The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1910-03-12
EXPERT BELIEVES
MOLINE INSANE
Dr., CoLLlNsoN or RUGBY is
STRONG IN BELIEF THAT BOY
WAS DERANGED.

Rugby, N. d., March 12.--rThere is
no question In my mind that Edward
Moline was insLne at the time OF the
murder and am equally strong in my
belief that he is still mentally de-
ranged" was the testimony of DIR.
Collinson of this city on direct exami-
nation today in the trial of Edward
Moline for the murder Of his father.
Collinson was put through a stiff cross
examination by Attorney Christianson
Of Towner but remained unshaken in
his testimony. Christianson endeavor-
ed to make the witness admit that he
had told him on the street that Mo-
line was not insane and at the conclu-
sion Of the CAGE this noon the attorney
and the witness INDUCED in wordy
war which would have resulted in a
fist fight had IL not been for the in
tervention Of the crowd.
The body Of the father has been ex-
humed and will be examined. AT the
time of the first examination it was
impossible to determine how Moline
met his death whether from a rupture
Of the stomach or from shock. The
result of the las. examination which
was made last night has not been
made public.
The case will last until Monday or
Tuesday. Details of the last two days
are as follows:
Rugby, N. D., March 1O--Contending
that Frank Molines death was not
caused by strychnine poisoning but
that a rupture of the heart was re-
sponsible for the same and promising
to prove that Charles Moline, the de-
fendant charged with the murder, is
insane, the defense opened this morn
ing in the now famous trial Atty. e.
r. Sinkler made the opening statement
for the defense and Immediately af-
forwards called the first witness, Peter
Magnell of Tracy, Mimi.
The defense claims that there is no
evidence to show that Moline's death
was caused by strychnine, and they
will introduce evidence to prove that
such is not the case.
Magnell, the Tracy Mimi. witness,
testified this morning that when the
defendant was Ia years old, he was
then supposed to be- mentally unbal-
anced. The witness relates instances
to show the peculiar actions of the
accused when he was but a boy, 1t
being shown that he was melancholy
and morose4
r. J. Nash and L. A. Scott, neigh
bors Of the Moline family at Barton,
also testified concerning the fellows
peculiar ways. Emma Nelson, who
has been quite prominently connected
with the cases was also called to the
stand. On the night of the death of
Moline she says that Charles walked
by her place four or five times, firing
a revolver in the air and staggering
as though intoxicated. This was after
Moline had left the dead body Of his
father on the prairie a mile and half
distant. e'" asts
One of the most important witnesses
for the defense wiz be- C. o. Anderson,
who was called this afternoon. Four
years ago, he testified, Frank Moline
brought his son to him at Willow City
to examine into his mental condition.
AT that time DIR. Anderson said that
he reached the conclusion that the
young fellow was insane.
Sheriff on Stand.
Sheriff Ed Erickson was an impor-
ant witness. He testified in dettil re-
garding the reiterated confessions made
by Charles, while he had been in jail,
and added further that Charlie told
him repeatedly that she had worked
all his life and would rather go to the
penitentiary than to the asylum"
Medical Experts.
DR.. Sornson Of Barton and DR. D.
K Thyng Of Willow City were called
to the stand to testify in regard to the
effect of strychnine, as to the position
of the body where death was caused
by that poison in the body after death.
Chemist Derby OF the Minnesota uni
versfty testified to the analysis Of the
stomach of the deceased, and to the
finding of strychnine therein. Attor-
ney sinkler, in his cross examination,
tried to show that strychnine would
not have killed the father in the time
testified to by the children or mem
toned in the alleged confession.