The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-03

The charge Of murder preferred
against Charles J. Hamlet, alias the
Melancholy Dane, was tried out with
due formality at the New Year cele-
bration of the Commercial club. The
Jury acquitted Mr.. Hamlet without
leaving the box and passed resolu-
tions of censure on w. M. Carson, who
acted as chief prosecuting witness.
The facts in the case as alleged by
the prosecuting attorney and upon
which an Indictment was returned were
these:
There had been some kind of a fam
lily row among the Hamlets. Old Mrs.
Hamlet, mother of the accused, used
melted lead on her husband, and young
Hamlet objected so seriously after the
post mortem that she found it neces-
sary to demonstrate with him. He did
not take her words in good part and
verbal battle ensued
There were mutual recriminations
and at last Charles J. Hamlet drew his.
sword, which was a cheap affair, and
hearing the footsteps of Henry B. Po-
lonius, who was hurrying to assist the
old lady, he lunged through curtain
and got to the approaching Polonius
with about six inches of cold steel.
1t was alleged that Hamlet did 1t on
purpose and a charge of murder re-
suited.
The defendant appeared very ner-
yous during the earlier portion of the
session. but he settled down later and
INDUCED in several side remarks that
had an evident effect on the verdict of
the jury The verdict was not guilty
because insane.
Hamlet Unable to Appear
Former Probate Judge Gebhardt
WilIrich, Of this county, who now lives
in Milwaukee, and J. G. Gender presid-
ed, while Louis Nash acted as sheriff
A. G. Johnson represented Mr.. Hamlet,
who was unavoidably detained. c. p.
Stine. was clerk of court.
The jury was declared to be an ex-
ceptionally intelligent body, none Of
the members, as far as could be
learned, ever having been confined for
breaches of city ordinances.
The trial opened with the reading of
the Indictment.
Judge Willis arose to his feet and OBJ
jected to its form as not showing with
distinctness that any crime had been
committed; and if it showed that a
crime had been committed it did not
connect>the prisoner with the crime in
such a way that he could be tried;
also that the prisoner was dead
Mr.. Reese said the Indictment was
clear enough to him, and the court de-
clared that its members understood it
well enough and a poll of the jury
showed that Judge Willis objection
was not well taken. The court then
overruled the motion and the case pro-
ceeded.
The first witness called was w. M.
Carson. Mr.. Carson swore that he had
seen the crime committed while look
ing through a keyhole and admitted
a number of other incriminating facts.
The accused then took the stand and
recited the colloquy between Hamlet
and the Queen. He was applauded.
On this showing both sides rested,
and the addresses to the jury were
taken up.
The Attorneys Clash
1t was during this feature of the
trial that Judge Willis and Mr. Reese
almost came to blows. The prosecutor
charged that the jury had been influ-
enced by Judge Willis and that three
gripsacks full of money had empha-
| sized the influence. Judge Willis
maintained that he had only used two
bags of money on the jury, because
he said, it was not such discriminat-
ing jury as to require more.
UhT. reese lHtiHldteQ That the jury
was not of the. petit larceny variety
and by plain innuendo intimated that
Judge Willis should have been able to
determine as much.
The case was finally submitted and
the jury found Hamlet not guilty with
out leaving the box. Mr.. Reese de-
clared the verdict justified his sus-
picions. A supplementary verdict was
also found, charging Mr.. Carson with
being incriminated by his own evi-
| dence
| Fully 500 members and guests of the
| club assembled to enjoy the mock trial.
After the acquittal of Mr.. Hamlet the
| court, jury and spectators repaired to
| the dining room and feasted in an in
| formal way. During the evening the
floors were cleared and dancing was
| indulged in until midnight.