Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-03-30
ATMOSPHERE HIGHLY CHARGED
Authorities, However, Have No Fear
of an Outbreak.
ITT0RNEYS CLASH AT HEARING
Murphy Dcnounces Patrick for
FIaunting the bloody Coat Be-
fore the Face of Widow,
Who Is Present.

fore the Face of Widow,
Who Is Present.
The coronsrs jury at Springfield, which
heard thirty witnesses testify yesterday
in the inquest over the body Of Roy Blunt
Nwas given the case last night. with In
sNuctions to return a sealed verdict to-
das.-The verdict will be carried TO Coro-
ner Armstrong at Papillion by the fore
man.
uproarious demonstration OF Ill feeling
. was made against Coroner Armstrong,
County Attorney Jameson and Sheriff
Grant Chase Of sarpy county and against
County Attorney Clinton Chase OF STAN
ton county. brother Of Sheriff Chase. w.
y II. Patrick Of counsel for the Blunt fam
| ily was applauded when he engaged In
personal quarrel with these officials.
Il Threats Of the coroner to have the
lerowd elected and general confusion
marked the closing hour Of the inquest in
the opera house. D.. ...
Letter Called Insult.
The reading OF letter from Governor
Aldrich. which one prominent Springfield
man characterized as an insult TO the
citizenship Of Sarpy county, was another
sensational feature Of the close Of the
inquest.
The case was submitted to the jury a.
7:2o o'clock. Before its submission the
jurors spent fifteen minutes debating the
sdvisahillty OF making an effort TO get
Sheriff Hyers Of Lancaster county and
John C. -Trouten, deputy state fire war
.. den and deputy to Chief OF Police Briggs
of South Omaha on the day Of the con-
Wet hunt, TO come to Springfield and
testify at the inquest.
Had Il been decided to make this ef-
fort the continuance of the inquest until
today would have been necessary but
the jurors decided the additional testi.
mony would make the reaching Of YER
dict no easier and agreed to take no fur
ther evidence. 4--...
After the close of the inquest the peo.
pie stood about in the stores and in the
two hotels discussing the case and pass
ing critical remarks about Armstrong.
Jameson. Sheriff Chase and others.
Talk of Mass Meeting.
There was some talk Of arranging for
a mass meeting Of sarpy county citizens
to protest against Governor Aldrich's let
ter.
At late hour last night no arrange
ments for such a meeting had been made.
Jammed into every nook and corner. on
the stage. standing in the sisles and sit
ting on window sIlls. 800 persons had
managed TO secure entrance to the little
opera house where the inquest was heard. |
Half as many more were turned away !
during the day. The parents Of the dead
man and those Of the widow. with two |
brothers and sisters. were given seats
near the jury and witnesses.
Coroner Armstrong protested early in !
he termed 1t.
No Danger of Outbreak.
Passion and prejudice prevailed during |
the entire mornings sitting and what few
definite statements OF fact were brough. |
out were shadowed into nothingness by |
the wranglings OF the attorneys OF con-
flicting interest. which accompanied /
nothing except 10 fan the flames OF pas
sion.
violent outbreak. Danger of this seems
TO have vanished. Before he went 10
Springfield Chief OF Police Briggs was
warned that his life might not be spared
by certain hot-headed and bitter friends
OF the Blunt family. He was advised to
attend the inquest prepared for trouble
and to be ready to defend himself. He
declared he did not believe such precau-
ton necessary and he went to the inquest
unarmed. There has been no threat Of
violence In Springfield. The throng that
packed the opera house and crowded
around doors and windows muttered and
was sullen. but that was all.
Murphy Denounces Patrick.
City Attorney Henry c. Murphy Of
South Omaha. who with Attorney Charles
Hoover OF south Omaha, represents Briggs
created a sensation during the morning
sitting by an impassioned denunciation
Of w. r. Patrick OF Papillion. of counsel
for the Blunt family. when Patrick
dragged from a gunny sack the bloody
clothes worn by Blunt when the death
dealing bullet entered his body. Mrs.
Blunt and her relatives occupied a row
OF chairs directly before the attorneys
table, and Mrs. Blunt sat but two feet
from Patrick when he withdrew the
clothing and held IT for the jury's In
spcction
y Objects 20 Procedure.
N-l-s BlHnt burst into a frenzy Of srie.
iae z-astiy exhibition. AUrpdy csllej
on rvrtnsr armstrong 20 s,isnrnaTi!g
STOP Patrick's procedure. We object
to this barbayous and brutal exhibition.
the torture Of woman who already has
suffered almost more than flesh and
l4yod San lear. said Murphy.
We protest against these men put
ting this woman's soul on the rack and
intensifytng her grief twisting the knife
after II has been plunged into her heart
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