The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-12-04
DRAMATIC SCENE in COURT
TRIAL OF JESSIE MORRISON FOR
MURDER BEGINS.
First Witness Gives Graphic Description
of What She Saw in
. Victims House.

NlOl1lSOHs Sh4lA In So4ASONSOy SAAN
scarcely moving a muscle, listened to-
day to the dramatic recital by two of
her former neighbors Of the death
struggles of Mrs. G. Olin Castle, for
whose murder she is being tried. The
witnesses were Mrs. Nettie Moberly
and Mrs. Emma r. S%pangler, the first
persons to enter the Castle home, in
response to Mrs. Castles screams for
help. They were introduced by the
state and will probably prove the
strongest witnesses put forth by the
prosecution. Mrs. Spangler, with
theatrical effect, went through the
motions she claims to have witnessed
through the window as Mrs. Castle lay
on the floor, her throat cut in a dozen
places, and with Miss Morrison stand
ing over her and clutching at her
throat. 5.-...
The court room was thronged. The
trial was fairly under way at noon A
total of 115 witnesses will be present
ed for examination.
Mrs. Moberly testified to seeing a
black handled razor that had been
found in the Castle home. When ex-
hibited the witness said she thought
it was the same one.
Later when another neighbor ar
rived they both led Jessie Morrison
out of the house. Jessie wanted to GO
back for a letter that she had left on
the floor near Mrs. Castle. This
letter, blood stained, was shown to
the witness and identified by her. The
letter, according to the prosecution,
was taken out of the postofice by Miss
Morrison on the morning Of the muir
der and was handed by her to the mur
dered woman so she might have all
opportunity for al attack as Mrs.
Castle read it. Cross examination
elected nothing new.
In her redirect examination, Mrs.
Moberly described Mrs. Castles ex'
preston as she lay upon the floor
Her face was all drawn, her eyes haG
a wild expression i'll them and her lips
were drawn from her teeth" said the
witness. She told of Mrs. Castle, una.
BILE to speak, writing a note. There
was a fight over the admission of the
note which read: "Jessie Morrison
killed me-"
Mrs. Castle afterward wrote a
longer statement.
Mrs. Spangler testified to hearing
screams from the Castle house and
hearing a voice say: "Get off, Jessie
Morrison, you are killing me" The
house was locked and she looked
through a window. Miss Morrison
stood over the PROSTATE woman with
her hands near Mrs. Castles head.
Jessie saw the wintess at the window
and Strengthened up.
81 can show you how Jessie Morri
son moved" said the witness, anc
Mrs. Spang]er, getting upon her knees
upon the floor before the jury, de
picted dramatically Jessie Morrison
plying her hands at the throat of thu
other woman, then raising her heat
and dropping her hands at her side.
When Miss Morrison arose the wit
ness said her hands were near Mrs
Castles knees. The razor was foun(
on Mrs. Castles body near the knees
Mrs. Spangle1 said that when she en-
tered the room, Miss Morrison ex
claimed: II have killed Mrs. Castle
I cut her throat all to pieces with
razor
The witness then told of leadin,
Miss Morrison from the house; of he
going back for a letter; of her trying
to hide something that she had in he
i --l q .