New-York tribune., 1901-02-22
ALLEGED MINNoCK LETTER
SEEMS TO SHOW THAT HE FEARED
NE MIGHT BE arrested.


in Part II OF the Court OF General Sessions yeser-
day was spent efforts 70 get In evidence Nhlch
was e1clu5ed. for the defence OF Jesse X DAVIS
Francis /. weIlman. Of DaViss counsel mas ioaght
stubbornly for the admission of evidence ATTACKING
the credibihty of the two insane men VINO were
allowed % testify as witnesses for tie proseeu-
rion. and he has been stub6orniy opposed Dy AS
.istant District Attorney Pierce. who Is conducting
the prosecution. Mr.. Nellman worked hard yester-
ay with the assistance OF one Of his associates 10
get before the Jury the testimony Of eminent allen
ists and experts I'm insanity 10 the credhihty OF
insane witnesses but the Court excluded the tes'i-
rnony al the END Of the argument. allowing eNcep-
lions 10 he taken
Jpare Covrine has allowed more than a Of
exceptions on his rulings 10 exclude testimony
offered by the defence and II Davis is convicted OF
responsibility tho death of Louis H. diliard m
tho insane pavilion Of Bellevue there viii he an
abundance Of material which Go ask for new
trial Mr. Wellman and his associates yesterday
gave out 20 newspaper copies OF the letter
which o. T. asserted. Thomas J. MinnOck. the star
witness FOR the prosecution. sent from Phliaoelpha
on Sunday 10 Mrs Ne-f his foster mother. The
letter was marked for Identification in court ana
Was excluded as evidence on Tuesday when AIRS.
Neef the witness stand. Mr. Pierce
promised on Tuesday thar he would try 10 have
Minnock produced In court again. but the man has
not appeared and the letter which Mrs. Neef re-
ceived indicates the writer does not intend 20
return 20 NeW-York and that he is afraid OF prose
cuton for perjury. The signature 10 the letter is
written "Minuck." although the name OF the Wit
ness was understood 10 be Minnock and is so on
the court record. Counsel for Davis yesterday
showed other writings OF the absent witness 10
urove that nc had signed his 'Minnick
The letter was addressed 90 Mrs. G. Neef at No. SS
West Twelfth-st. New-N York. and the marks on the
envelope show that IL was mailed in Philadelpm@
~ p m. February Il. The letter is as toiio"s'
Philadelphia, Penn, sunday
left New-Nork Saturday. STAYED 10 the last
minute. suhpenaed for Monday, as ! was 20
u court ? am glad J eot out as I would be- ar
rested. anyway. Tho District Attorney turned on
last and glad OF IL. ana would like TO go iur-
ther 90 BaltlmoTe as mignt Dc ariescS1 S =, ,"' Nv
York, as ] never did any good in H. am gons 10
ef erso ,odar AL 9s n omorS% S2Sa SS N bright Sna
Early begin 20 look Tor work Vow, ] have not
friend in this cy or soul 10 speak 10 or get help
from, and ] pras God that you VIII not 50 oach on
me ~ you VIII help me tel me eSos & II y ,t
intend 10 DO what y right see now there ~ ho'h,
nS IN going around ths way have been doing.
rSe s ns S.l m ,Ss Ss! wo ay make % "sG motion S 10 the
Judge 10 have me arrested for perjury. IL this
!, is nesr rho station Ncxt week VIII move
further away from the station. when I know fhe
lily better will be able by next week 10 set nice
io S % aanry so anS tee 9% ans PAID
for room. As write have 81 % for food. feel
How different things might have been, have no
one 10 blame but myself have had an awful es-
perjury ] viii be taken out Of this State il found
over again. thank YOU from the bottom q my
heart Tor all YOU have done. even when dtd not
s from na9 the aSt hSe RS ne ni aa away az
helped me. always took care of me. will never be
shle 20 repay YOU for al Won have done. I see now
that q n was not for You. God only knows what
.ioie as have hui q p for fo1d sns a nave IS o 70
get supper out OF that tonight I am discouraged.
before cid ] see what good friend and mother
e9 rns hsye been 70 me- as 40 nov My address;
THOMAS MrNNIcK
SINISTER PRACTICE" SAYS Mr.. PIERCE
Assistant District Attorney Pierce when informed
that tho counsel for the defence had given out this
letter. which Judge Cowins had excluded. said:
They have given out that letter 20 influence IN,
Jury, That n contempt of court I have not seer
ne ne letter. but do not believe Minnock wrote r.
ihe Court excluded the letter and now they give
out ier nuhlleaton 10 influence this jury. Thai
done saa 6nR Sris bsge sg9 ba sSy h9 :,
.amper with Mlnnock. and ne mas been offered
given 10 the press. That is shyster practice
nr. Louis A. S;imson. who has practised surgery
for tWenty-fve years, called as an expert and
testified, in answer 10 hypothetical question 20
the injuries Hliiard's neck that the hyoid bone
must have been broken AT least day. probably
several days. before death.
Q-The breaking Of the hyoid bone may be an
Indication OF violence? A.-Nes.
break he blood Vessels? o AYes or0Ae the Done may
g COULD a sheet twisted around the neck break
,,es,,.,by AIR. PieTeel Are you member OF the
.i-eltet b"eiN "i beiieFue' Al am a consulting
o.-Then you are interested in Benevuee Ayes.
TESTIMONY ABOUT HYoID BONE.
IN reply to a Jurors question Dr. Simpson said
that II was most likely that the bone was broken
hy being taken between the thumb and forehnger
twenty-four hours or more before death. and that
such slight pressure would he necessary that it
Neuld not leave marks on the throat.
LOT; Seorse = Pes9odyi called as a pathologicsl
expert 20 retute Or Donltns conclusions 20 the
osuse OF Hillards death SAID that the blood after
color and that the heInorrhsges in the brain did
NOT indicate strangulation. In his opinion, based
81 inconsistent with death by exhaustion after a
Doctor" said the Judge, is not death from
sxhausiion term applied to many forms OF
death.
o-Nou Mould not expect 10 find In of
death from strangulation different conditions from
those found in this oase? II don't know that /
osn answer that. The evidences OF death from
strangulat ton are vague that would not say
that a person had been stranged 10 death unless
non be eSenSes S ~ deaih rom xbsus
zion equally vague Yes, but death from eN-
so that in Thousand autopsies / had
only one that showed stranguistion
haustiOn Is more common Al gave my grounds
Or. Peabody said that il was doubtful IL a sheet
twisted about a mans throat would leave marks
Df William T Bull testified that In case OF a
broken hyoid bone with dinusion Of blood in the
~ .ass t~entS S four hours before death lie said
h unlikely that the bone would be broken by
itted that the instructive effort TO keep the throat
open might break the bone
cREDIBILITT OF INSANE WITNESSES.
Albert NJ Mackeley. Mayor OF Greenvile. Ohio,
and Joseph NJ. Caldwell Of the same place, who
knew Davis from the time he was a little boy until
he left Ohio. said that his reputation was excellent
w J. sunson. from aear Linden. Ohio, gave similar
DR.. Carlos r. Macdonald the ahenist, sat in the
witness chair FOR more than hall an hour, while