The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-05
HOIST TRIAL
IS POSTPONED
TO MARCH II
Physical Condition Of 20
year-Old Defendant Neces-
states Adjournment

Stanley. N. H.. March 5-tR-.Trial
Of the Alice Hoist murder case in
district court here was adjourned ut
noon today until Monday. March H.,
due to the physical condition of the
20year- old defendant, who tainted
late yesterday after giving testimony
and was helped to walk into the
court room this morning.
The girl sat on chair with pill
low against her back and shoulders
throughout the forenoon session, APP
parently taking no interest in the
proceedings.
States Attorney +. n. Cottingham
said that he desired to further cross
examine the defendant, who is
charged with murder in the first
degree in connection with the STAY
inf of William Nafus, Van Hook. in
pool hall at Sanish last December
-. The prosecuting attorney agreed
that an adjournment was satisfactory
to him.
Brewington Trial Next
The trial of Emmet Brewington,
Minot barber, on charge of man.
slaughter, is TO begin next Monday at
10 a. m., Judge George II. Moellring
announced after adjournment Of the
Hoist case. Brewington, who former
~ lived at Parshall, in Mountrail
county, was arrested on a manslaugh-
ter charge after Mrs. Mildred Wilson
Of Minot had died Of injuries received
when struck by car in Minot. The
state alleges that Brewington was
driving the death" car. Brewing
ton is now in the county Jail here.
Eight defense witnesses testified
during tn forenoon session, which at
tractcd another large crowd OF
spectators.
Four of the eight defense witnesses
the Rev c. G. Hidenherg, c. {. krost
T.. G. Ranum and G. Il. Ellis, all Of
Van Hook, testified that the reputa-
ton Of Miss Hoist, as to being a
peaceable and law abiding citizen in
her home community, was good
Nafus Told IF AssauIting Girl
Lloyd Johnson Of Van Hook and
Lawrence Lockrem, Of Sanish, botf
young men. testified that Nafus or
December II, the day following the
night when the girl testified tina,
Nafus had criminally assaulted her
told them of the deed.
Mrs. A. Bresclin of Sanish. al
whose house the defendant was room
ing, said that when she went tt
Miss Holst's room on the night OF
December ~ to offer additional bed
ding that she noticed the girl wiped
a tear out of her eye.
Called at the beginning Of the
trial as the first witness for the
prosecution, DR.. d. A. Flath of Stan
ley, Mountrail county, was summoned
back to the stand today as a wit
ness for the defense to get expert
testimony concerning psychic epilep
sy, with which DR.. NJ. G. Flath OF
Stanley yesterday said he believed
that Miss Hoist was afflicted.
Doctor Questioned
Answering hypothetical question
by the defense counsel as to whether
he thought that it would be probable
that person afflicted with psychic
epilepsy, who had been criminally as
saulted on a Friday night and who
had committed crime on the fol
lowing Monday. would have any men.
tai sensibility or proper mental facul.
ties between those two times. DR.
Flath repeated that my opinion is
that he possibly would have impair.
ment Of consciousness"
He defined psychic epilepsy az
''transient memory or impairment o
mind, with or without convulsion.
Under cross examination, DR.. Flatl
said he had had no personal expert
ence with persons afflicted will
psychic epilepsy and that his knowl
edge Of such cases is based entirel.
j on what he has read in standar,
authorities on medicine.
persons afflicted with psychic
epilepsy might commit murder late
on, There is no way of knowing
about it." DR.. Flath stated.