The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-12-09


it was an accident?
Mr. Plymat had not concluded his
argument when the noon recess was
taken. He completed it this afternoon
and was followed by c. L. Benedict who
closed for the defense.
What the Judge Will Charge.
1t is understood that Judge Pfau
will charge the jury that it can find
a verdict of guilty either of murder
in the second degree or of manslaughter
in the first degree or one of acquittal.
The penalty of murder in the second
degree is life Imprisonment and that of
manslaughter in the first degree is
not more than twenty years or less
than five years Imprisonment. Hall
stated this morning that he did not
care what the outcome of the case is.
From tuesdays Daily.
Whitford NJ. Halls fate was given
into the hands of the jury this fore
noon. The arguments of the attorneys
consumed all of yesterday, and Judge
Pfau gave his charge to the jury this
lHOIIlHS, IHStiucCcu ~ DIS W tHc law.
The jury retired to deliberate on the
case. taking the various exhibits with
it, such as the rife, bullet, plat of the
premises, etc. Throughout the trial and
arguments the jurors have given the
case the closest possible attention.
State Concludes Argument
County Attorney Plymat completed
his argument yesterday afternoon, and
took up Halls claim that the shooting
was accidental and said that it was
unsupported by single witness, as
was also his claim that he was not in
his right mind after the shooting.
The jurors are servants of the peo-
pie, and should render such verdict
as to be able to look any man in the
face and tell him where to get off
at and not to have to apologize to
anyone.
Halls admissions as to what he did
after the shooting shows that his claim
that his mind was blank was rot.
If he is acquitted, Hal! can demand
his Madison Lake place back, unless
his niece supports him the rest of his
life, rs the deed requires. If Hall is
not to be convicted, our jails and court
houses may as well be JurneI over to
the bats and owls. In the Crippen
case in England, the evidence was
merely circumstantial, but he was con-
rlcted and executed and everybody is
satisfied. In the Hall case there is an
- 4 Il
strong evidence, such as of threats and
confessions, lacking in the English case
If Il conviction cannot be had in this
case, it cannot in any case. and courts
may as well be closed. The only de-
Tense made is based OH lapse of
memory and is not worthy of consid-
Grafton. The very least that can be
done is to convict the defendant of
mansaughter in the first degree
The defense has everything in its
favor, the right to testify or not. the
last argument and the only right of
appeal The state has no such advan-
tage.
Mrs. Crook was required by the deed
to the place to care for Hall and bury
him when dead, but no one could do
1T from that little piece OF property
with its $500 mortgage. Nobody could
expect her to do it, with her husband
away. Hall was no saint but had lust
as many faults as the average of man.
kind. He could not give the name of
one man that Crook had told ANYTHING
to that an9ered him. His claim to this
effect was a lie. 1t was merely an
excuse, and after he gave it he commit
ted a cold blooded murder and then
confessed it and convicted and sen.
tence himself.
1t Crook had sliced the gun as the
defense claimed, the wound would have
been on his right side. Hall is not
making defense that he was drunk,
and the jury cannot go outside of the
evidence and speculate in this case.
Let your verdict be such one as
you would want rendered if the father
of your little girl was murdered, said
Mr.. Plymat in conclusion
Mr.. Benedict began his closing arcu-
ment to the jury at 2:30 O'Clock. He
said that i'll this case the defense was
not going to shed any tears He Weld
ed to the Biblical law that Chou shalt
not KILL but did not want the limo.
cent to suffer.
After the crime at Madison Lake.
every breeze that swept that town
blew falsehoods, and the newspapers
OF the county were filled with them.
perhaps unwittingly. Mr.. Benedict
said that he hoped that the next leg.
islature would pass u law which wouls.
make 1T unlawful for newspapers to
comment on criminal cases and try
them in the papers, as had been done
III some cases in this county.
Mr.. Benedict promised to show that
the defendant had told the truth When
he went to school at Good Thunder
his teacher had told him. Clifford. do
your best" and he had done it ever
since, and this was why he was work
ing so hard in this case. He was
pleading for right, and not defending
criminal.
Halls vitality shows that he has not
been addicted to Intoxicating liquor.
Ii his dead wife could speak she would
say, "Whitford, come home from the
abuse of the world. l gave you wrong
advice to seek Ida l will also defend
Mrs. Crook from insinuations, if the