Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-11-02
The Chronology of the End

is lost; the wheel has stopped Oh
blank
The Chronology of the End
Testimony was all in on Tuesday
afternoon except the reading of a few
pages from old evidence by the state
That done the decks were cleared fOl
the lawyers Mr. Falge opened the
arguments for the state, Mr.. McGill fol
lowed, Mr. Stebbins came next ant
finished for the defense and Gen
Sturdevant began the last answer il
the case against the accused on Wed
nesday evening. He occupied all o1
Thursday morning and closed at %:
in the afternoon. Judge Quinlan be
gan to read the charge five minute;
later and at 3 81 the jury filed out tt
their room.
The jury was next heard from al
) 80 when information that they were
ready with their verdict was sent t(
the court Mccormick was sent fol
and the attorneys arrived. 1t was
6 10 when the verdict was given.
The Courts Charge
The charge to the jury made by
Judge w. 3. Quinlan was listened t6
by the attorneys resident and visit
ing, with great degree of satisfac
ton. He stated both the contention OF
the state and the defense one that Nc
Cormick had murdered his wife an(
the other that she had committed sui
eide. He said that the commission OF
crime might be proved by circumstan
tial evidence. The law determines
what is admissible in a case. The
jury are the sole judges of what that
evidence proves.
Six contentious OF the defense an(
of the state were set down and anal
wed as to the evidence which the jury
must consider as proving the case OF
either The introduction of the evi
dence of Shaw, the Grand Rapids at
torney. was entered into with some de
tail and the charge states that the
jury must determine whether the evi
dence was sufficient to show that the
letters were read to the defendant
and if they were so read, they amount
ed, either by his silence or his failure
TO deny, as an admission on the par
of the defendant of the truth of tht
statements made therein.
Judge Quinlan thanked the jury fol
the care and attention they had givel
tnI bn of
| tOrneys both for the state and the de
| Tense for their courteous conduct ant
| the laWyerlike and able manner il
which the case had been conducted.
Mr.. Falge Opens the Case
| Dist Attorney O. j. Falge in al
even tone of voice, almost converse
ti0nal, told the facts which he claimed
| the state had established in it's charge
| that John II. Mccormick was guilt.
of poisoning his wife. He reviewed
| the evidence in a condensed and syn
Opsized form.
There was no feeling of animus eX
| pressed in the district attorneys voic
and the cold, clear and concise manne
of arraying the facts IN evidence, wa
/ apparently more forceful for that rea
SON. He said that the evidence proves
Mccormick had conspired to poison hi
wife. The state had showed he coul
never have met Ida j. MathesOn in Seat
tie in 1911. I'VE do know he marrie
her, that he did steal her money, tha
she believed she was being poisoned
that she made a will in his favor, an
a few days thereafter she died o
strychnine poisoning.
Mr. Falge said it was utterly withou
the bonds of reason that Mrs. McCol
mick could have killed herself tha
/ beautiful August day He traced til
poison from DR.. Enger's office to til
dinner table in the Mccormick hom
and wildly depicted the death scene
He read to the jury the letters frol
Attorney Shaw to District Attorne
Kirwan gave his suspicious.
In closing, Mr. Falge demanded til
conviction of Mccormick for murde
in the first degree.
Mr.. McG:H for the Defense
1t was IL "a Wednesday mornin
when Mr.. Falge closed and l.. e. Nj
Gill began his address to the jury o
behalf of the accused.
When Mr.. Falge began his addres
there were 81 people standing aroun
the walls of the court room and ever
seat was filled, now the room ws
, even more crowded
Mr. McGill was in good voice. E
spoke with clear tones, no false note
Il Continued on page .