Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-26
HANLlN'S MIND AFFECTED
Defense at Grand Island introduces Evil
dsnos to show Defendants Condition.
WITNESS SAYS THREATS WERE MADE
Sister of Man Accused of Murder
swears He was injured in
Iowa and III Several
Months.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb.. April B.-(spe-
cial.) THE state, in the case against John
Hamlin for the murder Of Rachel Engle,
rested its case, and the defense began the
introduction Of its testimony along the
line OF insanity.
Following the witnesses introduced to
show the direct commission of the shoot
ing, the state introduced Coroner Suther-
land and Drs. McGrath, Farnsworth and
Hoge. The latter was the first physician
called in the case and had charge Of the
wounded girl throughout, though the other
physicians were called in at intervals and
aided in the operations. The physicians
were quite united in that death resulted
primarily from the bullet wound, Dr.
Farnsworth differing to the extent of tes-
tifying that the results of the breaking
of a catheter might have aided In the
physical decline. DR.. Hoge testified that
the wound was a mortal one and that the
sores over the body and the Bangrenous
! condition would have resulted, regardless
of the breaking of the catheter.
Through witnesses Goss and Darr, for
mer fellow employees of Hamlin, the state
introduced testimony to show that Hamlin
had previous to the shooting declared
that he was in love with Rachel Engle and
leave her home. To witness Goss Hamlin
stated, as testified to, that II Charles
Smith (who was at Miss Engle's side
when the shooting took place., ever crossed
his path he would send bullet after him.
To Darr Hamlin complained, according to
J the testimony, that Mrs. Kent, Rachels
mother, would not permit him to talk to
! Rachel or Rachel to him and he some
times felt like shooting her. Witness was
| not permitted to state to the jurors his
! impression as to whom Hamlin had meant
by her
Defense Introduces Evidence.
The state, through Witnesses Wood,
McFarlane and Peterson, showed the ar
rest of Hamlin, his giving an assumed
name; denying that he was from Grand
Island, the searching of his pockets, the
! finding of the revolver in evidence and its
delivery to the sheriff Witness Peterson
/ is the marshal of Danneborg, and his rela-
ton OF how he had arrested Hamlin and
guarded him after arrest, and his droll
gestures and manner. lent an air Of com
edy to the proceedings to such an extent
that the court had repeatedly to call for
order.
did the defendant attempt to resist"
asked Hamlins counsel, when Peterson re-
lated that, in arresting and Handwriting
Hamlin, he held his revolver eighteen
inches from the head of the prisoner.
"Oh, no." responded the marshal in a
Danish accent, III he would he wouldn't be
here today"
The state here rested, and the defense
began its testimony with Mrs. Davis, sister
| of HamIin, on the stand. She related
that in his infancy he had FITS" In 1885,
her brother rented a farm near her IN
Iowa and one day the team came home
without him. He was found unconscious
This was in June, He did not recover
witness stated, until October. Again IL
1893 John Hamlin had been at her home
and when attempting to do any worh
requiring STOPPING would have severe head
aches and dizzy spells. He also acted
queerly at times, having resolved one
thing, then doing Just the opposite.
John Hook of Aida farmer from whom
Hamlin worked in 1904, testified that tn,
first morning OF Hamlins employment b,
him he was told TO do the chores and wal
warned as to two bronchos. But It wal
not long before Hamlin's cries attracted
him to the barn. He was under tn,
horses. He could not work for eight days
Hamlin had sometimes acted strangely
among other things talking to himself
The testimony was, in the main, corrobor
ated by another farm hand