Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-08-18

rs tne tr1al proceeded ana once OF
twice got up and walked back and
forth in the rear of the court room.
Watkins was unable to establish
a line of evidence from the child
that her mother and herself were
trying to get money from him, and
only got the response, "You know
that is not so," repeated sew
eral times. With the close of the
little girls testimony the trial
adjourned for dinner.
At tie reopening Of court the
prosecution placed the mother, an
elderly lady, upon the stand, who
testified substantially as follows:
81 am the mother OF DorOthea
Chase; she is eleven years old;
this event happened after the
Fourth of July; learned all about
the occurrence concerning my
child from Edna Shearer, who also
told me that Watkins had taken
liberties with her sister I.ottie.
then questioned my daughter, who
related the circumstances. / asked
her why she did not tell me; she
said she was little and did not
know what to do; she said Watkins
had promised her money-5O cents,
and she told him that she did not
want his four bits.
On cross-examination by Wat
klns, witness testified that Wat
kins had promised her money if
she would not divulge how matters
stood, but he had not done SO. III
had $50 due me from the hotel
when Mr.. Shearer went out, and
all | have ever got was money due
on that. For a time he paid me
81 q day on my wages"
Asked why she had not at once
begun the prosecution, she an
swered: "To shield you. You
said you would do anything to
save yourself. / had been SO long
with the Shearer family that was
willing to do anything to shield
them"
Watkins showed desire to
prove money agreement between
himself and the mother to keep the
matter quiet.
In answer to question by
County Attorney Scales, witness
said: Ellis promises made no diff
ference to me. ! was trying to
shield the Shearer family. I
talked to Mrs. Walton as soon as
heard of it," Answering Attorney
Scales, she said: "It was on &C
count of the family, and thought
the child was young and would not
realize what had been done to her,
and besides / was afraid that the
PRESS would get hold of it and send
it over the whole country" Wit
ness denied emphatically that she
had demanded money from Wat
kins, but she had agreed to accept
$50 on her back wages, due from
Shearer and assumed by Watkins,
and wanted it paid to her attorney,
Jaques. She denied having
brought the action, and was pres
ent merely as q witness.
Minnie Walton, a prepossessing
little lady, modestly attired, was
the next witness. She testified
that she and her husband did the
diningsroom work at the Palace;
the child had related matters to her
as previously stated; she corrobo-
rated the former witness, Mrs.
Chase, and that the child had called
Watkins dirty negro" in telling
her about the assault. Her testi-
mony was particularly damaging
to the accused. On cross-examina-
ton by defendant witness said that
she had no i'll feeling against him
Watkins tried in every conciev-
able way to impeach the witness
testimony but was unable to dis
turb it.
State rests.
Motion by Watkins for dismissal
of action ON the ground that the
state had failed to make its case.
He then made his opening argu-
ment, reviewed the testimony and
endeavored to show it's weakness.
1t is due him to say that he made
a strong plea, and finally burst out
crying. He made finer argument
than many lawyers could have
made for him. He was most We
hement and his oratory was fine.
1t certainly was dramatic. County
Attorney Scales then responded for
the state and made spirited ar
He spoke of the re-
voting phases Of the case, told how
vile the story was as it had been
told to him, and demanded that the
motion made by Watkins be over
ruled. Watkins then closed for
himself.
Motion for dismissal was over
ruled by the court. The defense
opened by placing DIR. Brown on
the stand. He testified substanti-
ally as follows: l was called in
by lawyer Jacques, on behalf of the
mother, to make the examination
Of the girl, and did so. l found
that she had not been injured in
my way, but found indications of