The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-12
BOXELI, CASE CLIMAX
STORY OF THE PRISONER THE
TRUMP CARD OF THE
DEFENSE
HE HAS HELPED HIS CASE

of CandOr-TestimOny to Offset
the Points Made by the State
Court Room Crowded to Hear
Joseph BOxeIl-NOrthvvest News.
BUFFALO. Minn.,I July 11.-(Special.)-
Joseph Boxell, the u defendant in the
murder case on trial here, has told his
story and the general impression is that
the defense has played it's strongest card
1t cannot be denied that the defendant
made an excellent witness in his own
behalf. The story of events on the night
of the murder and of the days following
when he was an object of suspicion, was
clearly told without hesitation and in a
manner that was apparently frank and
open. His appearance on the stand was
the dramatic climax of the long and in.
teresting trial and the court house was
thronged today tc hear his testimony
When court convened this morning
Boxell again took the stand and resumed
his story where he left off the night be-
fore. At its close his counsel took him
In hand and questioned him on points
brought out by the state which had not
been covered in his direct story The
conversation testified to by McClay In
reference to getting a deed to the land
on which the witness lived, was in 1886,
the witness said, instead of 1897, and 1t
was McClay who urged him to secure
the deed for the purpose of arranging a
trade with him for some land at Eden
Valley. Witness did not express any de-
sire to get title to the land or make such
a trade.
AS to family relations Boxell said he
was on the best of terms with his father.
He went there as often as two or three
times week up to his fathers death.
He had seen his stepmother before the
marriage. There was no trouble between
them, and his father and stepmother fire.
quently visited at his place
Then the question of the chairman
which was proposed after the wedding of
Mr.. Boxell Sr., in connection with which
the defendant is alleged to have said that
he preferred a hanging bee was touched
upon. BcXell said that upon the day in
question he had gone to Howard Lake to
get some medicine for his father Who
was pretty sick. and stopped at the Ium-
Der ONCE on his way home The o11es-
ton of charivari came up and he sail
ne had never been TO any, but would 90
to that one. Asked If George TAYLOR and
JOIN BoXel would go, he told them in
reply that they had said they wouId
I@tneF go TO a hanging bee There was
his father '" anu
The witness testified to a personal feel
ing between himself and McVeety, oc.
caSloned by the sale of some annie +raes
oy McVeety to the witness. After this
zeal McVeety threatened to make Yroubla
for witness e 0N'Oie
IN reference to another disputed noint
hos Sa1o ne mad no scratches on his
l!ahds except one near a fingernail ON
the left hand, made on a nail when he
was hanging up the harness.
coming down to the time when ba oan,o
uhuer suspicion BoxelI testified that he
sd" AlecK McVeety first the Saturday fol-
owing the murder. He was doing chores
at ms 1athers He did the chores there
until June 20, and McVeety drove nm
When he was at work His brother TobI,
go Pre- pIesent at the time. John came out
anu toIo the witness that McVeetv want.
ca them to go to Buffalo to see sheriff
Nugent and Detective Howard. McVee+y
asked about the reward which the sberiS
nao onered and expressed a desire to pair
IL Witness told him that he honed he
could find the parties
Inc following Wednesday McVeetv
- LIN L eI iii 5, where he (BOXell)
was WORKING. and took his coat: the wit.
ness told him to wait until evening and
ne would go down with him. but Nc.
Veety TOOK the coat without the witness
consent. After supper he went down and
asked McVeety about the coat: told him
tnat ne wanted 1t and threatened to have
him arrested If he did not give = IN
he started towards an attorneys Office
McVeety urged him to come back and
told MN he would bring the coat the
next day. '--N
The defendant said that the duck coat
mad been used to butcher in before he
got 1t; that he had worn If When da.
morning cattle, and that he had carried q
calt up from the pasture and had had the
ncsebIeed. McVeety asked him WHY he
mad washed it so soon after the murder
he said that it had fallen into the hog
yard and that the hogs had dragged n
around in the dirt and that he had soak.
ed 1t in barrel before it was washed
He never made any different statements
in regard to the coat.
He then returned to the matter of his
arrest. Jan. 3, 1899, Constable Eppler. Nc.
Veety, Mark WoolIey and James Eye
came to his house about II o'clock al
night, and Eppler told him that he was
MS prisoner. He denied throwing the over.
ais In McVeety's face. He claimed that
after taking him to Howard Lake they
accused him Of the crime. and before
he left the house, told him that he would
never see his children again; that thew
knew he was guilty and that they would
convict and hang him. He said there
were never any scratches on his hands
directly after the murder.
Jackson Is Chairman