Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1912-11-15
MURDER TRIAL
AT RAPID CITY
ALLEGED SLAYERS OF MORRISON
PLACED ON TRIAL.
F. M. GAGE, IS ACCUSED
TRIAL WILL DOUBTLESS BE LONG
ONE.-EMINENT LEGAL TALENT
in CASE.

Rapid City, 8. D. Nov. l5th.-Before
Judge McGee and the jury of the cir.
cult court the trial of Francis M Gage,
indicted for the murder of Bart Morri.
son, was commenced Monday and will
be long and tedious trial as States
Attorney Denu told the jury in making
his statement of what the state expects
to prove. A. K. Gardner, of Huron.
will assist States Attorney Denu in
the prosecution of the case and w. W..
Soule, who appears for Gage, will be
assisted by Judge Mintener of the
Rapid City police court.
Francis Gage, the detendent, was
In court accompanied by his wife, who
took copious notes of the proceedings,
while the jury was being selected and
States Attorney Denu was making his
statement to it. Mrs George Griffin,
sister of Mrs. Gage, who at one time
was on Cages bond for $4,000 was also
in court and one Of his children, little
ShA oOOOC cASaU } chl5 vi aye.
1t took until nearly three O'Clock to
select the jury, which will try the case
and it is composed of the following;
Christ Jensen, Ernest Jurisch, John
Moher, John Snowey, Walt Schaffer,
Clarence Mecks. X. Brosius, Andre
Ibsen, Ross Anderson, Feay Reder,
Avail C;Il;o M II Kanrnl,
After reading the Indictment re-
turned by the grand jury charging
both Gage and Harry Andrews of the
murder of Morrison Mr. Denu stated
that at the request of council for the
defendent Andrews will be tried separ-
ately.
In stating to the jury what he pur-
poses to prove, States Attorney Denu
among other things said:
"a long and tedious trial is in front
of you. There are many witnesses, no
one witness knows all of the facts
which the Indictment alleges, that is,
that Morrison was killed with some
heavy instrument Gentlemen the
state will show you that on January 13,
1911, the remains of human being
we're found in an improvised oven at
the Bennett ranch, located in an old
shack. A boy found the remains, hav-
ing been attracted to them by means of
his dog gnawing at carcass.
determination by the officials dis
closed that the remains had been
burned to crisp. There were a few
trinkets found which enabled people
to identify to whom they had belonged.
"The body which had been found in
this oven.like structure, lay in
cramped position SO that part of the
clothing and piece of the flesh under
the armpit were not burned.
"The state will show that the under.
wear and a shirt found on the burned
remains we're Bert Morrison's. The
trinkets, balance wheel of a watch.
brass buttons, hairpin. etc.; these will
be shown to have been the property of
Bert Morrison.
The testimony will show that the fire
occurred in November, two months
prior to the discovery of the remains.
The fire took place November 22.23.
"On that day or the day before the
fire occurred about five O'clock in the
afternoon team was seen driving
away from the burned shack. The
team had stopped at the gate of the en-
closure, 1t was driven by a tall man
who stopped, wearing a Mackinaw
coat
"a witness, who saw the team and
man, went to the place of the fire and
saw the trails of wagon, he also
noticed the footprints of q man wear.
ing large shoes or overshoes going and
coming from the burned shack. The
steps leading to the shack were short.
those coming away were long. After
two mouths this witness saw team
and man here in Rapid City. This
witness Identified The team and man as
that CT the defendept, Francis M.
Gage.
"Bert Morrison was harmless sort
of an individual Interested in children.
and occupied house Ieer the boule.
ward cn tbe outskirts OF the cicy. Nor
rison was last seec in his house No
vember % at dinner. Witness whom
the etate will nrodnoe took dinnor With