The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-03-16
MURDER TRIAL ENDS
IN LAKE COUNTY
Dora LaPine Is Convicted o.
Shooting Her Husband
At Madison.
WAS A DRAMATIC CASE
Mrs. LaPine Told Remarkable Story
Of Her Downfall and Subsequent
Lie with a Brute for Husband.
Prior to Shooting.

Sioux Falls, S. D., March 49, Parties
from Madison, Lake county, report
that intense interest was taken in the
trial OF Dora LaPine, who, Saturday
evening was convicted, by jury, OF
manslaughter in the first degree fo1
the shooting and killing of her hus-
band. Joseph LaPine.
There is reason to believe that eff!
forts will be made to secure new
trial, and that If these efforts result
unsuccessfully the case will be APP
pealed to the state supreme court.
with the request that a stay of judg-
ment be granted pending a decision by
the supreme court.
This was the first murder trial in
the history Of Lake county. AT al.
times during the trial the court room
was packed with a dense mass of hui
mainly, even the stairways leading to
the court room being thickly packed
with men and women, all anxious tc
catch glimpse Of the actors in the
drama and hear scraps of the testi.
mony.
The appearance Of the defendant on
the witness stand in her own behalf
was the dramatic feature of the trial
She testified that while a poor servant
girl she had loved LaPine not wisely
but too we'll, and had by him beer
dragged to the depths of degradation
She gave her age as So and stated she
was born In the German empire. She
was bereft of her parents when six
months old, and while vet child was
sent to her brother, who resided in
New York.
She ma f,.o,,, Nv,
located at Shakopee. Mimi, where she
attended school. She also attended
school at Jordan, MIMI. and when
Ii years OF age went to Minneapolis,
where she was employed as nurse
IN private family. From Minneapolis
she went to Duluth, where she worked
as waitress in hotel. While at Du-
luth she first met LaPine. After a
courtship of six months she was ruined
by him upon his promise to marry her.
Mrs. LaPine testified that LaPine in
duced her to enter a resort at West
Superior, he accepting the position of
piano player in the same place. After
losing a portion Of his left limb in a
fire and having a siege ofstyphoid fever
at West Superior, LaPine took her to
his former home at Montreal, Can,
where In 1895 they were married by d
Catholic. priest, an uncle and a cousin
OF LaPine's acting as witnesses. Mrs.
LaPine offered the msrriage certificate
in evidence.
Mrs. LaPine further testified that she
secured honest employment for her
husband. but that he soon tired of it
and insisted on returning to the United
States. She testified that her desire at
this period In her life was to live a re-
formed life. Returning to West SUI
perior she. however, again entered a
resort. subsequently she went to Far
go. N. D., thence to Aberdeen, S. d.,
at both Of Which places she was an in
mate Of resorts. LaPine accompanied
her. and she testified that she turned
her earnings over to him.
Eight years ago, she testified, her
self and husband went to Lake county.
where they purchased the Lake Her
man house, which they had conducted
up to the time of the tragedy. Mrs.
LaPine testified that herself and hus-
band had always lived tremendously
together until about two months before
his death, when he was attacked with
delfrium tremens, and after that he
was quarrelsome and many times as
saulted her with his fists.
She testified that on the evening of
the homicide he attacked her in her
room. He had her PROSTATE on n
couch with his knee on her chest. one
hand choking her, and with the other
beating her about the head and face.
when she CHANGED to think Of a re-
volver which was under the couch. Sc
curing the weapon, according to her
story, she fired twice. LaPine arose and
picking up a beer bottle was about to
strike her with it when she fired the
third shot. With the words. Dora,
you have shot me-" LaPine ceased his
attempts to injure her, staggered to
the door of the room and out into the
dance hall, where he fell dead on the