The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-16
TO GO TO JURY TO-DAY
CASE OF STEWART WEBB,
CHARGED WITH THE MURDER
OF WILLIAM LARSON
SURPRISE FOR THE STATE
Testimony of Myrtle Hayes Throws
New Light ON the Incidents Just
Preceding the Shooting of Lar
sOn-OnIy One Witness Remains
to Be Examined for the State
Defense Has Rested.


With the exception of the testimony of
Dr. H. J. OBrien, called by the state, the
evidence in the trial Of Stewart Webb,
Indicted for the murder Of William Lar
son. Is all in. The defense rested at $3.50
yesterday afternoon, and the court ad-
journed until 10 o'clock this morning.
when the opening address to the jury
will be made by the defense.
The morning session yesterday was
made lightsome, and even jovial by the
wit and repartee Of Judge Egan In his
direct and cross-examination Of witness
es, and at times the habitually melan-
choly and elongated face Of the court re-
porter was seen to light up into outward
traces of Inward merriment. At not In
frequent intervals the sharp raps from
the bailiff's gavel reminded the auditors
that mans life was hanging in the bal
ance, and that court proceeding were not
all cakes, ale and ginger.
| There Is an impression throughout the
court house that no verdict of guilty OF
murder in the first degree will be return
| ed Some rather sensational evidence Tor
though County Attorney Bigelow has not
yet summed up his side of the case, he
evinces a disposition to temper justice
with mercy, and was really lenient yester-
day afternoon in his handling OF William
w. Webb, the old father OF the defeho-
ant, Stewart Webb. Officer Baumgard-
| ner. Sergeant Wright, Officer Harris and
| former Chief of Police NJ n. Goss
were on the stand in the morning, and re-
iterated much of the Testimony that they
have given before.
1t was the evidence Of Goss that when
young Webb had seen Larson lying
wounded in the station, he had exclaimed:
There's the - of a -; had intend
ed to blow mis- head off, but only hit him
in the shoulder"
Webb had also laughed and remarked
something to the effect that he was but
a poor marksman anyway. lie had ap-
peared Indifferent and Goss had thought
him somewhat under the influence of
liquor 1t was his impression that all
| three of the men had been drinking.
Judge Egan inquired courteously:
What kind of liquor did You smell?
Whereat Mr.. Goss declared that he was
not an expert in vinous or alcoholic flu
| ids.
| But" persisted Judge Egan, "having
| been a railroad conductor-having mixed
with all kinds and conditions of men
was it the odor of beer or whisky that
you inhaled?"
Although pressed gently by Judge Jag
| gard to make the distinction between the
| two, the chief refused to commit him
| self, and firmly passed the question up
| 1t was the opinion, however, of Sergeant
| Wright, that none of the three were
J drunk. At least, young Webb had not ap-
peared intoxicated. The wrestling over
| the gun had been witnessed by George A.
| Stein. He is an employee of Crane & Ord
| way. The struggle took place near the
| office, sos Washington street Webb had
| run away, and Stein followed him, over
| taking him near the middle Of the park
! and holding him until the arrival Of ar
| officer. To Officer Harris it had appear
| ed that Webb was somewhat excited, sbut
sober. Officer Baumga rdner had sme1ied
| liquor on Larson, the patient whom he
| was driving to the hospital, and on Cor
nell.
| Miss Myrtle Hayes resides at 1853 South
| Washington street. Had witnessed the
| fatal struggle in front of the coal Of
| fee. It was Miss Bessie Grueviller who
| had been lying sick in the rear of the
| office In the apartment near her was
| Miss Wilson. When Cornell came in he
4
| partition and said "Hello, 1 want to
| see you. ladies' Stewart Webb said
| mo; she's sick Cornell said: Hello, u
| and wanted to know If it was Name,
and witness had replied that 1t was not
| She heard some one say: Now go On
| out" She heard some one ask for $12
| and insist that he must have it, and
| Webb replied that he would give 1t, but
| he didn't have cents. go on OUT a
l L. In NJ
marked: You're looking for trouble, "
and Webb had answered: mo 1 amt
Then some words had been spoken and
in an interval Of from five to ten min
| utes, as she remembered 1t, there had
| been a shot. Just a little before the
| shot she had heard opprobrious words.
| The witness had made a statement at
| st. Luke's hospital subsequently, where
| she was lying Ill with appendicitis and
| expected to die. The testimony of DR.
| Ancker related entirely to the reception
| of the victim Larson at the hospital.
| His death had resulted from pneumonia,
| caused by his poisoned wound. The evil
| dence of DR.. Ancker was quite impress
| siye. He testified that he had not cor
! sidered Larson under the influence OF
| liquor.
/ In the afternoon County Attorney Bige-
/ low placed William w. Webb, father OF
| Stewart, on the stand, and SuDmltted
! him to a rather severe examination. He
| was asked in regard to his testimony be-
| fore the grand jury, particularly that
| portion of 1t in reference to the place
| where the conversation between Webb,
| Larson and Cornell had occurred in which
I the latter had offered to buy out his.
| Webb pere's, business for $500.
| The witness said that he had sworn be.
| fore the grand jury that this conversation
| had occurred in front of the office prior
| to his leaving with q load of coal. To
/ in,peach this evidence William A. Mil
| Ter. cashier of the First National bank,
! and Albert Wunderlich, confectioner,
were called Both had been members OF
| the grand jury that had indicted Stewart
1 Webb. Each swere that old man Webh
| had testified that the conversation oc.
Cured inside the coal office. Following
| this William Webb was recalled ana stat
! ed that he had come out OF the once
| once, and had returned after morse
| blanket.
Charles Schuneman, Of the firm OF
| schuneman & Evans, another membei
Of the grand jury, corroborated the testi'
| mony Of Messrs. Miller and Wunderhch
Judge Egan then Informed the cour'
that the defense rested and County At
torney Bigelow said that, aside from Dr
| O,Rrien. who could not be found at ms
office. the state was ready to close
| with the understanding that the defense
| would open in the morning Judge jag
gard adjourned court