The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1907-06-07
DRAMATIC SCENE.
Mother Of Murdered Agnes Pol
reis Prays in Court
Kaufman Case.

Flandrsau, Jpne 5 -Perha ps as dra-
matte a scene as ever took place in any
court of justice occurred in the Moody
county court house at Fladreau dur.
ing the afternoon session yesterday Oh
the Kaufman trial
Surely no set stage performance ever
equaled it in intensity, in pathos and
effect 1t set the heart strings of every
spectator taut with emotion ana
brought tears to the eyes OF strong
men who sat in the bencnns Of the court
room.
It was an unrehearsed, unforeseen
and spontaneous outburst of bleeding
orokep healt.
Mrs. Polreis petitioned heaven for
forgiveness for the supposed murderer
of her daughter. She prayed kneeiins
in the aisle of the court room In the
broken pathos of the Hungarian serf,
to the Virgin and .he Christ
Fervently, as if praying before a
shrine, trembling with subdued emo
ton, the woman breathed her prayer
She had advanced from "A seat In the
rear of the courtroom until within nj
teen feet OF where set Mrs. Kaufman !;
then she knet, bowed her head for
moment. crossed herself twice, raised
her face with the eyes closed, extended
her arms with clasped hands above her
head and uttered the burden OF her
prayer.
MARY, Mother of Jesus Lord Jesus
Christ.
"aave mercy upon me. Forgive l.
prqv Thee. all those concerned In the
eeath of my beloved daughter Agnes
Lord forgive them as do
Forgive mine enemies
II ord look down upon me aud give
me rest.
The simplicity of il made the picture
one without parallel in the mind OF
everyone who saw the act
The moment was well chosen The
Jury had been excused from the room
for a few minutes, but Judge Smith
was still on the bench. Mrs. Polreis
had been sitting in the back or the
court room She had been subpoenaed
| by the state as witness. she had
never before seen Mrs. Emma kauf-
mann, who is charged with the murder
of her daughter. The effect OF the hrst
sight she bad of the defendant nearly
Iunnerved the Hungarian woman and
resulted in the dramatic event OF the
day. ...
Beside her mother, trying to qulel
/ her. was one of the two surviving
daughters of Mrs. Polreis, Elizabeth,
! who is also to be witness. The g'r
tried to restrain and sooth her mothe'
until she assumed the attitude ol
PRAYER. Then the girls head fell like
that of Millets peasant woman In tht
famous picture of the Angelus, ant
she remained motionless while Ne
mother pronounced the prayer.
Then gently but firmly the daughtel
lassisted her mother from the cour
room to balcony over the entrance
where she tried to quiet the distracted
woman.
Speculation continues rife as to wha
the defense will be. 1t seems assured
that Mrs Kaufman will tell ner stor.
| to the jury. If this is the case be
lcross examination by Lawyer Eagai
will be of intense interest.
Although it has been said In s'ou:
IFalls that Mrs Kaufman has not beer
Ioutside the Kaufman house since he
IretuIn TO that city from Neenah, Wis.
lexcept to attend the court hearing II
MAY, she wore a spring hat of TIA
latest mode. 1t was an attractive Gre
alton of tan straw, with corn colore'
lace covering, with a facing OF me
Idish brown and set off by Jaunt
living of scarlet and brown, the color
blending together in the wing.
| John Blewitt of Madison came dow
Ito assist Clerk of the Courts WiiliaI
kellogg in the handling of the case
IMr. Blewitt swears the witnesses an
Jurors with familiarity to the legs
words and phrases which shows muc
Iexperience Clerk Kellogg sits at on
| mi Of his desk keeping tabs ON th
Jurors, ready to submit his roll to tn
lcounty treasurer for payment.