The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-02
for the Sunday Standard.

Written for the Sunday Standard.
St. Louis Mo-, March 29.-An innova-
ton in criminal jurisprudence that has
caused intense interest here, and is like
ly to be fiercely opposed when initiated
elsewhere, was introduced at the trial
of Campbell Allgaier, charged with the
murder of James A. Baker. The latter
was shot and killed in front of his
home, No. 5055 Ridge avenue, on the
night of Aug. q last. The quarrel is
supposed to have been over Bette ALL
gaier, sister of the accused man. Two
shots were fired Allgaier pleaded self
defense, but the fact that both of the
bullets lodged in Bakers back seemed
to point to hopeless case. The whole
question then arose as to the positions
of the men during the struggle OF
course there could be no self defense
unless Allgaier was placed in danger of
his life and the fact that he had shot his
antagonist in the back seemed to make
conviction certain.
The defense claimed that the two
men were clinched in fierce battle and
that Allgaier drew his revolver, reached
around Baker and fired the fatal shots.
Supporting this explanation was the
fact that Bakers shirt was ignited by
the blaze of the powder, indicating that
the muzzle of the revolver had been
held in close proximity to him. Note
that all of the states witnesses claimed
that the two men were standing six
feet apart at the moment of the shots.
The prosecution set its wits to work to
devise some means of showing convinc-
1ngly that the shots We're fired from a
distance of some feet and that the i'll
ing was therefore cold FLOODED murder
and not the act Of a man in fear of his
own life.
Assistant Circuit Attorney Charles
Krone was the man who hit upon the
idea of enacting the whole scene as wit
nesses described it, and taking photo
graphs of the grim pantOmimic per-
Torrance for the benefit of the Jury
Mr.. Krone preached his plan to me and
together we arranged a series of pic
lures upon which the state has rested
the burden of its proof. 1t was an en-
tirely new idea, but it was found to
have great weight with the jury, bring
ing before them as it did all the vivid
surroundings which enabled them to
understand every word descriptive Of
the fight.
The first photograph was one showing
the Baker home in front of which thu
killing took place, bringing out prJmi-
nently the fence, the gate and tire steps
where the men were standing at be-
time If the murder. a second photo
graph showed the two men as they
stood talking or arguing on the oVentfuI
night. The third portrayed the tragedy,
as the state wished to prove il had been
acted. A man representing James A.
Baker is about to enter the gate and a
figure. intended for Campbell Allgaier,
stands about six feet in the rear on the
sidewalk, with a revolver in his eN-
tended hand as if firing the fatal shot.
Again another exhibit shows how man
six feet away from another. ascending
the steps in front of the Baker home,
might easily extend his arm and place
the weapon within II inches of the sec
ond mans back. With the exception of
the foliage, which was somewhat hcav-
ieE at the time of the illing than is p0r-
trayed in the photographs taken some
time later the pictures were pro-
nounced true lkenesses. Every detail