The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-03-20

| the demurrer and the defendant noted an
sumcd in securing Il Jury. Twenty-Five
! taliSmcn had been summoned III addi-
! ton q he rcgu!arpan2l Ofthcsr. twenty
were challenged eighteen by the defense
and two by the State. The members on
the panel are T.. {. llanway. Michael W.
| Nuirk, John I. llarkins, Isaiah t'uytun,
Charles l.. Dallam, Thomas {. Mcdonald.
George +. Chandlec, Joshua y. RutlcdGc,
Charles O. Whitaker, {. {. Richardson,
Thomas ". Hall and Thomas Poole.
In his opening statement to the jury,
States Attorney tiTaSon Sa,l that the
State would prove a wiilful, deliberate
crime and that verdict for murder in
the first degree would he asked. He re-
counted what evidence Inc expected to
produce.
The taking of the testimony began on
Tuesday. 1t appeared from the evidence
that the prisoner had disguised himself
by shaving of his mustachc and Clipping
his hair and on the morning ofthc tragedy
he arrived 1T Phoenix station on ancarly
train. While waiting for his wife to put
in her appearance, he purchased a morn
inG paper which he peruscd to pass away
the time. Two witnesses testified that
they saw the woman killed and also Il
number said that they had heard the
three pistol shots one of which the pris
oncr fired into the face of his wife, the
other in her body and the third when he
tried to take his own life.
1t appeared from the evidence that her
dcathwas almostinstantaneous, and that
he too fell and was afterwards gathered
up by Officer Thomas W. Reyes, who
was Waterman at the mill. The
weapon with which the tragedy was
committed was also exhibited to the jury.
On Wednesday morning Judge Walters
stated that as the case was taking up
considerable time he would hereafter
hold longer sessions of Court. 1t was
shown by one OF Watts companions that
he was contemplating some crime as the |
witness testified that the prisoner told |
him i'll Baltimore, just previous to the
while they were taking a drink
together that he was going to purchase
Il billy and that the next time he saw |
the prisoner he would not know him as
he was going to cut off his mustachc.
The testimony Of Edward Slaglc, tie |
thirtccu-ycar-old son of Mrs. Watts was
very affecting. Although child, he
answered every question i'll a manly |
manner, excepting once or twice when |
his feelings were overcome evidently from |
affection. He testified 10 the facts of the |
killing and said that he was with his |
mother when they saw his stcp-father |
They did not know him until he spoke. |
The only words the witness heard were !
"katc You wont live with me a2y more" |
and he struck her with billy. She sanl; /
down and he caught her around the |
waist and shot her.
The prisoners confession WAS intro !
duccd in evidence although the defer
dant's lawyers bitterly opposed this
action. 1t was made to Il stenographcr |
in Towson jail shortly after the arrest
and recount.d the facts of the causes |
that lead up to the killing. At the night
session tie physicians who performed .
the autopsy were examined. They tcsti- |
fed that one ball had gone through the
deceased woman's head and the other
entered her side going clear through her
body.
The state closed its testimony on
Thursday morning and MIR. Bryant |
made the opening statement for the
prisoner He outlined that the defense
would be insanity, and stated that there
was a hereditary faint in the prisoners
family and that one OF his brothers were
insane. The first witness called WAS
Miss Nirgie Watts, daughter of the
prisoner, who is about twenty years old.
She testified as to the queer actions and
habits Of her father. T.
\ number of witnesses testified as to
the queer actions ofthc prisoner, especial
Is for several days preceding the homi-
eide
The case will not be finished before
night, as there are yet Il number
Of medical experts to testify both for the
defendant and State.