The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1905-10-28

and screamed. l told her not to be
frightened, that the gun was not loaded.
"I picked it up and told her, Here,
let me show Georgiana got new pis-
toll | did not think 1T was loaded, and
I began TO finger it. Georgiana was
still holding the valise, and not knowing
it was loaded, began swapping the pis-
tol, and it went off. The bullet must
have hit her, because l saw the blood,
and when she fell, l started to catch
her, but l could not.
~ dld not know what to do. | was so
excited I ran, and on my way l dropped
the pistol and my hat and threw tho va
| lise away. I did not know what | was
doing"
Kirst'5 testimony was given in fall
tering voice, and every minute it looked
as if ne was going to break down. He
said that he was heartbroken, and that
when he smiled in Inspector Journee' s
office, it was not because he wanted to
smile, but because he knew that if he
did not smile or laugh, he would break
down. Kirst said, after he got to his
room, he kneeled down and prayed for
two hours before going to bed, and that
he Law there until the officers came.
When asked by Mr.. Adams why he
denied the shooting, Kirst told the jury
that it was on the advice of Capt. Ar
L. 4 - lo
truth
He said Capt. Dunn came to him and
told him:
"Young man, have been employed
as your attorney. Keep your mouth
closed"
I[irst said that it had been his inten-
ton the night he was arrested to go to
his mother or to some one who could
advise him and to tell them the whole
| thing, but be obeyed Capt. Dunn's ad-
vice and kept MS mouth closed. The
first time he told the true story was
when he told the whole story to Mr..
Adams.
E[irst reiterated again and again that
he did not know that the pistol was
loaded, and explained that he bought
the pistol about two or three weeks be-
fore the night ofsthe killing. He had
unloaded it to clean the weapon and had
placed it with the cartridges in drawer
across the lake. He was not in the
habit of carrying revolver, and only
carried it when going across the lake
and back for protection; that it was for
"protection in the house,. He repeated,
almost word for word, the story of his
flight from Miss Manners house, as told
by the State witnesses.
When he retired from the stand, At
torney Adams asked permission of the
State to read a certificate signed by
nearly every prominent citizen of Bay
ST. Louis and Waveland as to Kirst' S
excellent reputation for peace and quiet.
This was granted, and the lengthy
document was read by the attorney.
Character witnesses were then intro
duced by the defense, the following
giving him an excellent reputation; w.
A. Bill, Milton Boylan, attorney-at-
law; Wynn Rogers, Jr.; Prof. Laton,
of the French Opera Orchestra; E. E.
Tosso, musical director of the Grand
Opera House; Prof. George L. O'Con-
neil; Mrs. Breen, landlady, of No. 612
Carondelet street; Col. w. H. Rowles,
manager OF the Crescent and Tulane
Theatres; Jules P. Zataraln, Carl
| Younger; John Q. Flynn; Charles
Campbell; c. Johnson, stage carpenter
of Crescent Theatre; and others.
At 6:3O o'clock Lionel Adams COM
menced his argument, and the court
: room was denscly crowded during the
hour that he used in addressing the
, Jury, and the audience was intensely in
: terested.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Adams ar
gument, Assistant District Attorney
Sam A. Montgomery spoke. He also is
an eloquent speaker, and he appealed to
the Jury in fervent tones for verdict in
favor of the State.
A weak point in the case made out by
the State was the absence of any motive
for the crime. Even now that all is
over, none can be found who can eyer
guess at any reason why Kirst should
have shot and killed the unfortunate
girl, assuming always that he really
murdered her. No one objected to their
union, no jealousy existed on his part
or on hers either, as far as was shown
they had no quarrel, not even a lovers
quarrel, and robbery was out of the
question,
Kirst Is much dissatisfied with the
verdict and thinks that he has been un-
Justly dealt with He adheres to his
statement that the killing was entirely
the result OF an accident; and, there
fore he should not have been found
guilty at all. Whether a new trial will
be asked for or not cannot be said, as
Mir. Adams has not expressed his inten-
, tions with regard to the case. No bills
OF exception were taken during the
trial; therefore, there can be no appea
asked, but this would not prevent ar
application for new trial. Should 3
new trial be granted, Kirst could moi
, again be tried on the charge Of murder