The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-14
B|SSETT'S FATE
 WILL BE IN HANDS
 OF JURY TODAY Last Witnesses Are Heard and Lawyers Present Pleas.
 Judge to Charge
WIFE HOLDS HER BABY IN
 ARMS DURING SPEECHES
Prosecution Maintains That the Man Who Killed Sister-in-LaW Is Not h. sane, While Defense Claims
 Mind Is Unbalanced.

owing to the lateness of the hour, Judge | Greene announced that he would wait un- l til the next morning before delivering the charge 10 the Jury. Adjournment was l therefore ordered until g o'clock this morning, when the twelve men will be en- 1 trusted with the fate of Frank Bissett. | The greater part of yesterday was con- ! sumed in the presentation of argument by | opposing counsel, but during the morning | the prosecution completed their work by | introducing several witnesses in rebuttal. | principal among whom was J. K. Patter ! son. the husband of the murdered woman. | When the testimony was concluded little | time was lost in consultation, and after | a few minutes J. B. .Aird began his argu- | ment for the state and spoke for an hour and a half until the noon adjournment. c. P. Beddow was the first speaker for the defense when court convened in the afternoon and consumed over two hours in an able address. P. G. Bowman for the defense and Solicitor H. P. Hefin for the state concluded the argument with brief addresses and the case was ended. i Wife Manifests Active Interest.
 No one has manifested more active in terest in the conduct of the trial than Mrs. Frank Bissett, wife of the defend ant. and all during the taking of testi- mony she watched every move keenly and often arose from her seat to confer with counsel She frequently whispered with her husband and yesterday for the | first time during the trial held her curly haired baby in her lap while the argu- ment was being delivered. Mrs. Bissett exhibited much emotion during MT. Bed- dow's address, and held her handkerchief l to her face most of the time.
 Frank Bissett. the defendant, has main tained the same stolid demeanor through out the trial with probably two excep- tions. While one of the most important witnesses for the prosecution was testify ing the defendant was observed to exhibit nervousness, and kept twisting his hands together. While MT. Hefn was speaking Bissett held tightly to his wife's hand. occasionally releasing his grip to pat her | hand gently.
 The names of the jurors who will today take the case of Frank Bissett for final decision are, in order of selection: J. F. Spencer, Y. K. Sothard, s. P. Sturgeon, George Tribble, Willis o. Merrill, E. D. 1 Burns, J. R. Vance, T. B. Merrlwether, | A. A. Stuckey, J. E. Allison, George
 Did Not Consider Him Insane.
 The first witness placed on the stand yesterday morning was Mrs. Edna Keen, who had testified previously for the state about being present when Bissett tried to cut his wife's throat. She said she had known Bissett about three years, and that she did not consider him an Insane man.
 William Martin was the next witness. He said he had worked with Bissett for about eight months in a machine shop, and that he considered him sane.
 Officer Parker said he had been on the police force about four years. He remem- bered the killing of Mrs. Patterson, and said he was called to arrest Bissett the night before on complaint made by J. K Patterson. When ho and other officers went to the scene Bissett ran away, he said
 On cross-examination Officer Parker said that Bissett was one block away when he began to run. It was not un- usually dark and Bissett was at Avenue | and Sixteenth street when he started to run.
 Disturbance on Previous Night.
 Policeman Joseph Nix remembered the occasion of Mrs. Pattersons murder. On the night before, he said, it was reported that Bissett was raising a disturbance at the Patterson home. He said he and other officers went to the house in re- sponse to the call and saw two men disappear at street corner near the house. A few minutes later they met brother of Frank Bissett and he said he was not the man wanted. No arest was made that night.
 Lived in House With Him.
 Mrs. L. Capshaw was the next wit ness She said she knew Blssett about three months in 1905. She said she lived in the same house with him and that he was all right except when under the Influence of drink. In her opinion Bissett acted as a rational man. She could not tell what Bissett drank. On cross-exami- nation Mrs. Capshaw said her opinion about his drinking was based on the ac- l tioio Oi oticT ihcii- toHC podiuce' at the house where Bissett stopped in | October and November, and said she was in bed with Mrs. Bissett one night when B,ssett came home and tried to get in | through a window. He said he would | break the door down if it was not opened. Mrs Capshaw said that on another oc- casion she saw Mrs. Bissett after she had been beaten with club by her hus- | band. She didn't know whether Bis sett's mind was affected or whether he | was maudlin drunk.
 J. P. Lantsnester said he is warden at the county jail. He has held the position for five months and has seen Bis sett often. During his observations, he said, he had never noticed anything un- 1 usual about him. The warden said he was an exceptionally good prisoner. The witness said he considered him a sane | man.
 On cross-examination the witness said he was not at the jail when Bissett was first locked up. He had never made observations for the purpose of passing | upon Bissett's mind He said he knew nothing about his mental condition.
 Husband Takes the Stand. J. K. Patterson, husband of the dead