Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-01-14
MAN ACCUSED or Staying WIFE
10 BATTERED MERclLES9lY
eY PRosEcuToR-PRIs-
ONER FIGHTS BACK.
SPECTATORS WATCH FOR
Defendant TO FALTER
Assistant County Attorney Assailo
Version Of Prices Conviction at
Outlined on Direct Ex-
animation. 49,.

Minneapolis, Jan. 13.-Freder1ck T.
Price, driven to the last bulwark OF
his defense, fought back at George
Armstrong, assistant county attorney,
for more than an hour during one of
the most scathing cross-examinatfons
ever heard in the Hennepin county
district court.
Fifteen minutes before adjournment
Price, defiant still, but with his iron
mask of composure broken, his voice
weak from WEAKNESS, and the smile
that he has worn since the trial be-
gan, swept away, was taken from the
stand by his attorneys and another
witness called to give him breathing
space.
Surrounded by Accusers.
When the other witness finished his
testimony It was time for adjournment
and the defense had gained time for
Price to rally before the state begins
again its merciless battering at the
story by which the man on trial hopes
to overthrow the wall of testimony by
which the state believes he has been
surrounded.
At arms length In front of Price. Us
he sat on the witness stand, rested the;
black leather box containing part Of.
the bleached skull Of the wife he is &C.
cused of numbering. Immediately be-.
hind that black box was Mr.. Arm
strong, sometimes speaking in ridi-
cule, more often threatening, always
watching and listening, ready at the
slightest slip to leap to in attack on
the defense. At Armstrong; back sat
Prices accusers Fridley, father
of the woman Price is accused of STAY
ing; William Dye, NriHey's son-in.law;
John P. Hoy, detective who fought
for months to bring Price to trial, and
the score Of other witnesses for the
state.
Watch FOR Price to Break. !.
Then, beyond the attorneys table
more exad5ng even than Armstrong,
were the spectators. On each was the
same expe@tant look, as Tearing for
ward In their seats with bated breath
they watched for the defendant to
break before the fire of his prosecu.
tex
But tie break did not come. Alone
In that vast ;ampitheater of unfriendly
faces, Price faltered but did not fall
before the terrific bombardment of
the prosecutors Questioning.
Mr.. Armstrong spared nothing in his
attack. He assailed the version of
PriceB conviction at Neenah that the
defendant had outlined on direct ex-
animation. "A neighbor woman let
her chickens run across my garden
when I was boy" Price had said,
"and I assaulted her."
Dsfendant's Past Attacked.
"hnt 1T true that you were 1S
Fears old at the time," Armstrong de-
manded. 'Isnt it true that your vic
tim was young married woman, only
few years older than yourself? Isn't
It true that her husband was away
working when you, masked and armed
with q dub, entered her bedroom?
isn't 1t true that when she resisted
you, yon beat her into unconscious
ness? lint it true that there was q
hue and tcry of murder raised in the
Village? Aren't all of those things
tue9"
Hutls Questions at Prlsoner. a..
Almost shrieking, the prosecutor
scarcely pausing for an answer, tow.
cred over Price and hurled the ques-
lions that were in themselves indict-
nents, at the prisoner. Bewildered,
Price attempted to answer. Again and
again he gazed at his attorney in 4
mite appeal for help.
Both Ar. Brady and Mr.. Kelley
we're on their feet with objections to
give Price time to recover from the
shock that had all >',t swept him from
bis feet. But Price weathered the,
storm.