The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-03
MILES AND MILES.
Witnesses In Leach Murder
Trial From Everywhere.
Many From Baltimore and 9th
ers From Cuba.
TALK OF INSANITY.
OF INSANITY.
Attempt to Prove That Defend
ant Is Not Responsible.
Case Will Commence In Federal
Court Next Week.

The charge against Joseph Leach for
murder in the first degree will probably
come to trial next week in the federal
court, although it has been postponed
time and again during the past two.
years, and all the time Leach has been
kept a prisoner in the Shawnee county
Jail. The case is now set to begin on
Monday, and there seems to be no good
reason apparent at present why It'll
should be again postponed. 1t was set
to be tried before the holidays, and the
government summoned it's Witnesses
some of them coming from Cuba, but
the defense was not quite ready, and
they asked for a short postponement
and the case was continued. In the
meantime those of the governments
witnesses who came from distance are
here in Topeka
The witnesses for the defendant have
now been subpoenaed, as well as those
for the government, and they will all be
here next Monday. The witnesses for
Leach, Il in number. are all paid by the
government. This is a rather unusual
procedure, especially where the wit
neSSeS are brought from a great dis
tance, as they were in this case, but
Judge Hook ordered it in view of the
fact that Leach has been kept in jail
for the past two years and that prior to
that time he was in the United States
army, working for the government at
the munifcent salary of $l3 per month,
and he has no funds, so that the court
deemed it 10 more than right that the
government should pay for bringing his
witnesses to Topeka.
The witnesses summoned for the de-
tense come from all parts of the United
States, but the majority of them are
from Baltimore and other parts of
Maryland The line of defense will be
on the theory that Leach is insane, and
many of these witnesses will be called
to testify 10 incidents in his life that
will go to prove this point, or to show
that there is insanity in his family.
Leach's father and mother will be in
attendance at the trial. They live in
Baltimore, whic hwas also the home of
Leach before he enlisted in the army.
sons. a brother of the defendant, COM
mitted suicide, and that two of his
aunts were insane for a number of
years. Mrs. Carrie Bailey, of Wash
ington, D. c., who has known Leach
since his infancy, and Bessie Earhart,
of Chicago, another friend of the FAM
lily, will also be summoned to testify to
these same particulars.
Stewart F. o. Temple, a surgeon in
the regular army, now stationed at
Fort Robinson, Neb., has been subpoe-
naed, as he was at Fort Riley during
the time Leach was stationed there and
testify that Leach was subject to mel
anchOlia and mania, growing out of
stomach troubles, and that he had ViO-
lent spells" at times.
James Queue, another soldier, a com
rade of Leach'S at Fort Riley, now sta
toned at Fort Adams, Newport, r. L.
will be called on to testify that Leach
was user of morphine and laudanum,
and was subject to attacks of mania.
Floyd Mcclure, who was another of
Leach's comrades, but who has since
been mustered out of the service. and
now lives at st. George. Kansas will be
a RI fnCf U inc all r,F
sanity that it is claimed Leach is sub
ject to.
Luther Mcneil. who now lives in Dem
yer, but who spent some time in Jail
with Leach since his arrest, will also
be called on to testify along the same
line.
S. B. Carry, a druggist at Junction
City, has been subpoenaed to testify to
these same insane spells and also
that he persuaded Leach not to commit
suicide at one time when the defendant
was respondent.
Sergeant R. J. Rimple, who was sta
toned at Fort Riley at the time Leach
committed the crime, and who guard
ed Leach in the guard house after his
arrest, is expected to testify that he
was in a terrible frenzy at the time.
Sadie Houck, of Conduit Road Nd,
is expected to testify to assisting in
overcoming Leach once when he had a
crazy spell.
Thomas J. Williams, who was a pri-
vate in the Wenty-Second Kansas. and
who now resides in Manhattan, is ex-
pect to testify that he once found
Leach wandering aimlessly around at
o'clock in the morning between juno
ton City and Fort Riley, utterly obliy-
ious to his surroundings.
Harry Tebbs, of Washington, D c.;
John L. Frey, Charles L. Yound, Mrs.
Jennie Tolson and William J. Poat of
Baltimore, have been subpoenaed to
testify regarding Leach prior to the
time he entered the army.
Deputy Sheriff Williams J. Gilbert
and Pat Mcpherson, of Topeka, have
also been summoned as witnesses for
the defense.
The day prior to the crime for which
Leach viii be tried he got into a fight
with a cOmrade in Junction City while
drunk. A sergeant separated them and
took a knife away from Leach. The Of
ficer ordered the privates to return to
Fort Riley, but Leach did not obey
Early in the morning he crept into the
barracks where the sergeant was sleep
| ing and beat him over the head with a
| bat, from the effects of which he died
| The defense viii claim that the deed
was committed in a spell of insanity
Leach suffered from a similar attack
| if such it is, last summer when he came
near killing julius Bake, in the county
| Jail. 1t was Immediately after this at
] tack that he asked. in a fit of despon-
| dency, to be allowed to plead guilty to
| the charge against him and be hung, in
| order to avoid staying in Jail longer,
| but he afterwards changed his mind.
OFFICIAL RED TAPE