on cut on
his hand. She was positive that at times
defendant was not responsible. Or.
cross examination witness said she is
l
! friend of his. She was made to admit
| that she had taken an active part in
/ raising funds to defend Barthelman,
! and hunt up witnesses for his side. She
| had told defendant of the actions of his
! wife as she heard of them She admit
ted she had told hinr she could help
I him get his divorce When asked if she
Thought it was right to tell these
things to a man she considered crazy she
said she thought it was his place 10
know of them.
At this the women in the audience
smiled audibly
When asked for further facts that led
her to believe Brathelman was crazy
she said that ''one minute he would say
one thing and another minute he would
! say something else. We never knew
what he was going to say next"
The attorney for the people asked
( her if she had never heard of other pe1-
! pie who did like that and yet were not
! considered crazy.
| Witness said that the reason she did
not notify the police of Barthelman's $
! whereabouts when he came to her house
! after shooting his wife was because she
/ was all alone and could not go out. Her
| husband came in later. but she did not
! have him send word to the police sta
/ tion. Witness said she was convinced
/ that defendant was crazy while he was
/ telling her the long story of the shoot
| ing and the circumstance that led up to
/ it. She believed all he said. On that
| evening defendant had said to witness
( that he was afraid he had done wron &
in shooting his wife. for now the child
| would have no one to take care Of her.
! When asked by the prosecution TO tell
/ what, above all things, led her to be-
! lieVe Barthelman was crazy. she said
it was his habit of picking one thumb
with the fingers of his other hand, as
though it itched all the while.
Mrs. Annie FoWle. wife Of q policeman,
was the next witness called. She has
known the defendant Well. and he had
told his trouble to her with the usual
tears and excited manner. She thought
! he was a times irresponsible. On cross
examination witness said defendant had
told her he was engaged to a nice youn g
lady after the divorce, but his wife
Mabel had broken it up. Barthelman was
rational on every subject except that of
( his domestic troubles
John Nennum was next. This witness
also testified for the prosecution the day
before. on this last occasion his testi-
, mony was of much the same tenor as
that of those who had preceded him. He
told of Rarthelman's going away to try
to forget his troubles and hurrying back
to fight his wifes divorce suit. He was
convinced that defendant was some
times not responsible. Witness had no.
ir % rtI I, al a, c