Daily inter mountain., 1900-07-02
WAS DEMPSEY
RESPONSIBLE !?
JURY SECURED TO PASS UPON
THE CASE OF THE WIFE
MURDERER.
HIS STATE OF MIND AT
THE TIME OF THE KILLING
Will Be Basis Of the Defense-Mrs
Miller Tells of the Fatal Quarrel
-Donahue's Story.

The trial OF the case OF the state against
Peter Dempsey, charged with having shot
and killed his wife, Maggie. in a room in
the lodging house kept by Mrs. Jennie V:
Miller At No s24 South Main street stree 20 about out
commenced in Judge Clancy's court today.
and. contrary to expectations, the jury was
were only two more names left in the box,
however. when the last man was accepted,
and had all the challenges been exercised
been necessary. The twelve men who will
determine the fate of the accused are:
James Counihan, John Veale, s. j. Davis,
Parry, M. J. Murphy, f. NJ. Walker, John
Leary, silas Dunnivan, John Resek and
A. G. Mcintyre.
behalf of the state, told what he expected
to prove. which was about the same as
the account of the circumstances of the
tragedy published in all Of the papers at
the time Of the killing.
Thomas A. Morrin appeared for Demp-
he said snow Rs that to
prior to the murder the defendants mind
had not been in condition to make him re-
What he was doing when he fired the shots
that snapped the life line of Mrs. Dempsey.
Mrs Miller the ssi lodging house sh proprs
! that on the day of the tragedy she had
talked to Mrs. Dempsey and Mrs. Dempsey
had said something about going some
Mrs. Dempsey and her husband had en-
tered their room together and few min
utes later she heard them disIuting about
something. The door was partly open, but
one Of them shut and locked it. Then she
heard a scuf1ing sound followed by a
couple ez,o of excsmations es from Mrs Demp.
A little while after that a shot was fired
In the room. Prior to this shot she had had
after the shot ali appeared to be quiet.
stairs. but on the way met John Bonahue.
She told him he had better not go. Then
a second shot was fired and q little later
she. heard Dempsey going down the back
stairway. Witness had then gone to- the
room Of the Dempseys and found Mrs.
| Dempsey lying on her side. She was dead
| Mrs Miller thought that about 10 minutes
shot and the time she visited the room
| She knew of the Dempseys having had
trouble about a week before the killing
of the tragedy witness had heard three
the Couple had, had trouble the he Week, Week before ore
1 Mrs. Dempsey left her husband, but re.
turned during. his absence and took some
/ he discovered that the articles had beer
] taken and told witness to not allow her t.
enter the room again; if she did she woult
be taken. He wanted witness to tell hin
where his wife was staying, but witness
he had one to put it away and she would
talk to him. Dempsey told her, she said
he had no gun, but little later drew on<
from his pocket pointed it at her and tolt
her he wanted her to tell him where hi:
wife was. Witness stated that she hai
then run down the stairway.
On cross-examination Mrs. Miller sale
that while the fuss was in progress in tn,
! room just prior to the shooting she hat
raped on the door and reminded Demp
sey Of a promise he had made her on thu
Sunday before to the effect that if his wifi
would return to him he would not lay
hand on her again.
Mrs. Miller further said that when Demp
sey drew the gun on her he uttered a re
mark about killing everybody.
John Donahue said he was passing thu
front entrance to the house when the frs
shot was fired and had gone nearly to tn,
top of the stairway leading to the secont
floor. There he met Mrs. Miller and spokt
to her. She said something to him abou
J getting an officer and he started down tn,
rear stairway. When he reached the bacl
yard the second shot was fired, and HI
started up the stairway again. On the wa.
he had met Dempsey, In his shirt sleeves
going down. He had then gone to tn
room where the shooting occurred Other
had arrived there ahead of him.