The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-25

Miss Laura S. Geertson was yester-
day bound over by Justice Breeder at
Ogden to the district court to answer
to the charge of assault with intent to
commit murder. The original bond of
$3.50 was allowed TO stand the county
attorney making the statement that he
felt sure Miss Geertson would be on
hand even without any bonds.
The case was one of extreme inter-
est and the little office was crowded to
its fullest capacity. People thronged
about all accessible windows, making
the room almost suffocating.
The defendant was entirely calm and
dignified and told a consistent,
straightforward story. DIR. Fisher was
considerably embarrassed, and when
some of his letters were produced he
retracted the statement that he had
never promised to marry her. Public
sympathy was clearly with the woman,
and even the prosecuting witness
stated after the examination that ne
wished the justice could have seen it
her way.
In the course of the trial Judge Ma
ginnis gave Fisher an unmerciful scor-
ing for giving out TO the newspapers,
false statements; making it appear
that he was being followed and perse-
cuted by the girl when in fact ne had
been for a long time making advances
and promising to marry her.
Fisher testified with considerable
hesitancy and showed himself DESTROYS
that the girl should not be held, but
in the end the justice, while he took
occasion to score the complaining wit
ness, nevertheless thought there was
evidence sufficient to hold the girl. The
proceedings began d little after 10 a.
m. DR.. Fisher being represented by
II. A. TAFT during the forenoon pro-
ceedings.
Miss Geertson's attorney, w. L. Ma
ginnis, waived the reading of the COM
plant, and the prosecutor put on the
complaining witness first.
DR.. Fisher said he had known de-
PENDANT for over three years. and was
on terms Of intimacy with her, had
correspondent with her during that time.
She was in his office from i until some
time after o'clock Sunday last. She
kept out of sight, while he was work
ing on some customers and then COM
ing out renewed the conversation ON
the subject of his marrying her.
During his examination DR.. Fisher
related the story substantially as told
in The Herald Monday. During the
struggle in the room just before the
shooting. he said they had turned round
several times.
Mr.. Maginnis subjected the witness
to most searching examination.
bearing especially hard on points
wherein the witness testimony differed
from statements given just after the
affair The pistol was his, he said. lie
had seen it in her satchel at the Broom
hotel three or four days before the
shooting. He supposed it was this pis-
tol but was not sure, as he did not
examine it. He missed the pistol d
week or ten days before the shooting,
but did not just know when it disap-
peared. Witness wanted Miss Cert
son TO give up the weapon, but she
refused.
Fervid Letter Writer.
Mr.. Fisher stated that he had never
promised I" marry the defendant, but
admitted that he might have suggested
marrying her sometime. He had never
promised such thing outright. Judge
Maginnis asked if he had never writ
ten such a promise. and the answer
WAS no The judge then introduced
a letter in witness handwriting and
called his attention to a paragraph:
20 God, that l might be with you
always
4 think ] will be free in sixty days
and 1 feel lovely in the thought that !
there is soon TO be Il union SO long
sought" The date of this letter was
Jan. 5. 1899.
Witness said he must have written
the words as it was his writing. Fisher |
denied having threatened the life of |
Miss Geertson. Mr.. Maginnis started 1
10 produce 4 formidable looking letter /
but stopped short without doing SO.
Mrs. Croker testified that Miss |
GeertSOn came to her house SATURDAY. |
evening and that she had asked to /
oh faIl L..
was not in, but Miss Geertson entered |
the house and pulled down the blind
She then asked Mrs. Croker if she |
knew the doctor was going away. Miss
Geertson told her she had seen a letter
written by Fisher to Mr.. Luckett in
which he had mentioned going east
soon with his wife. Miss Geertson had
said she did not understand this. She
asked Mrs. Croker not to tell Dr.
Fisher that she called as he would
be very angry. Mrs. Crocker would
not promise Miss Geertson had said
Fisher could never live with any other
than her as she would kill him
and herself. Miss Geertson had called
again the next morning and insisted
on seeing her. She repeated the threats
and told of her association with Dr.
Fisher. and his promises TO marry her
Witness had told her il DR.. Fisher felt
he could live with his wife, that was
the thing for him 20 do.
Miss Geertson. she said. had eXacted
q promise that she would not tell Dr.
Fisher Of her visit before Monday even
ng.
Miss Ceertson had also tried to get
to tell her which room Dr.
Fisher occupied but the request was
denied.
Wife On the Stand
Mrs. Nellie Fisher. wife of Il. IL.
Fisher had known defendant for over
.wo years. Miss Geertson had told wit
less ia Dr. Fishers Office about one
rear and a half ago and again a little
alter that she would follow DR.. Fisher,
hat he could never live with another
as she would do something
desperate.
w. J. De Brv. janitor of Utah Loan
( Trust building narrated a story
bout as given in Mondays Herald.
David AIargetts told a story pre-
.isely as published in The Herald. He
IDENTIFIED the pistol and said the ham,
ner was resting on the shell which had
,een snapped on. During the exami-
lat.on the loaded shells fell out and he
epIaced them in their original order
Je, turned the weapon over to Mr.
!. hittaker of the county attorneys Of
ice
Mr.. Margetts was an important wit
Jess. but part Of his testimony was ind
avor of the defense. The important |
,oint from the standpoint of the de-
ense was the condition of the pistol.
Targets testified that he took the gun |
irect from Fisher, and that he exam
ned il first. The hammer rested on
he cartridge which had the indented
ap. and this was contrary to the the