The St. Louis Republic., 1901-05-08
EASTMAN DESCRIBES DEATH
STRUGGLE WITH DICK GROGAN
Defendant in the Famous Murder Trial on
the Stand for Hours in His
Own Behalf.

the 4i-caliber revolver. which had one sho,
| left in it, and followed slowly.
Jared Eastman.
Almost at the very opening of the cross
examination the Attorney General Jared
the witness. He had questioned him about
being employed by Harvard University in
1894. and his next question was:
what was your job?"
"My what"' asked the witness. in a gasp
that seemed half astonishment, half re-
proof
We'll. that's rather a gross word" re-
sponded the Attorney General. smoothing
out the question and asking as a substi-
tute: What was your work?"
Then the witness went on to describe
himself as lecturer on paleontology. etc.
His salary. he admitted. after hesitation.
was $1,000 year.
Sensational Scene.
The sensation of the trial came when At
torney General Knowlton asked Mr.. East
man to rehearse the act of cleaning the old
revolver, and Assistant District Attorney
Sanderson was assigned to act the part OF
Mr.. Grogan. Mr.. Eastman stood facing the
jury with the pistol held between his two
hands on a level with his chest. He directed
Mr.. Sanderson to stand facing the opposite
side of the courtroom. several steps behind
him and about four feet to one side.
as IL he were sighting at target.
Mr.. Eastman placed himself in position.
and then told Mr.. Sandersen to step back.
AS soon as the District Attorney had
reached point in his backward movement
on a direct line with the barrel of the pis-
tol Mr.. Eastman let the hammer fall.
Now, Mr.. Eastman. tell me where and
when, before to-day. and to whom you stat
ed that Grogan was moving when the gun
went or"
Il did not say when the gun went of
/ said previous to that he was passing
back and forth. drawing a bead on the tar.
get"
why did not you discharge the old pistol
at the target?"
"It was not in proper condition to dis
charge at that time
why not?"
1.-THE cylinder did not catch in line with
the barrel, and IL discharged in that way
something might happen"
Ibid the bullet go toward Grogan's body
all right?''
yes"
why did not it go toward the target
just as well?"
'T was not firing tit went Off by acci-
dent
Because you pulled the hammer back?"
"It went off itself"
Knew He Had Shot Grogan.
when the revolver went of. did you have
any doubt that you had shot Grogan?"
Not the slightest"
"And there was no possible question that
the bullet out Of this old rim-fire gun shot
Grogan?"
There never has been any doubt"
"Is there now?'
There is doubt how"
what does 1t grow out OFF,"
'.Out of the fact that a certain bullet has
been produced that did not come out Of that
gun"
"Did you have Grogan's center-fire in your
hand any time after the rim-fire went off?''
st certainly tell you that 1 got 1t out of
his hand"
"will you swear that your finger was
not on the trigger"
'I will not
.Is there anything besides the discovery
Of that bullet by the Government that
causes you to imagine You put your finger
upon the trigger and dischai Jed the bullet
into Grogan's body?"
Another fact is that Grogan said: He
shot me twice; saw him do It,
do you think, Mr.. Eastman, that you
could stand in front of your brother-in-
law, hold that pistol, insert your finger IN
that place, and, holding 1t toward him. pull
the trigger, have 1t discharged, the noise
made the fash made. the bullet enter his
body, and you would not remember"
mo; unless was out Of my senses"