The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-23
en- Murder Trial Will Be Con-
cluded To-Day.
ARGUMENTS OF COUNSEL
Defence Puts q DOES o More Wit
nessss on he Stand G % Prove ellis
Insanity-Teetimony as TO Pre-
\ vtous Good Character.

VI IalIICk WHICH, vi nv SUI W ,tBs
tember last. was continued yesterday.
viii be concluded To-day. The argu-
hents OF the counsel have already be-
gun. County Attorney Trippet has IS
minutes more To talk this morning. and
Mr.. Duffy for the defense, has an hour
and a quarter. so that a verdict car
be expected this afternoon or tonight
Z the latest.
THE defense endeavored TO prove by
h witnesses yesterday. that the pris-
oner had been a MAI OF good reputa-
ton before he began to drink. which
he did shortly after having been the
victim of an accident.
IL was IL o'clock when Con Deneen.
the first witness OF the day was called
20 the witness stand. Mr.. Deneen said
thai he knew the accused and had
unown the victim. lie was i'm the cabin
On the 27th of September. the date OF
the difficulty. He had been living there
for two weeks prior to the time the af-
fair occurred. on the night of the
killing there were In the cabin, four
persons of which the victim and the de-
PENDANT were two, N Morgan Evans
md the witness. the others.
1hey talke until 3 o'clock that night.
Witness saw the victim fall on his face
otter receiving the blow. GIL was then
4IIIlnE on the nOOT anu Udu "a cllth III
his hand. II looked III h handle OF
a shovel
Witness was her shown a stick, and
he said that II was the one he took
from Gill, five or 10 minutes after the
occurrence of the affair.
WITNESS. continuing. said that Gill
vas standing three feet away when
WEIGH fell. The latter was picked up
and found to be dead. Gill said he was
responsible for WEIGHS death. The vic
tim fell faciA% the stove. The only
noise heard was the sound of the blow.
Gill had a knife in his hand after Welch
had fallen. Witness did not touch the
v1ctim during the evening. Witness
said that he and the other three men
named above. were a little drunk that
day. The other three were more in
toxicated han the witness. They all
went to Bennett's ranch that day and
on their return. the victim and the de-
PENDANT rode in one wagon and he and
Evans were in another. The two lat
or got back TO the cabin after the
Oilers. After having unhitched the
Nurses. they all went back n had
some more drinks. The prisoners ac-
lions were very peculiar that night.
This witness closed the case for the
defense. and Mr.. DUFFY then made his
opening statement to the jury. He ex-
planned to the Jury that the death had
been the result of ar accidental blow.
The two men were friends and had al
ways been. Mr.. DUFFY said that by his
witnesses. he would endeavor to prove
that GIL became troubles from the use
he made OF intoxicating liquors. that
the defendant was insane. as his ac-
lions on several occasions were not
those of a sane man. This was also
shown oftentimes in his conversation,
when. speaking on a certain subject. he
.~...ll awts.A or 40 annsha
That IL was the talk Of the neighbors
that Bill Gin was not he same man
since he had acquired the taste for
intoxicating liquors. and that at one
time. he suffered an injury which had
a very bad effect pom his mind.
John Croswright. was the first wit
ness for the defense. Witness knew Gill
many years. and he noticed quite a
change in him of late. Defendant had
n very wild look and his talk was pc
cuiiar. While in conversation, GIN
would get mad II the talk was contrary
10 his ideas. In an instant. he would
change the subject OF conversation.
Witness stated that he was OF the
opinion that GIN was not right in his
mind and he often drank to excess.
Since the defendants CONTINENT in jail.
witness has had a talk with him and
he found Gill TO be a changed man.
He seemed to be partially insane n
liable to say and do things for which
he was not responsible.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Trippet. witt
ness said that the accused was cranky
md peculiar. Asked whether he thought
hat the prisoner knew the difference
pet W right and wrong. witness an
swered that he was of the opinion that
in some things he did Witness said that
up to hve years ago, he considered the
defendant as n OF the best citizens
of the valley.
Judge Hiram Knowles OF the United
States district court of the state Of
Montana. called the next witness and
aid that Gilrs reputation up to 1890
was very good. He had always regard
ed the defendant as being a very good
citizen.
After Judge Knowles had given his
evidence. and before leaving the court
room. he went over to Gill. shook hands
with him. and gave him a few words
of announcement.
Hon. W. w. Dixon. OF Butte. said hat
he had resided in Montana since 1866.
during which time. he knew Gill. whose
reputation was good.
Thomas Elliott. the next witness.
said he had resided in Deer Lodge
county since 1861. He had known the
prisoner during that time. He has
found quite a change In him during the
last few years. and he VAS OF the opln-
ion that the man was crazy.
In the cross-examination. witness
says that there were times when the
prisoner did not seem to know the diff
ference between right inc wrong. Wit
ness said that III he had known that
Gil was badly insane. he would have
taken means to have had him sent to
the asylum.
Mr.. Johnston. deputy sheriff. Vas the
next witness. He said he had known
Gill for the past five or six years. Since
his CONTINENT in the ,ail. witness has
remarked that the prisoner was ner-
vous. while In conversation. he chang
ed the subject In an instant The pris-
oner In a very nervous a Witness
did not notice any peculiar look in his
eyes
ar. schurtz. deputy sheriff. testified
that Gu. when he saw him In his cell.
had q very CLASSY look In his eyes. Dur
ing . conversation which they had to-
gefher. m swltchings from one sub
--Ia