The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-14
GIVES EVIDENCE
IN OWN BEHALF
julius Sirmay, Oh Trial for Muir
der, Denies Staying Tom
karrick.
DEFENDANT IDENTIFIED
BY YOUTHFUL WITNESS
Confessions Are Related by
Sheriff and Wardens Of
States Prison.

dramatic and savored somewhat af gen.
uine sensation. First came the testi'
mony Of Edward Sheppard, 10 years
cid, concerning the Identification of
the defendant ~ the man whom he saw
running down the embankment in the
rear of The karrjcS residence al about
the time of the murder. The critical
moment came when the boy was asked
if he could nick out the man III the
court room whom he was introduced to
by the officers day or two after the
murder The lad scanned the room Tor
moment and pointed directly to the
defendant.
The Sheppard boys evidence was
NOT of great value. except to prove that
n man ran down the hill at that time,
because the night of the crime the boy
identified man with certainty who
proved TO be the wrong one. tbs was
admitted on cross -aNami nation, as well
rs the fact that he had told the defend
ants attorneys that the man he saw
had black ewes, while Sirmay has light
ewes.
The second feature of the day was
he long recital of Slrmays 5 confession
bv Sheriff SHARP, which was made AT
the county Jail and at the state prison
The sheriff related the conversations,
ne alleged falschoods which SIrmay
told. and that Srmay said he lied when
he wanted to lie and did otherwise
when lie Desired When the officer said,
''Sirmay. tell M how YOU did IT, - the
defendant answered. II can't tell you.
If I did, never could face my
mother" according to the sheriff S
testimony.
si-nay on Stand.
After the opening statement by coun.
sci Cor the defendant, which began at
9 p. m, Sirmay was called to the
stand, the first witness In his own be-
half As he took the witness stand the
court room became hnshed, while every
car was bent TO catch his low answers
and explanations julius Sirmay is 22
wears old and has bren in America four
and a halt years. In Hungary he has
a mother and stepfather To re-
porter he said that he did not care
so much for himself. but that il is his
mother for whom he would like 10 prove
his innocence.
In the long hours of his direct tes.
timony Sirmay told straightforward
story. never wavcring, and during the
cross-exa mination. which began late IL
the afternoon ANA was still unfinished
when corrt adjourned, he stood the Of
deal well.
Police Sergeant Riley NJ. Beckstead
was The first witness Friday morning.
and was called merely TO tell of having
rakc,, the saw from the karrick home
and turning il over to the sheriff
When lie got IT there was soil cling,ng
to it,
Boy Identifies Sirmay.
Yorng Edward Sheppard was the sec
ond witness of the fifth day The ren
son he looked towards the embankmeut
while passing along the street was that
The bows In that neighborhood had a
tunnel in the bank and he wished to
see whether or not the rain had de
etroyed il The man he saw wore a
lirht suit. soft light hat, and was
quite dark in complexion, wearing II
dark mus,achc. and looked like Mex.
lean. He identified Sirmay as the
man whom he saw in the presence of
the officers, and said, in hi; opinion,
Sirmav was the man whom he saw rur
down the smbankment on The fatal
day.
Camden Riley, for whom Sirmay
worked, was called to corroborate the
conversation. which has been testified
to, that be had been at the korpf home
on the evening of the murder.
Sheriff Sharp then continued the
story of Srmay's confession. made at
the Jail and at the state prison. In
addition TO that which was related by
Warden Pratt Thursday, the Sheriff
fold Of the defendant e repeated al
of them. Conflicting stories were told
about the saw and about employment
agencies In Murray. Then followed the
recital Of the confession made at the
penitentiary. of his meeting "loe,' OF
the plan to rob the karrick home, of
their proceeding to that place and Of
his part In the robbery. Sirmay. ac-
ing the chloroform because he was
afraid that the saw he left in the base
ment would hang him when identified,
Joe Lekomski was next called TO cor
roborate the Korpfs regarding Sirmay
having been at their home on the pre-
vious SUNDAY. Andrew c. Ure. deputy
warden at the pcnitentiary related the
confession. agreeing with the other of
ficcrs in every essential.
Opening for Defense.
The state rested at noon and at 9
clock l.. A. McGhee for the defense
made the opening statement in outlin
ing the defense to be made. IT is the
defendant S intention TO prove tnat an
other man assisted him in the burglary
and that he was drawn into the crime
bv the unknown fJoc S arguments
The crime of entering the karrick resi-
dcncc for the purpose of burglary is
admitted, but the attempt will be made
70 prove that Sirmay did not kill Tom
Karrick as alleged
After the brief opening statement Nv
his attorney Sirmav took the stand in
his own behalf. His testimony agreed
substantially with the confession made
to The officers,
The minutest detail AS to time. places
actions and apparel were related Sir
may said he knew that he was dong
wrong when ne accepted the offer &c
accompany "Joe' 10 rob the house
and that be. told "Joe" they would be
81
It, gave him; quarter and the,
launched out on the mission. They
expected TO get 5000 worth of iewelry
He remained in the basement. packing
up tools (which would bring the
money while "Joe' went upstairs Il
tho II.