| 18SAYS IT WAS MONDAY'S BLOW
THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF JOHN SHEEDY.
Dr. Hart Says That It Produced Fatal
Compression at the Base
of the Brain.
The Afternoon Spent in Contention as to
the Admissibility of Monday's Confessions-- Were They Voluntarily Made?
May Ex-Mayor Graham Tell It?
There was but a meagre audience strung across the front seats in the rear of the big court room yesterday morning when the accused were ushered into the enclosure surrounding the throne of the blind goddess, accompanied by their usual attendants. Mrs. Sheedy came in cheerily, supported by Mr. Biggerstaff, and it was noticed that she glanced hastily at the space outside the railing and looked surprised that there were not more curious people present to listen to the details and discussions of her great misfortune. When she had been shown to her seat facing the judge's stand and the witness chair, those who have watched her appearance and deportment from day to day could detect indisputable evidences of the mental sufferings that must oppress her during the few hours daily in which she is permitted to commune with her own troublesome thoughts. Her otherwise attractive face was absolutely colorless, and its whiteness was heightened by her modest garb of mourning. Her eyes moved listlessly from one object to another as if she found no special interest in the contemplation of any of them and if required no stretch of the imagination to recognize in their fixed moments an expression of fear for the consequences of the solemn proceedings of which she is the central figure. When the taking of testimony began she seemed to lose consciousness of her surroundings and kept her intense gaze bent upon the witness, as if weighing every utterance and calculating its effect. There were moments during the long discussion as to the admissability of Monday McFarland's confession when it appeared as it some of the revolting details of the darkey's alleged relations with her were bound to come out, and at these moments Mrs. Sheedy's eyes sought the floor. Especially was this noticeable when Court Reporter Wheeler was asked, in his examination, what the one question was which he could identify as having been asked Monday by Officer Malone while the darkey was making his confession. The witness was not permitted to reply, but Mrs. Sheedy's gaze was toward her gloved hands which were clasped in front of her. The answer, had it been permitted, would have revealed one of Monday's most revolting revelations.
Monday McFarland wore a troubled look all day and at times looked as if he was crying without shedding a tear, his features being so distorted as the counsel dwelt upon the competency of his thrice told tale of guilt. It was noticed that during the afternoon Monday's seat was changed from the east end of the long table occupied by counsel and he sat up toward the court, a few feet in front of Mrs. Sheedy and her row of relatives, and just behind Attorney Strode, who was next to the witness' chair.
There was an apparent break in the surprising harmony which has heretofore been deemed so remarkable among the attorneys for the two defendants. Apparently the testimony of Dr. Hart, while apparently greatly in the woman's favor, was anything but satisfactory to the darkey, as it fixed the responsibility for Sheedy's death upon that crushing blow in the dark with the cane. It then became evident that the interests of the defendants were not identical, and the hitherto harmonious counsel for the defense were noticed frequently conferring with the utmost apparent caution. Once, just before adjournment, they differed materially and the adjournment was [timely?] to permit them to reach an agreement.
The crowd of spectators increased during the morning. While each witness is being examined the doors are kept closed and at intervals there was a noisy rush upon the part of those upon the outside to get in and those upon the inside to get out.
The jury was not removed from the [?] while the discussion as to the competence of the confession for admission as testimony was going on, so that it has ere this been pretty thoroughly stamped upon their minds that there was a confession and the strong fight being made by the defense to keep it out cannot fail to impress them with its import.
Upon the opening of the court Mr. Sterns asked for a rule requiring that the witnesses all be separated; that none be allowed to be present while others were testifying. The court ordered all witnesses to remain outside of the court room until they had testified.
Dr. C. S. Bart was the first witness called, but ere a question was put to him the defense interposed objections to the third and fourth counts in the information, claiming that they did not state facts sufficient to constitute an offense. The objections were overruled.
Dr. Hart on the Stand.
