The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-12
BisSett Shot SiSter-in-LaW After She Fell With His
 Baby in Arms
HAD THREATENED BEFORE
 TO KILL WHOLE FAMILY
Prosecution Finishes and Defense Will Take Up Examination of Witnesses This MorninJ-Eye-Witn
 Describe the Shooting.

The trial of Frank A. Bissett for the murder of his sister-in-law, Mrs. Maggie Patterson, is now in progress in the first division of the criminal court of Jef' ferson county with Judge Dan A. Greene presiding. The case was taken up yester- day morning after d lengthy argument by counsel for defense for a continuance of the case on the plea that two inn portant witnesses for the defense were not present at the opening of the trial.
 The announcement by counsel for the defense at the opening of the case that the defense would rely solely upon the plea of insanity of the defendant at the time of the killing of Mrs. Patterson was not surprising as those who are familiar with the case understood that such a plea would be made.
 Killed His Wife's Sister.
 Frank A. Bissett Jr., the son of Frank A. Bissett, an engineer on the Louisville and Nashville railroad, is charged In the indictment with the murder of his wifes sister which occurred in Birming- ham, June 29, 19O6 Previous to the shoot ing Bissett and his wife had had trouble and at the time Mrs. Bssett and her in- fant were living away from her husband at the residence of Mrs Maggie Patter- son, her sister, at 1617 Avenue D. Frank Bissett came to the residence on the morning of June % and shot Mrs Patter- son several times with a revolver, kill ing her almost instantly. Bissett was arrested on the same day and after a preliminary trial was bound over to the criminal court without bail. The trial was set for the fall term, but was continued and again continued when called at the spring term of court.
 When the case was called in Judge Greenes court yesterday morning c. F.. Beddow and P G. Bowman, representing the defendant asked for continuance of the case owing to the fact that Chas. O'Rourke, an important witness was not present and that Mrs Dodd, another | important witness was i'll and not able to attend the trial.
 Judge Greene stated to the counsel that he had talked with Mir Dodd and close ly questioned him regarding his wife s condition and from that he onsidered that Mrs Dobb could be brought to court if only for a short time. Judge Greene said that he did not consider that the defense had presented good grounds for a con tinuance of the case.
 Decides to Proceed With Case.
 After some argument ,cf the question Judge Greene finally rd counsel for l 1afa n formal motion to continue the case. Counsel for the prosecution, II. F. Hefiln and A. B.. Aird, objected to a continuance on the grounds that everything was ready and that a large number of witnesses were on hand and the case in their opinion should proceed.
 The defense insisted that they should have their witnesses or a showing in court records for the reasons given After | consultation it was agreed by the state to admit the showing that Mrs Dodd | was unable to appear and that her testi- mony would be accepted.
 Enters Plea of Insanity. The case was ordered to proceed and | after the indictment was read Attorney l Beddow addressed the jury. saying that | the defense would admit the killing but would base the defense entirely upon the plea of insanity upon the part of the de- fendant He would show that defendant s act of shooting Mrs. Patterson his sis- | ter-n-law, with his own baby in her 1 arms, was the act of arr insane man and that the history of defendants life pre- vious to his marriage was not that of a sane man.
 Saw Bissett Shooting at Her. O. J. Donaldson was the first witness i called by the state. He said he lived oIo bo of Mrc Uia Da tor son and witnessed the shooting. He said | he heard a shot and saw Mrs. Patterson 1 run along the porch and Frank Bissett, | the defendant, shooting at her. Mrs. Pat terson jumped or fell off the porch and defendant again shot at her after she fell.
 Witness said he went over in about | three minutes and found Mrs. Patterson l lying upon her back, dying, with baby l in her arms.
 Witness testified that he had heard Bis sett come to Mrs. Pattersons house one i morning about o'clock about a week before the killing, and kick on the door. Mrs. Patterson came over to his house and used the phone to call for the police, but Bissett had gone before the policeman arrived.
 Referring again to the shooting witness said that Mrs. Patterson was still liv- ] ing when the ambulance came about thir- 1 ty minutes after the affair occurred. He l observed one bullet hole in the back of Mrs. Pattersons head Bissett escaped | immediately after the shooting but was | soon after captured.
 Shot Her While on Ground. 1 Questioned by the defense, witness said | that Bissett stood on the ground right over Mrs. Patterson and shot at her while the baby lay in her arms.
 Witness was questioned closely as to when he saw Bssett before the killing and declared that he had seen Bssett and his father on Monday. Witness would not admit that he had seen Bissett and his father on Wednesday before the kill | ing nor had he heard either one of them | say anything at that time.
 Attorney Bowman quizzed the witness | with reference to the time that Bssett | made the racket by knocking on the door. | He said that he had just come in off his run and it was about o'clock in the l morning. Witness said that he sat down | awhile to listen to the noise next door. He could not tell whether the defendant