Evening journal., 1899-11-24
COLES DEFENSE
OPENED TO-DAY
Edna Wilson, the States Star
Witness, Gives Her Testi-
mOny Smiling.
DEFENSE CLAIMS INSANITY

LINED HIS POSITION-MRS. ROB
ERTsoN. WITH WHOM COLE
BOARDED, SAID "HE ACTED
CRAZY"
The trial of Montyaloo A. Cole, who
is charged with the murder of William
A. Montague, with a baseball bat, was
continued at yesterday afternoons ses-
sion of the Court Of Oyer and Termi-
ner.
William B. Carswell, civil engineer,
explained TO the court and jury the plot
which he had drawn showing the spot
on Second street between King and
Market streets where Montague was
struck.
William A. Moore, of No. 1922 Penn
sylvania avenue, was the star witness
Of the afternoons proceedings. He
said he saw Cole strike Montague, and
demonstrated, with the baseball bat in
hand, just how the fatal blows had
been struck.
Moore stated that he had been with
Cole in the house No. 227 Orange
street. While in this house Cole had a
bat in his hand Cole swung the bat
around his head apd said: ."Befcre the
night is over / will have this covered
with gore and gray matter. Cole said
in his presence that he was hunting
for somebody, but did not say who it
was The friends of Cole, the witness
went on, tried to take the bat from
him, and Bessie Gray, the proprietress
of the house asked Moore and the
other men who were in the house. to
take Cole out The young men who
assisted the witness were named
Chandlee and Keown, and an unknown
friend of Coles. All five went down
Orange street to Second, along that
street to Edward oMore's cigar store.
Chandlee and KeOwn took the lead.
Coles friend followed them and Cole
brought up the rear. When the quin-
tet reached the cigar store they saw
a man and woman coming toward
them. They were Montague and Edna
Wilson. Cole saw them and ran up to
the woman and said:
What in the - are you doing
here?" He had the bat in his hand at
the time. After a brief space of time
Cole raised the bat and struck Mon
tague on the head.
Here Moore demonstrated to the jury
and court just how the blow was
struck
Witness said that Montague fell in
the gutter and. standing over him, Cole
hit him twice more on the head with
the bat. Edna Wilson screamed. Cole
dropped the bat and ran down Second
street to King. down King to Front
and along Front to French street, and
went up French where he lodged some
horses but fell under their feet Al
this time he was followed by witness
who was crying: Stop that man" The
policeman caught Cole before he coult
get up. Moore went back to wher,
Montague had been struck and he wa:
being picked up by Edna. She wai
hugging him and crying. Montague
was taken TO the patrol station ant
from there TO the Delaware Hospital.
William Benson. a bartender at tn
Hotel Western, Fourth and Orang
streets, testified that he had seen Col
and knew Montague and Edna Wilson
The latter was in the hotel on May Il
and he saw her again on May Is wit
Cole and Montague at the hotel. Wit
ness next saw Cole on Wednesda
evening, May II, between and
o'clock. Cole was with man and ask
said that she had not. Cole then aske
If the kid" (meaning Montague), ha
been there, and witness replied in tn
negative. Coles friend had a bat
his hand. After taking a drink bot
went out. Cole saying: Come on, W
will get the -," or sucker" the wi
ness was not positive which.
Carrie Smith, an inmate of the houi
No. 227 Orange street, en- the stand sal
that she had known Edna Wilson for
week previous to May II. She ha
seen Cole twice. She saw him on Ma
II, with a tall thin man, and he had
baseball bat. Cole asked for Edna Wi
son. Witness told him she was ou
Witness said Cole swung the bat ov
his head and said he would kill som
one with it. She said Cole had kni
in his hand and that he said he 'wOu
dig Edna's heart out with IL" WI
ness said that Will Moore, Har
Keown. Cole. his friend and anoth
man were there, and that when tn
left it was because they were asked
go.
Emma Wilson. of Philadelphia, VI
lived at No. 227 Orange street in NJ
last. said: Il met him (COle) at
227 Orange street. On May II he car
to the house at about o'clock.
had a baseball bat in his hand. He -
the bat would kill him or someone e
before he left town In crOss-exar
nation the witness said: Il asked
the bat, saying it would get him
trouble. He would not give it up.
said that bat has got to kill me
someone else
Bessie Gray, the proprietress Of
22I Orange street, testified: The pl
Oner in the dock was known as wills
first saw him on the evening of n
10. He ate supper at my house. Al
o'clock on the same night ] saw NJ
tague. Cole and Edna there. On
night OF May II I saw Cole again.
friend was with him Cole had q
and said 1t would either kill him
someone else before he left town"
Harry Keown. the next witness, 4
titled that he was in the Orange stl
house on the night of May IL. Cole
there. The witness had met Cole