Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-27
HANLIN ON WITNESS STAND
Defendant in Grand Island Murder Cuss
Tostihss in Own Behalf
Jury HEARS OF MANY MENTAL lAPsts
since Overcome By Heat while n
Boy His Mind Has Not
Been sound at All
Times.

Times.
GRAND ISLAND. Neb, April 95.-(spe- |
cial)-John Hamlln has himself taken the
stand In an effort to convince the jury
that he was insane at the time Of the
shooting. His examination, direct and
cross. occupied almost an entire day. His
story, unRodihed by any statements Of
the cross-examination. was to the effect
that ever since he could remember he had
been afflicted with dizzy spells, especially
in warm weather
He went TO work az soon as nble-at the
age Of Bon a farm in Missouri. He was
supposed to do the light work on a ranch.
But one day he was put to pitching slough
hay. He was overcome and put on a
wagon and his boss would not let him
work any more Later, on a farm in Iowa,
while pitching straw away from the straw
elevator Of a threshtng machine he was
overcome and fell from the stack. He
knew nothing further until awakening. I'm
bed in the farmers home. several hours
later in the day. The next year. when
farming for himself, he was one day cul-
tivatinE corn. II was hot and sultry and
he suddenly found himself lying the
ground, the lines wrapped around his body,
but the team standing still. lie tried to
| cultivate to the end OF the row. but was
again overcome. Having recovered he pro-
ceeded to unhitch the horses from the cul-
tivator and hitch them to the wagon to
go home. but had several times TO stop
and lie down. He next remembers only of
waking up in his sisters home This In
| cident-the team coming home driverless
with him in the bottom Of the wagon-oc-
CURED in June. II was cornhusking time
before he was again able to work He was
under the care of q physician till December
of that year.
Advised 60 Change Climate.
| Again, at Sloan, Ia, he was working for
cement sidewalk man and was suddenly
grabbed by his employer who was shouting
at him. He said he had got dizzy and had
gone into the freshly completed cement
walk with a spade and was running it. An
other instance of his alleged temporary ir-
nationality took place on train. He was
suddenly yanked from his seat by the con-
! ductor and brakeman, who asked him what
he meant He was told that he appeared
to be determined to jump through the win
dow He had, they said, been responsible
for the broken window At the end Of the
division, Sioux City, they took him to
woman doctor, who prescribed for him.
His physicians advised him TO so to a
cooler climate. He went to Colorado and
back to Grand Island On the third day OF
Augustine day Of the shootng-he had
worked at excavating for a school house
II was warm day and he began to get
the shoot ug pains m his head. to which he
was subject ever since the first incident on
the Missouri farm. In the middle of the
afternoon. He came home that evening.
He remembered eating supper at the Kent
home-the home of the parents OF Rachel
Engle. After supper he went to his room.
He came down on the rear porch and
bathed his feet, either before or after sup
per. Upon going to his room the folks at
the house asked him to go to the carnival.
He thought he would not but the pains in
his head seemed to be easier and he rap
idly dressed and went with them. He re-
membered walking down the street. he re-
membered seeing the two girls cross the
street and take the other side than that
upon which the boys were. He did not re-
member Of seeing the other two boys cross
the street; he did not remember of his
crossing the street; he recalled nothing
until he was yelled at by Charles Smith,
who said: You --, I'm going to kill
you" and that he bagan running
Receivers Consciousness.
The next he recalled was of being In q
} field. He had vomited and his mouth was
: frothing. Some time must again have
elapsed with him in an unconscious state
or mt" TO which his sister had testified
, he was formerly subject), for 1t was in the
afternoon when he again came to, and did
not know where he was. He saw a man
4 near a Windmill and went to him and asked
him where he was. He told him he wanted
the man to take him to Dannebrog The
man could not, but directed him to neigh
Dor who was going to the village; the
neighbor was gone; he walked. The first
thing he did upon reaching DannebroR was
= TO get some supper. He then went to the
= telephone ONCE and put in call fol-
A / Charles Wicker. He wanted, he said, [,
n find out what II anything. had happened
!, at Grand Island. He wanted. also, to re
. turn to Grand Island.
; Attorney Prince on the cross-examina
, ton, gave the witness a rapid fire Of ques
= lions, many OF which the witness did no
! | answer at all or by II don't know"
lie was questioned closely as TO how /
= came that all OF his letters had been de
4 stroyed before ne left the Kent home OF
! that evening; II he did not remember writ
J., ing letter to friend concerning Rachel
y Of saying to Witness Darr that he some
times felt like killing her; If he did not re
i member carefully taking ali Of his none
n before leaving his room on that evening
Al and a few contradictions were brought out
II but TO the great majority of the cross
/ examiners queries the answer 81 don't re
ID member" was made.