The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-23
PROSECUTION
. IS HAMPERED
"A Patterson Case Witness
Changes Attitude and
Two Others Absent

Denver, Nov. ga decided rcycrsa,
OF attitude on the past of one witness
ana thesabsencc Of two others Scrin,s-
" hampered the prosecution today il,
the Patterson murder case Snccial
Prosecute Benson asked for i, recess
when witnesses failed to respond to
Iilelr I'M shortly before time for
the noon interval.
declaring that the state expects to
saoM ina Mrs. Patterson, after being
surprised by her husband under cir.
cumstances that threatened to ICON
ard1ze her chances for success in the
alvorce action she had brought, armed
nerself, laid in wait for him at a spot
Wnlch she knew he was accustomed TO
pass, III his morning walks, inveigIcd
nm to an isolated place and shot him
IN the back, deliberately and premedi.
atedly, he asked for a verdict of first
degree murder if these things we're
proved to the satisfaction of the jury.
ire state would show, Benson de-
c!ared, that Immediately prior to the
shooting, Charles a. Patterson, a con-
sumptlve. was Il patient at Il sanitari.
UNI In a suburb of Denver. His wife
living in Il bungalow in town.
whicn she had purchased. The reason
TOR their living apurt would lie shown
later, he stated.
on the Saturday night preceding the
shooting, which occurred on Monday
morning. the state would show by wit
nesses. he said that: Patterson. accom-
panied by a friend, whom the state
mas been unable to find. paid an UNI
expected call at his wifc's home. He
round her. the prosecutor assorted, sit
Ting on the porch with George w.
strain. a young Denver man, and hat
when Mrs. Patterson saw him she ran
into the house crying. My God there
m my husband"
The state will SOW" said Benson,
that Mrs. Patterson had told strain
her husbands temper and that
Strain had come armed: that Patter-
son asked Strain if he were not in the
wrong house and that Strain, le.lning
forward said something to the effect
that he would fix Patterson that
pointing Il revolver at Patter-
sons breast. ordered him off the
premises and forced Patterson and his
friend to walk off with their hands
above their heads"
At this ju%ncturc Mr. Benson contin-
ued, 1t would be shown Mrs. pattcr.
son went in pursuit of her husband;
h a Strain and Mrs. Fattcrscn's 20
year-old brother. Charles Gibson. later
went in search Ut the Pattcrsons.
On their return to the bungalow MIR.
went on. the stale expects to
show that Mrs. Patterson bitterly III.
Strain for his part in, tile at
fair. declaring that what had an.
pcned would interfere with her di.
vorce proceedings. and that later. she
asked Strain To let her have. his re-
saying that she was afraid of
and that evidence would
that he let her have the
weapon.
. MIR Benson said he expected 10
that ON tic next day Mrs. Pattcr-
on tried % arrange a meeting with
her husband over the telephone. but !
he refused to meet her and that on
Monday morning Mrs. Patterson, taxi
ng with her Strains revolver. went to
spot near the sanitarium and waited !
1t 4 place she knew her husband was
accustomed to pass in his daily walks.
when Patterson finally appeared
md saw his wife," Mr.. Benson lie
"wc expect to show that he
to rum. but stood still when
ais wife called to him to stop.
THAT Il witness, who heard tho first
hot say Patterson on his hands and
tnecs and heard him cry out; that
his witness saw Mrs. Patterson stand
over the PROSTATE man pointing a
'istol at him; that the witness crir,l,
'ut tn her mo- to shoot: that Mrs. Fat
crson shot her husband again IN tho
'ark. and that u moment later the
saw her shove the revolver
hcr husbands body aud flee Into
l.. n. llcnhric home before the
Kate Of which the. s%ilnnting had w.-
'urrcd." -.