Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-12

The proceedings in the NILS murder
i al ,oday we're Of an intensely inter
a gne nature and full Of dramatic In
I ldsnts.
4 Tina testimony for the prosecution
,,ossd with the report Of 1t given IN
al nights News" and Judge Powers
Y ommenced his opening statement for
a. defense He resumed this morning,
"A smoke for two hours, being listened
with intense interest by all the par
A.. concerned, as well as by an audi
,pce that fairly packed the lobby.
Judge Powers spoke with intense
F,snsstness, and though he used the
H,lmplest language and employed few of
NJ arts as an orator. his presentation
f me case could hardly have been
more powerful one.
During his recital OF the facts leading
4 In 70 the tragedy, when he told Of
#sGs implicit trust in his wife, and
y NJ perfect confidence In the man he
b believed to he his best friend. ]. c.
described the awful scene
&shsu the defendant first learned of his
'piis's faithessness, Capt. Mills covered
Bis face with his hands and wept like
u child. Many In the audience were
.cuite as deeply affected, and handker-
'thlefs huttered all over the court room.
Mrs. 0'Melyeney was, strange to say,
but little affected during the powerful
Iteoital. Only once or twice, when the
.Fcene OF the shooting came up, did she
appear 10 be agltated more than usual.
|Dnoe or twice during Judge Powers
Statement, she smiled quietly. Her
Brother sat beside her during the day,
.and frequently consulted with her.
Capt Mills kept his hand at the side
loi his face during the whole day. The
|Rey Mills, Of Helena, his brother-in.
law, sat directly behind him, and dur
iihs the statement he was frequently
affected TO tears.
Judge Powers told the whole story "
/ his tragedy from The standpoint of the
tceiense In brief, he told how the friend
ItaIp between Mills and O'Melveney, ce>
nenled by thirteen years Of association,
was renewed when Mills and his wife
'came here from the west, after Mills
had served In the army: how they
stopped at O'Melveney's home for
couple OF days, until the defendant went
/ 10 the hospital to undergo n severe
operation; how, on recovering partially,
o vas promised a position by the Short
lAhe, but falling 10 get Il. went TO
eheyenne; how he came back TO Salt
lake last September, having had a
eenalr offered him in the University OF
Nevada; how one night he found a slip
" PAPER In his wife's handwriting. and
4 MT she had thrown away. In which
,he idea Of suicide was suggested, how
We al once went to Pocatello to get
NON ner an explanation and there
EARNED from a confession, wrested
nun heE That she had been untrue to
,Au while ne was absent in the army;
~" she resisted all OF his entreaties 10
L.. - tHN hdiiit VI itl ctuuttIt
INV me husband and wife finally
ss.sel 70 separate; how Mills conferred
YIN MS friend, O'Melveney, regarding
als social distress, the defendant never
sIsPecung that O'Melveney was him
III me man whose name he had tried
y, uo'ain from his wife; the penitent
bt1sls written by Mrs. Mills TO her
aIsuahd begging forgiveness for her
S ,'iui, now at last, when urged by the
, ,a.ler 10 make full confession, she
raueI D. {. OMelveney as the guilty
S, MAN. now completely this overwhelmed
, ,,,'s, ana then the closing scene in Che
,,s hi.ls excellent character was then es.
siaI by ne defense. testimony
SSOng This Inf being the first intro.
n n.SsI oy Judge Powers. A number OF
IAN sohslnent men, citizens OF Utah and
r ,-sny, testified on the stand or by de.
'yNsiu9h' 10 Mills splendid character.
ma. neu.Cal testimony showing Mills IN
o oSS while In Honolulu and its effect
y .bor u'eiendants mind. followed. This
tt NV mat he was a very severe SUI
'V'er' mentally and physically.