Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-29
HAMLlN EVIDENCE IS ALL IN
Both Sides in Grand Island Murder Case
Rest sSturdsy Evening.
CASE GOES TO JURY THIS EVENING
Arguments Will Consume six or
Eight Hours, After which Charge
TO Jury VIII Take COnsid-
erabIe Time.

Both the state and the defendant have
rested their cases and on Monday morning
/ the contending counsel will argue the case,
/ the speeches probably taking up six or
eight hours The instructions. II is be-
lieved will be quite voluminous there be-
/ ing involved several somewhat intricate
points of law
The last day was strong one for the
state. 1t was begun with g few wit
nesses still for the defense, the hrst Of
whom was DR.. Grothan, owner of a pri-
vate sanitarium at st. Paul. He answered
both the defenses hypothetical ques-
/ tions-'insanity" and Immediate death
! giving It as his opinion, upon the facts
assumed in the questions, that Hamlin
was insane at the time he ired the shot
and incapable Of distinguishing right
/ from wrong, and that the death of the
girl was caused by gangrene, caused by
the broken catheter. The defense con-
tends that but for this accident the
wounded girl might easily have lived the
| year and a day." thus relieving their
client of Of the charge of murder in the
first degree. The witness on cross-exam-
ination admitted that the wound made by
the bullet necessarily reduced the vital
ity Of the girl, as It paralyzed all func-
tions OF the body below it and incapaci-
tated them to throw of the systems
poisons.
Experts Gross Examined.
"If the fact should be-" asked Attorney
Prince in cross-examination, that Ham
lin had no headache or pains when he did
the shooting, or Immediately prior thereto
would that change your conclusion"
"It would be a different premise and
would dispose of that part"
IF 1t should prove true that he had
previously made threats TO shoot the
girl, would that knock out part Of the
ground upon which you base your con-
clusion2"
yes, that would be different pre-
mise"
One Msnley. in Jail on the charge of
burglary, was next sworn by the defense
to testify that Hamlin acted peculiarly.
and especially so in the last few days,
walking much and mumbling in his walk
about the jail. being restless and not
sleeping.
On cross-examination he stated that the
restlessness was quite what might be ex-
pected of anyone facing what Hamlin was
now facing. The defense here rested. but
the state recalled Hsnlin to the stand
for further cross-examination. Attorney
Thompson demurred and desired the de-
fendant DO excused from testifying fur
ther because he was not feeling well It
was assured that the cross-examination
would not be long.
Attorney Prince, for the state, asked
him II he had not testified that, after his
flight on the night of the third IL was
the next morning that he first regained
consciousness, and found his clothing
soiled by vomit and his mouth frothing
and III he did not remember stopping at
certain house to get in out OF the storm
and rain, and II he did not eat breakfast
there.
Hamlin replied that he did not remem-
! Der, but might not have made II clear
when on the stand few days ago, that
) he once awoke in the night for a short
! time and was conscious, that ne was then
! lying on the ground with his face down.
; and had vomit on his coat and his mouth
2 was frothing. When next he clearly re-
! membered anything 1t was In the after
noon.
HAmlin at Troupe House.
Attorney Prince then summoned Mrs.
Troupe, who lives on a farm six miles
from Dannebrog, and asked her to stand
I up before Hamlin and requested Hamlin
TO look well at her. Hamlin did so, but
; declared that he did not recollect ever
seeing her becoming somewhat irritated
at the further cross-examination.
Mrs. Troupe then took the stand and testi-
ned that early on the morning OF the 4th
she was awakened by knocking at her door.
= The lamp had been left burning II was
; a rainy and stormy night and very dark
Upon opening the door the defendant
asked TO be let In to get out Of the storm
and said that he was working for a big
ranehman at st. Paul and, being stranger,
had become lost in the dark. Hamlin was
permitted to stay and slept TIL morning on
e the floor. While breakfast was being
= prepared Hamlin went near the stove to
$ dry his clothing. His clothing was wet
= but unsoiled Hamlin sat beside the stove
e after remRrking about the rain and had
d his head bowed somewhat. Soon there
after he arose, went to his coat, which he
p had hung over another chair to dry, took
q from its pockets some papers and letters
e and opening the lid OF the stove burned
It them. At breakfast he ate bread and but
n ter, with coffee and potatoes, pork and oat-
meal. He remained about the house ali
morning, sometimes going out and look.
] ing in a southerly direction toward Grand
Island. He asked her the distance TO St
e Paul. to Dannebrog and to Grand Island
and remarked that he thought he would
30 TO ST. Paul to catch a train for his
home at Wood River. During brealfast
AIrnnC
? Island, then in progress and he stated
8 that he had been there. About noon h,
- asked II he could have some lunch, wa,
10 given the same, and offered TO pay tn,
10 woman for her trouble. He had a bicycle
but left the house walking and leading tn,
y wheel
Il The examining attorney asked her about
d his manner, and she said It was natural
but the defense objected here and the OBJ
lection was sustained. the witness neve,
having seen him before and not beinr
competent 10 testify whether his mannel
was natural or not
b The state then introduced NJ. Kent. m,
II step-fRther 70 the dead girl who testile,
. that he had employed Hamlin for quit,
ie a considerable time and there had psve
A. been any trouble between them
e Mr.. Jones, a coal dealer, by whom Hanlh
had bean employed az different times
= testified that he had never heard HamIi,
complain Of any shooting pains in his hea.
or OF any other illness.
D. Mrs. Kent, mother Of Miss RnEie. testi
le ned that she had frequently been IN Ham
u Inns room. where he kept a revolver a