The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-05

Mrs. Murphy. but the court ruled on
the objection the same as on a previ-
Gus objection on the same line, and Mr..
Stivers stated that Mrs. Murphy came
to his ONCE the 18th day OF March and
stated TO him she had had trouble with
her husband He began beating her.
and she ran to the cellar to get AVA
from him. The cellar door was.a trap
door and her arm was caught In II.
Her husband stood ON the door and
held her arm and then took a kettle of
boiling water on the stove and poured
IL on her arm.
Mrs. Murphy was recalled and asked:
you remember having a conversation
with DIR. Sheerin In his Office
Yes"
do you remember telling him that
this injury was received from your
husband holding your arm in a cellar
door and pouring hot water ON IT..
II don't remember what ] said"
DIR. p. j. Sheeran was called and
testified that Mrs. Murphy came 10 his
Office and said her arm had been burn
ed. The skin was burned entirely OF.
and the arm and hand was entirely
lack. There was no possibility of saw
ms IL. II would take not more than
half a minute to cause such an injury.
Mrs. Murphy told IN witness her hus-
band caught her arm in the cellar door
and poured boiling water on IL. On
cross-examination the witness said IL
was possible to tell hat the burn had
been caused by hot water or steam.
Asked IL the arm could have been
saved IL taken In time N properly
treated. the witness replied no.
DR.. NJ. G. McNevin testified that he
treated Mrs. Murphy and amputated
her arm. The arm. when he first saw
1t. was beyond saving. the hand being
dead. ,
Mrs. Murphy was again recalled and
asked IL she had talked with Mr.. Clark
the day she was injured. She said she
did. 4
DO you remember telling him and
the other commissioners thai your hus-
band poured boiling water on your
ARM"
She at last remembered, and said she
did.
W. d. Clark. county commissioner,
was called N said Mrs. Murphy p
peared before the board of commission
ers and asked for assistance. h said
he was whipping her and she ran away
from him and her arm was caught in
the door and hot water poured on II.
The state rested at this point. and
the defendant took the stand. He old
his storv 20 follows:
Il went to the MIGRANT fer some cold
water. II was too cold to wash my
face and ] went to the stove to get some
hot water. Mrs. Murphy was in the
cellar and was just coming up and |
fell and spilled the water on her"
Murphy illustrated very deliberately his
actions. falling down on the floor to
show how innocent a been his part
in burning his wife. He said Mrs. Muir
ply raising the cellar door was what
caused him to stumble N fall. In
falling he fell on the door and laid
there. He got up and opened the door
and helped her up.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Stivers. the
witness said he did not get a doctor for
his wife as she left the house.
Were you drunk or sober" he was
asked.
Il was drunk"
Did you follow your wife?"
Did you look for your wife that eve
nin-g"
No"
Did you look for her the next day,
or h next?'
mo, sir"
The witness vas then asked If he
asked his wife's forgiveness in the
presence of one of the Sisters at the
hospital. and he said he did not.
Continuing. Murphy made a protest
against the prosecution. saying IL had
injured him greatly in "A community i'm
which he had lived for years. He also
complained bitterly at the treatment
he had received from the newspa-
pers.
Mr.. Stivers. in opening the argument,
contended that because Mrs. Murphy
had become SO penitent she did not
wish to prosecute her husband, was no
reason why 40 grave a case should be
dismissed. He pointed out that Muir
phys statement that he had scalded
his wife by accident was rather inn
probable in the light Of his own state
ment hat he made no effort to procure
medical attention for her and paid no
attention to her for days.
Mr.. Kohl thought Mr.. M%urphy's
statement highly probable and thought
IL too bad to deprive his wife and chill
dren of his support by locking him up
i'm the county iail to await his trial.
He also contended that the evidence of
the state would not be admitted I'm the
district court. This was taken excep-
ton to b. Mr.. Stivers very briefly in
closing. and the court ordered Murphy
bound Ove~ to the district court I'm
81. 900 bonds, which he was unable to
procure, n was committed to the
county Jail.