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A Startling Arraignment by Counsel for the State is Met by a very Plausible Defense
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The Array of Attorneys Commenes to Tall and Consume the Greater Part of a week- Mrs. Sneedy and Monday MeFarland.
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The opening gun for the Defense.
Charles O. Whedon was the first witness sworn on behalf of the defense, and as a resident of the vicinity of the Sheedy home testified to the amicable relations of Mr. and Mrs. Sheedy. He had known Sheedy for years, and his reputation was that of a gambler. Had been at the house, and notified nothing but friendly relations. Never saw Monday about the place.
He carried the News to Mary.
Lew Franklin was acquainted with Sheedy and his wife, and was in his house frequently as a visitor for a year past; never saw anything but the pleasantest relations between them, as much so as existed in any family. Remembered no particular conversation had between them; had eaten there; his wife did not visit there; never heard Mrs. Sheedy speak of her husband except in the kindliest tones; saw Mrs. Sheedy at 10 o'clock the morning after the assault; she came into the room where witness was with her husband and said that she did not think he would recover; she tried to arouse him, called him "dear John, (?) was weeping at the time. Was at the home after Sheedy was stabbed four years ago; witness at the time offered his assistance; Mrs. Sheedy thanked him kindly and said she was so afraid that he would be scarred that she wanted to take care of that herself; did not remember how long he lay sick from that wound.
Cross-examined, witness said his calls were simply friendly ones; generally were simply friendly ones; generally went Sunday mornings; these visits have covered a number of years; the last time he visited there prior to the assault was about the time of the state fairl saw Mrs. Sheedy there at that time; it was during the races; did not think it was Sunday and it might have been in the afternoon; didn't think John was there; went there because John had said that if he won the money he had up on a race he was going to give it to his wife, and witness went there to inform Mrs. Sheedy that "John was a winner;" that was before the state fair; couldn't say what month those races were in; was not in the habit of carrying such messages to Mrs. Sheedy; did simply because he liked Mrs. Sheedy and thought they were both good people. Sheedy had said he was fifity-one years of age. He was a strong man physically and witness never knew him to be sick outside of the times of these assaults upon him. Outside his profession Sheedy was one of the grandest men he ever knew. He was a man of his word, a prouder man never lived, was of high aspiration and his charitable characteristic were grand.

Saw two men run.
Wilbur Mayes said he was a real estate man, and boarded at the Transit hotel across the street from the Sheedy residence; on the evening that John Sheedy was assaulted with a cane (didn't remember the date) witness was standing at the stove in the office of the hotel; he heard the first shot. as he reached the door another shot was firedl as he got upon the walk still another was fired, and still another after that; at that time witness saw a man come around on the west side of the house and run down past the west side of the arborl acted as if he was trying to get over the fences on the west side; at the same time a man passed from the rear end of the house toward the alley and both disappeared at the same time. THought the one nearest him would weight about 180 pounds; could'nt tell whether the men were white or black.
Witness said he went across to house and a number of people were there; couldn't say whether or not the two men he saw were policemen.

They went on a run.
A Hitchcock heard the shooting; was on the south side of O street near Thirteenth; heard one or two shots and walked toward Twelfth street; saw two men running south on Twelfth street and then disappeared there by the opera house; couldn't tell what color they were; they were medium sized men, and thought they had on black hats; went on to Sheedy's house; there were four or five person's there; did not go in; is was about 8 o'clock; did not know anyone he saw there.
Cross-examined witness said he was nineteen years old, drove a team, lived at Fifteenth and V streets; father did nothing at present; was with a man named Curry; remained at the Sheedy place twenty minutes; then after walking around some went to Red Ribbon hall; and then to the Methodist church; opened the door and looked into the church, but didn't go in.
The two men were in the middle of Twelfth street near the alley back of the Sheedy residences; there were also two men standing on O street west of Twelfth and also saw two men on the northeast corner of Twelfth and O; didn't know who any of those men were; they were all there when the two men ran south on Twelfth street and dissapeared in the darkness.
The only particulars brought out by the cross examination were that the witness was a cousin of Billy Hitchoock and that he was around in the Sheedy yard that night with the police hunting for tracks and never told them of having seen the two men.

The boy who saw the Pairel Wages.
George Curry, a boy of seventeen, who lives with his parents at Twelfth and T streets, said he was with Hitchcock on the night of the assault; were on O street near Thirteenth; heard four or five shots ran toward Twelfth street; saw two men in the street running southwest; first saw them near the alley back of Burr block; they disappeared in the shafow near the steps of the opera house; thought the men were dressed in dark clothes couldn't tell whether the men were white or black; there were no policemen at the Sheedy house when witness got there; saw none on Twelfth street; there was a hack standing there; the patrol wagon came up immediately.
When he left home with Hitchcock they had started for church; went first to Red Ribbon hall and stayed five or ten minutes; then went to the Methodist.