The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-21
FLAWS IN VOL 5 STORY
THEY WE'RE THE OBJECTIVE OF
THE ERICKSON DEFENSE
YESTERDAY
EXPERTS ON MENTAL DISEASE
Testify That in Their Judgment the
States Star Witness Has HaLIu-
cinatiOns and Is Men
tally Unbalanced.

When court opened yesterday morning
for the second day in the trial of Edward
Erickson for the murder of his brother,
the court room was again crowded, with
the exception of the galleries. The de-
fense did not finish putting in its testi-
mony yet, and it is doubtful if the trial
will be through before tomorrow.
In the afternoon Dr.. c. E. Riggs and
Dr. E. ]. Abbott, who examined Gustave
Wall, the principal witness for the state,
took the stand for the defense, and testi-
fed that Wou appeared subject to hallu-
cinations.
Witnesses for the defense could not
agree upon as to how cold it was.
James P. Mcmillan, a pork packer, was
the first witness called for the defense,
and he testified that he had known the
defendant ever since his brother died and
that he has borne a good reputation.
EX-County Treasurer Frank E. Edmund
was next called to the stand. He said:
II know Gus VOL. I met him on Four h
street after the arrest of Edward Erick-
son, and when I asked him why he had
not given the alarm after he had seen
the homicide, he said he was afraid-had
run down toward the tracks.
Louis Lovenstein, living at 3S9 Ramsey
street, was employed by Herr Bros, at
Seventh and Rosabel streets. The store
was, in 1894, closed at 6:3O on week days,
except Monday and Saturday.
Feb. 1 was Thursday.
On cross-examination witness said he
was speaking from what ne knew was a
rY,1o of hA he
sold after $50, when the store was closed.
This was the store at which VOL said
he had bought the overals in the even
ing.
w. H. Brill, a newspaper reporter, tes-
titled to an interview had with Gus VOL.
He said that Woll tod him that Edward
Erickson was standing up when he fired
the fatal shot into the body Of his brother
Martin. This was IN contradiction to the
testimony given by WoH on the stand the
first day of the trial. Woll said then
that the defendant was kneeIing down,
with one knee on the knees of his brother,
when he fired the shot.
Ole Nelson, a delivery man for Schune-
man & Evans, said that in 1894 he was
with the Wagner Express company,
whose barn was on Decatur street. He
said:
IT know the Ericksons, whose Place
of business was across the street. Feb.
l, 1884, I got home near 9 o'clock, and
went to the barn. John Martin was there.
He is now in the regular army in the
Philippines. We heard two shots. l said
there was fight over in NOrman's saloon
and we started out 1 saw Ed Erickson
coming toward the shop, carrying a can
or pail. He called for police, or some
thing like that. I saw a man in front
of the shop. Looked to me as though
he had just come out of the window and
picked himself up from the sidewalk He
passed the corner and back past the shop
and met Ed"
Witnes could not trace the man furth-
er. Ed went in through the door win
dow. Martin was lying near the door on
his knees. Ed turned him over and put
him on his knee and said something to
him, but he did not know what it was.
He was asking who done it, or who shot
him, but Martin could not talk.
Nelson saw his lips moving and he was
trying to talk, but he could not.
In the afternoon Mr.. Donnelly read the
testimony of John Martinson, taken at
the coronors inquest. According to the
testimony, Martinson was with Ole Nei-
son in the express barn at the time the
shots We're fired He testified that q
stranger who came up had told Edward
Erickson to shut up or he would Shoot
him too Erickson had called for the
police.
Mr.. Bigelow then read the testimony Of
w. Fitzgerald, at the inquest He had
heard a SHOT, heard the breaking of
glass, and saw a man come out of the
shop and run.
Herbert ~ Charles. who livos on
Preble street. and travels for Robinson
Straus 4 Co, was next called. lie said
that he knew Edward Erickson and that
his reputation was good.
Edward j. Sullivan, a cigar dealer at
G.6 Selby avenue, was at 636 Bedford
street, in 1894. On hearing a shot fired he
had gone to the shop. The windows were
frozen over, and no one could have seen
through them. He described the situation
in the shop. Witness wanted Beckstrom
to assist him to move Martin so that
people could come into the shop. but
Edward SAID mo, you will hurt him -
Witness asked what was the matter, and
Martin raised his hand to his stomach
Edward was lamenting over his brother
Mr.. Sullivan swore that it was below
zero on Feb. I, 1894, at o'clock, for he
haG looked at the thermometer at the
drug store. The windows were coated
over thick with frost.
Dr. Charles E. r ggs, a member of the
lunacy commission and consulting neuro-
logist for all the hospitals. was called.
Were you present in court during the
testimony of Gustave WolI yesterday?
Yes, sir. l was.
Did you examine him afterwards?
Yes sir.
What opinion did you form as to his
mental condition?
| think he is mentally unbalanced
DR.. E. J. Abbott, testified to the same
effect as DR.. Riggs
Edwin P Stone a reporter for the
Q b e. testified to an interview he had
with Vol the same evening that Edward
Erickson was arrested. Mr.. Stone said
that Won told him that he heard a
scuffle as he passed, but did not turn
back to see what it was until he had
gone about fifty feet beyond the door,
and that when he got back he saw Ed
ward Erickson standing over his brother
with a pistol in his hand
Alfred Blomquist testified that he heard
the shots fired and saw Edward Erickson
outside of the butcher shop about ten
seconds after.
John Anderson, who lives on Beaumont
street, said that Herman Carlson board
ed with him at the time that Martin
Erickson was murdered. He said that
Carlson was home that night and only
went cut for a few seconds at 9:30, Just
before going to bed. Asked as to how
cold he thought 1t was the witness said
that it was about 20 degrees below zero.
Esther Blomquist was the last witness
called yesterday. She said that She