The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-13
MADE REMARKABLE TIME
Prosecution Finishes It's Case in
the Baptiste Trial.
PLEA OF INSANITY MADE
The Defense Will Rely Solely Upon That
to Save the Defendant Facts of the
Killing Are Not Contested.
Case Nearly Finished.

Some remarkable time was made yes
terday in the trial of Mrs. Emma ].
Baptiste. charged with the murder of
her husband ON the 10th of last Sep
TENDER because he had repudiated her,
claimed that she was not his wife and
had married frankie Bell. a variety
actress, The state began its introdue
ton of testimony at o'clock in the
morning and in four hours half dozen
or more witnesses We're examined and
the case for the prosecution closed, and
when court adjourned for the day at )
O'Clock the greater part of the evidence
for the defense had been introduced
and Judge Clancy expressed himself
pleased with the progress made in the
case. The state was represented by
County Attorney Stapleton and Deputy
Stiyers, though the latter chiefly con-
Quoted the case yesterday.
For the defense. Attorneys Clinton
and Lamb alternated in the conduct of
the case. The defense did not attempt
to controvert the states testimony as
To the facts of the killing and contented
itself with proofs TO support the plea of
insanity, on which some rather strong
evidence was introduced.
When court convened yesterday
morning Deputy County Attorney
Stivers made the opening statement to
the jury of the facts the state expected
to prove. He said that on the evening
of Sept 49, 1897 she called at the
NJ & NJ pool rooms and asked some
one to call her husband, James Bap-
tiste. up, as she wished To speak 10 him.
He was notified and walked up to a
wicket TO talk to her. He was seen
leaning against the wicket and then a
shot was fired Baptiste fell to the floor
and Mrs Baptiste ran out and was ar
hfif Threatened TN her niSIDI
ON the officer.
Joseph Satterlee, proprietor of the
Nj. & NJ. saloon. was the first witness
called for the state. He described the
room where the shooting occurred. In
front is the bar and in the rear is the
betting stand. Baptiste was the tele
graph operator and was behind the par
tition at the stand and near a wicket.
Satteriee was at the bar when the
shooting took place, which was little
before o'clock. Two shots We're fired.
About two minutes later Satterlee went
up to see what was the matter and
found Baptiste lying on the floor With
a bullet hole in his right side and sew
eral persons were about him. Some
one asked him who shot him. but he
did not reply. Some one then asked.
Did your wife shoot you2" and Bap-
tiste replied No.
What induced him To say no?'
The witness said Mrs Raptiste was
in the pool room for some time before
the shooting and was talking with her
husband. She was standing a part Of
the time and sat down part of the time.
Baptiste was at work on the board and
he left his work several times To talk
10 her. Attorney Il. l. Lamb conducted
the cross-examination
Terry Towner. the next witness. tes-
titled that he was in the pool room
when the two shots We're fired. For
15 minutes before the shooting he saw
a woman standing at the wicket of the
betting stand, but he did not identify
her. She was talking To James Bap-
tiste. Towner did not think he could
identify the woman If he saw her again
and could not describe her.
There was no cross-examinatien
Frank Mathers. another employee Of
the NJ. & NJ. testified that he MAS in
the room and saw Mrs. Baptiste there
for 10 minutes before the shooting. She
asked Mathers to call her husband. as
she wished To speak with him. The
witness complied and Mrs. Baptiste and
her husband talked together for some
time. Mathers could not say whether
Mrs. Baptiste was excited or not, but
she did not appear unnatural" 10 him.
On cross-examination the witness said
he was counting up the days receipts
while the two Were talking. He had
seen Mrs. Baptiste there before and
didn't think there was anything UNI
common about it. as women frequently
came up there The witness thought
there was lapse of about half a min
ute between the Two shots. When Mrs.
Baptiste asked him To call Baptiste she
designated him as Snapper.
John T. Collins testified that he was
In the pool room looking al the racing
board when he heard shot fired and