Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-25
State Rests in Forenoon with q Little Uu-
important Tsstim5ay.
DEFENDANT wtEPs MORNING or MURDER
witnesses Testify TO b. Home Life Of
the Defendant and Her Husband
BeinE Of q Pleasant
Character.

Nneu court convened ms morning =. W.
Derby was called for the purpose Of testi-
tying to experiments made BY him. L c.
Ren. ". D. westover and J. D.. s7rsgue
as to the effect Of powder burns en- the
lace curtain similar to the curtain in the
Lille home. also as TO the test made on
a piece OF common white muslin. The
test or the muslin was made at the same
time and place the tests we're made on
the lace curtain.
Witness identified the piece Of muslin
and said. There we're ten shots fired into
this piece Of muslin at a distance Of three
feet. two feet. one foot. six inches and
then three inches. The gun used was a
hve-ineh barrel. 52-ealiber revolver, both
long and short cartridges. with semi
smokeless powder.
The powder burn on the muslin that is
similar to the powder burn on the cur
tain in the Lille bedroom was produced
by a shot fired from a distance OF three
inches The shots fired at a distance OF
six inches produced q slight discolora-
tion, and AZ the greater distances the bull
let hole only was visible.
I have noticed the stairway in the Lille
residence. The stairway starts in the
northeast corner OF the southeast room and
there are two or three winding steps and
II then goes up to the hall upstairs. The
stairway is about three feet wide; the steps
are not over eight inches wide and the
stairway is very steep. There is a window
in the hall on the east side and some light
could come from the adjoining rooms up
stairs. This is the only way the stairway
is lighted"
state Rests It's Case.
Jay Rising said: Il am assistant
cashier in the First National bank. Mrs.
Lille was indebted to our bank on the
25d Of last October in the sum OF siss.25.
Mrs. Lille did not have an account at
that time. She never had a cheek account
with our bank since 7 have been in the
bank. which is mere an four years"
On cross-examinstiCr witness said the
money was borrowed on August %, 1902,
and the note had been paid. II was paid
on November :, 1902. by Mrs. Lille and
D. NJ. Hill, brother Of Mrs. Lille. This
note was signed by Mrs. Lille only. She
has always had credit at our bank. Wit
ness also said that Mrs. Lille had de-
posted money in their bank and took GER
tihcates Of deposit end that the last date
Mrs. Lille had any money in his bank
was July 2. 1902.
Julia Ficke said: "0n the evening OF Oc-
tober q. 1909. Mr.. and Mrs. Lille. Mae and
Edna we're away 70 spend the evening. ]
locked the kitchen door and it was locked
all the time they were gone.
There was no carpet on the stairway
and hall upstairs"
Counsel for the state made application
for the jury to view the premises, the
window curtain, sash and screen to be
placed in the same position they were in
"a NCn0 - 49,
some responsible person be authorized 20
show them the premises and make any
explanation that is deemed necessary.
The defendant made no objections. The
court suggested it would be better to wait
until the defense had rested its side Of
the case. This was agreed to.
At this time the state rested its case.
Commence n Defense.
Mrs. George Leaper was the FIRST wit
ness for the defense. She said in part.
''On the morning OF October "a. 1902. l
was az the Lille home. saw Mrs. Lille
She was crying at this time. ! went from
there TO the hospital Mrs. Lille was
there, and she told me hat in the morn
.ng she was awakened by q shot and saw
a man standing by the head Of the bed
pointing a revolver at her. She was crying
ali the time. saying she wished IL could
have been her instead Of him. that Edna
thought so much Of him She was con-
~tinuaIly asking how Harvey was and
wanted TO 60 up stairs where Mr.. Lille
was. She was weak and faint We took
her out Of doors and one Of the women
got some camphor. After this they took
her Up stairs. Nj. Ed Hall and ! went
up with her and assisted her. When she
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into q chair and laid her head on the bed
and kept saying: oh. dear. oh. dear! Why
couldn't it have been me instead Of him
Mr.. Hall and / helped her down stairs.
Mrs. Lille was not dressed warm
enough. Mrs. woodward got some other
clothing and ! assisted in putting them
on her. Mrs. Lille was crying ard asking
how Harvey was ell this time.
In assisting in d~rsssing Mrs. Lille
noticed there we're no pockets in her
clothing.
Mrs. Lille went home about 3 O'Clock.
] vent over there socn after she got home
and took her back TO the hospital with
NY horse and buggy.
"On the way 70 the hospital. Mrs. Lille
Was crying and feeling =cry bad. ArIe,
We arrived al the hospital she asked Ed
Hall how Harvey was. and be said about
the same. Mrs. Lille went home = little
after u o'clock. ate her dinner with the
rest OF them. I could not say vhethel
she ate q square meal or not. She was
feeling taGly. Her actions we're not rat
ural she went back TO the hospital after
dinner. Doctor Hewitt and Ed Hail ad.
vised her not TO go TO the room where
Harvey was. ss she could do him no good
SIZE remained there untfl Mr.. Lille died.
Home Life Happy.
L have been in the home Of Mr.. and
ArE- Lille and they got along nicely. Never
saw a cross lCok from either one Of them
Have Eeen them Al lodge They we're very
affect onate-"
Cross-eIEninstion; I Co not know
what ther conduct was when ] vas no.
there. Il has besa about two years sine,
] saN them al lodge. have passed II,
house frequently and have seen Them sit,
ing CT the porch. Do rot remember an,
I particular tine that / saw them togethsl
an n street."
When court convened this Afternoon
- ss-sxauiaation Of Mrs. Lsaper continued.
she sad.
The seoozd time Mrs Lille went to The
] hospital she did lot go into the room Whsrs
M. Lille VAS
Mrs Belle Bonton said. I am a eousir
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