The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-26
Lawyers for the Prosecution in
the Nan Patterson Case
Still Trying to Find the Actress
Brother in-laW.
IMPORTANT WITNESS.
He Has Been in Hiding Since
Soon After Shooting.
Persons Who Saw the Shooting
Continue to Appear.

New york. NOV. zo.-1ne ILLNESS
of Juror caused a sudden and
unexpected adjournment in the
Patterson murder trial which was
to have been continued in the criminal
branch of the supreme court today
after the Thanksgiving holiday recess.
When everything was in readiness to
proceed it was announced that Juror
Edward Dressler was too ill to leave
his home. There remained no alter
native, but to suspend the trial for the
time being and an adjournment was
ordered by Justice Davis.
Although the members of the jury and
the defendant gave themselves over to
complete rest during the interval al
forded by the recess, the attorneys In
the case took advantage of the inter
mission in an entirely different way
All their energies were exerted to-
ward bringing closer together the ma
terial points upon which depends the
success or failure of their case.
Rumor which has figured promi-
nently in the case since the trial be-
gan also was active during the in
terval. One of the stories which
gained wide circulation and which If
true, undoubtedly would have added
materially to the sensational side of
the trial was to the effect that J.
Morgan Smith, Nan Patterson's broth
er-in-Iaw, who fed after he had been
subpoenaed to appear before the
grand jury, had been found and was
locked up at police headquarters.
This report was later denied by the
police, however. The prosecution has
kept up an unremitting search for
Smith ever since he disappeared. They
charged that it was Smith who pur-
chased the revolver with which Young
was shot and that he would prove to
be found. Already Smiths photograph
has been introduced in the case and
identified and the prosecution has
promised that the pawnbroker who
sold the revolver will also identify the
photograph as that of the man who
purchased the weapon.
Probably never before in the history
of a murder trial in this city, was there
organized by the district attorneys Of
flee what might we'll be called flying
squadron of detectives. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Rand has enlisted in his
service county detectives, who are sta
toned at the entrance of the court
room for no other purpose except at a
moments notice to sally forth to in
vestigate the character and standing of
a new witness for the defense. Those
in charge of the peoples case may
strive when the trial is drawing to
close to discredit the testimony of the
numerous eye witnesses the defend
ants counsel promise to call to the
stand. Mr.. Rand asserts that some of
the witnesses before they went to the
Office of Abraham Levy and volunteer
ed their services for Miss Patterson
called on him and declared that they
had seen the shooting and that the ac-
tress held the weapon in her hand.
At that time he says the stories were
considered hysterical and the prosecu-
ton cast the offer aside. Lately, how
ever, SO many eye witnesses have come
forward, says Mr.. Rand, that it became
necessary to take some steps to rebuff
their testimony and the special detail
of detectives has been assigned to in
vestigate the stories of the witnesses
as quickly as their identity is disclosed.
All of the testimony thus far produc-
ed has been leading up to what the
prosecution declares was the motive for
the crime, and it was expected that at
today's session Assistant District Attor-
ney Rand would begin to unfold the
crucially important feature of his case.