The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-08
HIS STRONG DEFENSE
MANY WITNESSES DENY THE EVIL
DENCE MADE BY THE
STATE
IN THE BoxELL MURDER CASE

No Scratches Were to BE Seen on
JOe's Hands-An Explanation of
the Hood Stains on the Duck
Coat-Had Been Worn While De-
hOrning Cattle-BeIOnged to An
other Man.
BUFFALO, Mimi, July THE Boxell
murder case is progressing rapidly. Shad-
rach Nelson for the defense this morning
testified that he worked for Joe, the de-
PENDANT, before and after the murder. Joe
was accustomed to have the nose bleed
frequently in warm weather. He assisted
Joe in dehorning cattle before the crime.
and stream of blood struck Joe's cheek
and ran down his coat and trousers. Joe
was always left-handed.
Robert Workman testified that the duck
coat introduced in evidence, was one
worn by Mr.. Holmn when he worked for
the witness, and was left at his place
by him. He (the witness) gave the coat
to Joe in March, 1897, While Joe was work
ing for him. Holmn had worn the coat
when he butchered, and there were more
spots on it then than now. Witness help
ed Joe to dehorn some cattle the last Of
March previous to the murder, and cor
roborated previous evidence as TO the
stream of blood striking Joes person. He
further testified that he visited the Box
ell home Sunday morning, after the muir
der, and saw Joe at o'clock that morn
ing. He saw no scratches or rags on his
hands Witness declared that Joes repu-
tation had been very good in the neigh
borhood.
On cross-examination witness admitted
that he suspicioned Joe the morning after
the murder, and examined him carefully;
that he Che witness) was member and
also the defendant of the Woodman lodge
at Howard Lake. Witness was asked if
he was not one of the parties who told
Joe after the arrest that the lodge boys
would do all they could for him. The
defendants counsel objected to this Ques-
ton, and the objection was sustained.
George Jadwin, sworn, stated that he
was an electrical engineer in charge of
the electric light plant at Howard Lake
the night of the murder, and that the
lights went out at exactly II o'clock.
Alonzo Mellon, one of the states wit
nesses, was put on for the defense at
this Juncture He swore that he left How
ard Lake Immediately after the train
pulled out and saw Joe helping his father
ln-laW carry trunk. 1t was the only
time he saw defendant that evening The
witness observed no scratches on Joe's
hands that morning after the murder. He
said that Joe's reputation in the COM
munity was good
Mrs. Alonzo Mellon corroborated her
husbands testimony.
Henry Doyle, grocer and confectioner
at Howard Lake testified that he was at
his store the evening of May 15 the date
Of the murder. He saw Joe at the corner
of the store, and talked with him. Shed
Nelson and Lester May passed as they
were talking. Joe had on a cheap, faded
gray overcoat: The witness saw Lon Mel
lon as he left with his team. The
latter had been gone ten or eleven
minutes when the witness saw Joe. He
dldn see William May on the corner that
night, and did not see Joe and May con-
verse or hear any conversation between
tnem witness controverted the testimony
OF M. M. Woolley to the effect that
Woolley did not ask him to go to Cokato
to the parties there who could convince
him that his testimony in Justice court
was in error. Witness claimed WoolIey
mad threatened him If he went to Buffalo
and denied the testimony of William Nav.
w. H. Pannett swore he was at the
Boxell home the day after the murder
and noticed Joe particularly, and there
were no scratches on Joes hands
Joseuh Armantraut, a painter living at
Howard Lake, went to the Boxell home
the day after the murder. He saw Joe and
shook hands with him, and was positive
there were no scratches on his hands.
The shirt Joe had on looked soiled. as
thought 1t might have been worn a
week.
Mrs. Joseph Armantraut corroborated
the testimony of her husband.