Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-10-19
QUESTION OF EVIDENCE
Transcript Of Testimony Taken at the Coroners
Inquest
N THE HAMILTON MURDER CASE.


'-'N'4 Ildl nave been devoted
mainly to the taking Of testimony and
nearing OF arguments on the question
OF whether or not the transcript of
the testimony taken at the coroner's
inquest shall be admitted in evidence.
me jury were not present in court
WINE ms part of the case was going
on Ihey were brought In at IL
O'CLOCK only to be excused by the
court until later in the day. The at
.ehuai'ce was as large as that of yes
'efu"y' with perhaps larger number
oil women present.
when the News" report closed yes-
terday II. l.. Fowler was on the stand
Nothihg additional was elected from
tue witness and John IT
ramsey was called. The witness stated
'n1' ne passed tho Seldom residence
t"e hlsht OF the shooting. 1t was about
Vclock. He heard a mn and woman
."ihlhS as he passed. The wop,on
tuihed as though she was angry. Ua
~ nor ten what was said. After he
az. st IN sofne distance he heard Ave
pt SIN SHOTS fired and Fastening bacis
ne saw woman ascend tho st. 80
lawn. iSi"s oh tne
IN answer to Judge Powers witness.
~, having SAID before the coroner
M ne only heard four shots. Further
denied that he had said he saw tba
ilashes of a pistol '
beputy sheriff Andrew ]. Burt wan
the next witness. He said he was nres'
m, al an interview between Mrs. Ham
ltoh ana Thomas +. Seddon ~ ~,
county jail. Seldom wanted Mrs f,o ,,.e
ntoh TO tell what she knew of tbs
shooting, as people were OF the oniptn,
nnlut ne mad a hand in it. Mrs. Han
hton replied: lam
You have been reIaasoi -,
should people think you had q bsp GGI ny
sseddon's reply was that the peor1,
u,uiI look at II that way. Mrs Ham.
it'Jh salu she would make n statement
nthd,, attorneys advised it, but NOT
~ wise; witness advised her thar
II she mad anything to saw tho nr1,,a,
person TO talk to was the county attpr
10y. Judge Powers then read from mo
i Sait Lake Herald containing an az
s'u u Stcount OF the interview referred
10, w ltness denied having rIven nv
account of the conversation ta ~ 81 ,, an
paper reporter ~ news
De'sGuVe George r. Raleigh said n.
saw Mrs. Hrmilton the nIsbt - ,h e
hhnISoIlns' She told witness thai she
boJ {rst ne. husband at the door and
n'u JUST got inside when she heard tba
sshootlng. Regarding the bruise on ba.
~, ,p shg sad II was only a love tHn.
from from John. Witness said Mrs. Ham
nun was perfectly calm and cool
otaS 3 9e George a. Sheets corrJbor-
ated detective Raleigh.
Acting Chief of Police John n p,~
,tuse, explained to the Jury the posi-
Iioh OF the body when IL WINS f,i,,rs,,
m, n ne pistol was lying near the bod,,
M nv witness also had talk with Nrs
hamilton during which she told ~,
ns. ,
the shooting occurred The br,,iso " e.i
ner up she said was caused nv IN
striking her, but that he nfte,.r, oolin
II az, to her for It, The coat worn
a., r1 idttitlitoh when he was shot was
Introduced ana shown to the iIrv To
Is light sack coat and shoyys ~
oullGt mole In the left side inst ba,o,',
the left top pocket '1'' OeioW
Justice Morris Sommer said bo MO-,
az tnS Seddon residence shortly aTtar
tmy T SnhOo'lhB' lie asked Mrs Hamn-
toh why she didn't go out when bar
husband was shot and her renIv IN
erect was that he was nothing 10 b.
On cross-examination witness said ~,
H !d no interest In the case and denIaS
s, me statement made that he had re-
FUSED to allow Mrs Hamilton's r. Soc
hef attorneys. He did not warn H.,
tSfT ,' ,I when she testified before
nm tnat her testimony would ba u.a5
uttlhst her at some future time.
., - Armstrong, the driver OF tina
patrol wagon. said that he visited tha
Seldom residence the morning after me me
shooting. He found bullet hole ~,
front OF the house. He Ia 10.
found the bullet.
MRS; HAMILTON ON THE sTAND
Judge Powers here suggested that
proof on the Introduction Of The tre nut
cript OF the evidence, taken before Inc
coroner, be taken. Mr.. Van Cott asr.,a'
Ing, Mrs. Hamilton took the stand ana
raising her veil, sa.d she was arrested
Hpout iy's" or :hr night Of the shoot
ing and taken to the old CITY hnu
From there she was taken home. and
the next day was taken to the scora
of the coroner's inquest She was caIled
as a witness, was not advised to con-
huIt WIN her attorneys or told of her
legal rights in the premises
POWERS AND soMNER
The examination OF witnesses 10 do
termine the question Of whether III.
Transcript Of the testimony taken M
the Coroncr's inquest should b., ad-
mitted In evidence. was proceeded
with when court convened this morn
Ing Justice Of the Peace Morris
Sommer was recalled and in answer
TO Mr.. Van Colt said he did not tell
Attorney McGurrin that the hearing
was set for Wednesday or Thursday,
neither did he threaten to eject them
they both took part In the proceed
moo ~ NlAN NblNNAttA TO MIS-. Hum-
ilton tesufylnE,
Under cross-exnmnati0n by Judge
Powers the witness said he did nor
warn Mrs. Hamilton that her testt-
mony woud be used against nor at
the trial, Denied preventing Mrs Ham
iuon's attorneys asking her questions.
Isn't il an absolute fact that thew
We're not allowed to take part In the
eNaminatiuuY
mo, sir"
Didn't you rule that they were SIM
ply there as spectators2"
No sir"
But you did not permit them to ask
any questions until you knew what
was coming, did your
"No, sir"
By Mr. Van Cutt-"Why did You re-
quest Mr.. McGurriu 10 keep silent?"
Because he made remarks that an
loyed the court"
This brought Judge Powers to his
'eet who with some warmth asked Mr..
Sommer II he did not know that that
was a falsehood-
1T Is not" was the reply
DO you know the nature OF an
lath?"
Yes, sir"
Are YOU In the habit of regard
ug an oath llEhtly2"
you know. Judge. that l do not"
q know nothing"
Il know IT,"
BY Mr.. Van COtt-"Why did YOU ask