Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-14
SELFDEFENSEPLEA
OF Four Men on Trial for the
Murder of Mime in
Moline.
DIR. BEAM THE FIRST WITNESS
Tells Of Wounds of Lohrrnanu and
the Observation-Disclosures
Statements.

The cross-eXaminatiou OF DIR. Beam
IN the Mime murder trial was con-
cluded i'm the circuit court this morn
ing. The doctor was then called as a
witness for the defense to prove the
injuries to the defendant Evans. He
said there were two incised wounds.
neither of which was serious.
DIR. Frank Gardner. of Moline. was
next called. He assisted DIR. Beam
in the autopsy. He corroborated the
Testimony given by DIR. Beam and like
the latter. said that the cause of
death was due to the injuries to the
brain caused by fracture of the
skull, which latter he believed was
due to external violence of some
kind. The cross-eNamination of this
witness was aimed chiefly to show
that the deceased diu not die as Il re-
suit of Il blow administered to him.
but might have been cauSed by
Mime falling on the curbing while
drunk. The doctor said that. an in
jury such as he found upon Mime
might have resulted from his falling.
but it would have to he upon some
elevated part of the walk OF curbing;
that in his opinion blow from some
blunt instrument could cause it. The
defense made much of the fact that
no bruise or abrasion of the skin or
other external evidence of injury was
found upon the autopsy as opposing
the idea that his death was caused by
blow from a club The witness.
however, stated that if hat were in
terposed between the instrument
. l. I
abrasion would necessarily appear.
Their TIE stimony Barred.
The balance of the morning session
was occupied with wrangle be-
tween counsel as to the admissibility
of the evidence of Carlson and Blohm
given before the coroner. the defense
claiming that the admissions and
statements made by the defendants
were made while under duress and
without full knowledge and UNDER
standing of their rights. Coroner l..
Y. Eckhart was examined before the
court, in the absence of the jury as
to the circumstances under which
the admissions or statements were
made. The court held that under the
circumstances and in the absence of
further proof upon the subject the
statements of Carlson made before
the coroner could not be admitted.
because they were made without Il
full understanding of his rights and
were not shown to be voluntary. As
to Blohm. the court held that as he
had not signed his testimony, the
statement could not go in evidence,
but that proof of what he said he
fore the jury by persons who heard
his statements could he put in evil
dcncc by the people.
Opening Statements.
The opening statements were full
and exhaustive. Neither side seemed
to hold any part either of prosecu-
ton or defense from the jury. On
the part of the people the claim is
wilful. deliberate, premeditated muir
der; on the defense il * self defense.
States Attorney Yields statement
was cold recital of the facts he cN-
pccted the evidence on his side to
develop. {. j. Searle'S statement
was an able presentation of the de |
Tense. "a speech full of feeling and ar
gumcnt. but at the same time detail |
ing the facts which he expected the |
defense to develop. One great point |
made was the good character of the !
defendants and the bad character of |
the other parties to the fight.
DIR. Beam First witness
DIR. w. o. Beam, of Moline. the first
witness. testified that he Was called
to the defendant Lohrman's house
after midnight on the Saturday night
of Sept % last and found him suf-
fering with seven knife wounds,
which he dressed. On the following
day while again attending the de-
PENDANT he was called over 10 see the
deceased. Mime. and found him Suf-
fering with black eye. He called
again the next day and found him
favorably. He was call
ed at the following day and found
him worse; came again at noon. re-
moved him to the hospital. and be-
tween and , that afternoon he died.
pom n post norton examination he
found death due to a fracture of the
skull, causing a blood clot and
prPSSure ON the BRAIN