The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1901-02-13
DID HAMILTON CONFESS?
New Phase on Minneapolis Muir
der Case.
CLAIMS SELF-DEFENSE',
District Attorneys Statcmcnt-Th
"Mysterious Woman" Appears
in Court.

Minneapolis, Mimi. Feb. 9.-The trial
of Frank II. Hamilton, the reporter for
the murder Of Leonard X. Day began in
earnest this morning with the formal
presentation Of the case to the jury by
County Attorney Fred II. Boardman
Mr.. Boardman in speech Of about hall
an hours length outlined what he ex-
pected to prove with reference to the
prisoners connection with the death of
Day by stabbing in the billiard room Of
the West hotel at an carry hour of the
morning Of November % last The court
room was packed with curious crowd.
a number OF the relatives OF the dead
man were present and for the first time
appeared Miss Caroline Slage the
woman III the case" She was hand
Somely dressed and maintained Il very
composed demeanor
Alr. Boardman, after adverting to the
SAD state in which the poor mother OF
the dead man had been left by the tragic
deed, rehearsed the incidents leading up
10 the murder. When the two men had
met III the billiard room Day had asked
hamilton if he had made certain accusa-
tions against him day. Hamilton had
adHntted the charge. That there was
bitterness between them was shown by
the fact that they came to-
gether III deadly clinch. When they
were separated Hamilton said: you
are coward Day replied: s'You
can preclpltate a quarrel with me now"
Hamilton..s friend Garfield then led
Hamilton outside, but he returned al
most Immediately and the two clinched
again. Ihey were separated by Fred
George. a bystander. But it was Toe
late. The deed had been done. Day fell
mortally wounded and Hamilton with q
oIn1to h II
and left the room
Mr.. Boardman said the state would
show that the alteration going OH at
the same time In another part Of the
room between Charles E. Force and Ray
l.. Evans was an entirely separate and
distinct affair. The county attorney then
made the sensational statement that
Hamilton before his frIends and attor-
neys had been able TO reach him and adj
wise silence had made a confession Of
the crime to police officer and had
claimed that it was done in self-defense.
He then called DIR. III. III. Staples.
house physician at the West, to the stand
as the first witness.
He simply testified to finding Day
dead on the floor of the billiard room.
The Fatal Wound.
Dr. J. Warren Little, who had attend
ed the post mortem described Days
wounds accurately. Inc fatal one was Il
gaping wound OH the left side just above
the collar bone. 1t had completely sew
cred the sub-clavicular artery under the
claricum and had penetrated the apex of
the left lung. There was wound on
the right side of the head above the ear
which had penetrated the scalp and
Clipped the bone There was another
superficial cut two and half inches
from the left armpit and on a level with
it. There are several other minor abra-
sions on various parts of the body.
The fatal wound had been delivered al
most vertically. 1t was downward and
forward. A man could live but a few
moments after such wound. The cut
was an inch long and a quarter of an
inch wide. Former Morguekeeper John
Walsh produced Days bloody clothing.
blood and the stains were plainly visible.
Each piece was identified and the whole
received in evidence. Ralph l.. Gary
told how he, with Ray Evans and Guy
Garfield, accompanied Hamilton to the
West after l o'clock in the morning.
He saw Day and his party playing bill
lizards. He heard Hamilton speak dispar
agingly to Day or a mutual woman
followed. They were separated and wit
ness did not see the second clinch He
saw Day stagger and fall after they had
been separated: Hamilton had assaulted
Day and the latter had seemed to be
preparing for it. On cross-examination
the witness said he did not know what
they had gone to the West for. He
told Of the places they had visited and
what they had drunk at each.