The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-22

AT the preliminary hearing yesterday
John d. Douglass was held without
bail to await trial for the murder OF
his wife. Emm S. Douglass. The hear
ing begun at O'Clock yesterday in the
district court room before Justice Ben
Ternes. a curious crowd thronged the
court room. and all the approaches
thereto-a crowd eager to hear every
word of the testimony and TO catch
glimpse of the prisoner.
During all the proceedings the priS-
oner said not a word. He appeard
considerably affected when, III the
midst of the testimony. the main wit
ness. his mother, broke down and was
led from the room.
The young mans father, George IS.
Douglass. sat on one side, and his at
torney, J. T. Bagley, on the other.
At the beginning OF the proceedings
Bagiey interposed a formal objection
to the justice hearing the matter, be-
cause he is now serving as day 1ailer
and police court clerk of the city. This,
Mr.. Bagley claimed. barred him from
exercising judicial authority. The coun-
ty attorney submitted the matter with
out argument and the objection was
overruled.
When asked 10 plead Mr.. Bagiey re
piled for his client that he objected to
plead at this time. The county attor-
ney, Mr.. Peery, asked that the court
enter a plea of not guilty in case the
accused declined to plead. The justice
intimated that he would do so unless a
plea was made. Mr.. Bagley said they
would make no reply to requests for a
plea. and plea of not guilty was there
fore entered.
AN EYE WITNESS.
Lars K. Peterson was the chief wit
ness for the state He was in the for
ward one OF the two sleighs which
We're passing at the time Of the tragedy
Peterson was standing up in the box
and hearing a dispute between the
couple. he turned about and saw the
scuffle and the shot. He judged that
the sleigh was from 10 to 10 rods dis
tant at the time of the shooting from
the scene He saw Douglass get out
of the buggy, saw the woman standing
up waving her arms as though TO ward
off something. She had something in
her hand probably the bird cage. Al
ter the shot the woman sank down
slowly and slipped out on the ground
Mr.. Peterson went over to the scene
He saw Douglass point the gun at
members of the Olsen family, who were
coming out of the house.
He accompanied the action with vile
oaths The witness captured the horse,
which was straying away, and dld not
at once go near the dead woman He
afterwards saw her dead, with the
wound in her neck. and saw her bur
led In the sleigh with Peterson were
AIessrs. Cramer Rasmussen, Geutson
and Nelson. In the sleigh behind were
Angus Mckay and Perry e. Bingham.
DOUGLASS CONFESSION.
r. 7. Harris. deputy sheriff and
clerk in the sheriff's office. was present
when Constable Grow brought Douglass
to the county Jail. He had heard the
fact of the killing from Douglass, and
had said: Jack what in the world
did you do that for?" The prisoner re
piled: Il killed her =.
killed her and the only regret have
is that 1 did not kill myself
The state had a number of other
witnesses present. but rested at this
point. and the justice ordered that John
d Douglass be held for trial and COM
mitted 20 the sheriff without bail.
David Evans assisted the county at
torney in the prosecution.