Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-05-27
THRAWLEY'S CASE.
THE STATE RESTS ITS CAUSE
AT PRESENT

And the Defense Takes Up 1t
/ Work-The Examination of Dr
| J. NJ Thurston and NJ e Prier
-OGher Witnesses Interest il
the Case Still Maintained.
The interest in the Thrawley murde
case still continues, and the lobby i
undiminished In size. The state ha
now rested its case, and the defeus,
has begun the introduction of evidence
| Before the state rested. however, sew
eral more important points were eithel
brought out or reconfirmed by exper
witnesses.
The testimony of DIR. j NJ. Thurs
ton, for the prosecution, yesterda,
afternoon, was full of interest, anC
was in the main an answer to hypo
thetieal question propounded by tbs
attorney, Mr.. jackson.
| DIR. Thurston was introduced as al
expert on human hair and skin. a:
we'll as the effect upon the skull of .
pistol ball fired at various distances
| He gave it as his opinion that had the
| revolver been placed close to Shoema.
ker's head the effect would have been
to not only powder-burn and discolol
both the hair and the skin, but alsc
greatly lacerate the scalp. He does
not think it possible to blow gases into
the head and have an internal expIo
sion.
Mr.. jackson, holding Shoemaker
skull in his hands, propounded the
following Hypothetical question to DR.
Thurst n:
Suppose the skull have just showr
you is of man who died from the of
fects of gun-shot wound; that he
lived for about two hours. aud that
there were no powder marks on the
face, ears, hair or scalp, no laeeratior
of the scalp or shattering of the bone
where the ball entered, would it have
been possible for the revolver to have
been held against the side of the head
when the firing was done9h
Answer-'No, sir; | think it would
be impossible.
The cross-examination by Brown did
not bring out anything of Importance.
The next witness was NJ. G. Price,
hardware man of this city. and he was
asked as to the color of the powder
used in cartridges of that particular
sort. He stated and proved to the
jury that it was black and would make
black marks.
The state then rested its case and an
adjournment was had until today.
MRS. THRAwLEY'S TESTIMONY.
The first witness for the defense was
Mrs. Thrawley, wife of the accused
man. There was the usual amount of
verbiage not interesting to the public,
about an hour being consumed in
ascertaining to mathematical certain
tainty the location of the house where
aflE9d EAFeF eFlfx lEg ARd RlaFas leexxi6(1hla
She answered number OF questions,
among which was one as to whether
she had had criminal relations with
said Rufus Shoemaker. She admitted
that she had. The prosecution OBJ
jeeted, and the court sustained the
objection. The ground stated
| for the objection and the
ground on which it was sustained was
| that the testimony as TO criminal rela
ton was not competent unless 1t wa
| proved that the discussion between th'
two men in the r, ad prior to the shoot
ing that resulted in Shoemaker's deatl
was on II at sucject. The attorneys
for the defense objected t
the ruling, on the ground that tn
evidence reg arding criminal relation
was essential to some other essentia
points that would be brought out Il
L -cI M
reiterated his ruling on the point. Tn
evidence was not introduced.
The woman's story given connectedly
is that on the day when the killing too
place, March 2, she had arisen at tn
accuss stoned hour. about 6 O'Clock
She had prepared breakfast for hersel
and the family, and the children ha
been prepared for school and starte
on their way. The three elder chi
dren went to school. The husband
who had been suffering from long
standing pain in the head, had bee
sick the night before and had CON
planned much OF the pain in his hea
and neck near the base of the brair
She had waited on him and admins
tered to him during the night. Th
next mornipg-the day ot the killing
he was still feeling badly. and when b
| had finished his feeding he came
, and lay down on the bed, having firi
, thrown off his overcoat. She ws
lbusy with her household duties. as
iay on the bed. (She had started
state. in answer to a question as to at
condition. that she was about to b
come mother; but that was obleete
Ito. and the objection was sustained
The husband had stated TO her that
wanted an early dinner, as he wants
Ito go TO New Castle and learn of Il
result of the elections. (This test
mopy was also ruled out He hs
arisen about 10 O'Clock, after lying {
: the bed perhaps an hour, and hi
| walked cut toward the road with b
hands in his pants pockets. She b;
: seen him walking toward the roa
She had also seen a man whom s
: recognized as Rufus Sho
!. maker, walking along the TO
= lin westerly direction. S
saw the two meet and both stoppe
:. She saw them apparently engaged
!. conversation. and saw them gestle
lating with their hands as If warm
;, discussing some matter of intere
- She stated that she saw Shoema6
= approaching closer and closer to b
husband, and that the husband &C
= stantly drew away from him.
then saw according TO her testimor
u Shoemaker reach his right ha
around toward his right hip pocket a
saw her husband draw his own weap
and fire. As she turned away 5
heard the shot and when she n,
looked out her husband was walk
toward the house and Shoemaker v
living in the road where he had fall