Dr. Hart was sworn and examined by Mr. Hall. He said he was a graduate of a Columbus, O., medical school, and was from Marietta, O. He knew John Sheedy and attended him once about four years before his death; was a large man, and would weigh over 200; was at his house about [7:30?] on the evening he was assaulted; was at Eleventh and P streets when the first shot was fired and went down; five shots were fired; went in when he got there; Dr. Everett was there in attendance; there were a number of other people there; Sheedy was sitting in a chair just inside of the bed room; Mrs. Sheedy was there; witnesses spoke to Sheedy and asked if they had been trying to do him up again, and the reply was, "Yes. I don't know what I have done to merit such treatment." Officer Kinney brought in the cane; Sheedy was very nervous. The witness described in detail the wounds, over the left eye and the bruise across his wrist, which had been made by a blunt instrument. The wound was bleeding quite freely and his clothing was quite bloody. Sheedy sat up in the chair while the wounds were dressed, some fifteen or twenty minutes. Found no fractures of the skull, but the cheek bone was subsequently found to be broken loose. Sheedy went to bed after his wounds were dressed, assisted by witness and Dr. Everett; Dr. Everett suggested giving him morphine to quiet him, but witness objected, as he had found once before that morphine acted unpleasantly upon him; witness remained some fifteen minutes after Dr. Everett left; Sheedy appeared to be getting a little more uneasy; left about 8:30 and returned about 9:10, and Mrs. Sheedy had asked him to come back; found that Sheedy was very nervous; had been vomitting some, and some of those present were excited because there were traces of blood in the discharge; witness was convinced that the blood came from the nose; the bones of the nose were not broken; witness was not surprised at finding Sheedy very nervous and vomitting when he returned; had not thought this wound serious. When witness had returned Sheedy had complained of some pain in the head, but not severe. Witness had come back because Mrs. Sheedy had said that John wanted him to come back. Mrs. Sheedy had been left in charge. Sheedy made some remarks during the first visit to the effect that he didn't think the wound serious. Sheedy did not express himself as to whether he was struck or shot. On the second visit he went to the drug store and obtained thirty grains of sulfonal, a sleep producing remedy, with the use of which witness was familiar. Sulfonal has no after effects similar to morphine, except as a sleep producer; gave witness one powder, ten grains, a medium dose in the estimation of witness. | 18SAYS IT WAS MONDAY'S BLOW
THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF JOHN SHEEDY.
Dr. Hart Says That It Produced Fatal
Compression at the Base
of the Brain.
The Afternoon Spent in Contention as to
the Admissibility of Monday's Confessions-- Were They Voluntarily Made?
May Ex-Mayor Graham Tell It?
There was but a meagre audience strung across the front seats in the rear of the big court room yesterday morning when the accused were ushered into the enclosure surrounding the throne of the blind goddess, accompanied by their usual attendants. Mrs. Sheedy came in cheerily, supported by Mr. Biggerstaff, and it was noticed that she glanced hastily at the space outside the railing and looked surprised that there were not more curious people present to listen to the details and discussions of her great misfortune. When she had been shown to her seat facing the judge's stand and the witness chair, those who have watched her appearance and deportment from day to day could detect indisputable evidences of the mental sufferings that must oppress her during the few hours daily in which she is permitted to commune with her own troublesome thoughts. Her otherwise attractive face was absolutely colorless, and its whiteness was heightened by her modest garb of mourning. Her eyes moved listlessly from one object to another as if she found no special interest in the contemplation of any of them and if required no stretch of the imagination to recognize in their fixed moments an expression of fear for the consequences of the solemn proceedings of which she is the central figure. When the taking of testimony began she seemed to lose consciousness of her surroundings and kept her intense gaze bent upon the witness, as if weighing every utterance and calculating its effect. There were moments during the long discussion as to the admissability of Monday McFarland's confession when it appeared as it some of the revolting details of the darkey's alleged relations with her were bound to come out, and at these moments Mrs. Sheedy's eyes sought the floor. Especially was this noticeable when Court Reporter Wheeler was asked, in his examination, what the one question was which he could identify as having been asked Monday by Officer Malone while the darkey was making his confession. The witness was not permitted to reply, but Mrs. Sheedy's gaze was toward her gloved hands which were clasped in front of her. The answer, had it been permitted, would have revealed one of Monday's most revolting revelations.
Monday McFarland wore a troubled look all day and at times looked as if he was crying without shedding a tear, his features being so distorted as the counsel dwelt upon the competency of his thrice told tale of guilt. It was noticed that during the afternoon Monday's seat was changed from the east end of the long table occupied by counsel and he sat up toward the court, a few feet in front of Mrs. Sheedy and her row of relatives, and just behind Attorney Strode, who was next to the witness' chair.
There was an apparent break in the surprising harmony which has heretofore been deemed so remarkable among the attorneys for the two defendants. Apparently the testimony of Dr. Hart, while apparently greatly in the woman's favor, was anything but satisfactory to the darkey, as it fixed the responsibility for Sheedy's death upon that crushing blow in the dark with the cane. It then became evident that the interests of the defendants were not identical, and the hitherto harmonious counsel for the defense were noticed frequently conferring with the utmost apparent caution. Once, just before adjournment, they differed materially and the adjournment was [timely?] to permit them to reach an agreement.
The crowd of spectators increased during the morning. While each witness is being examined the doors are kept closed and at intervals there was a noisy rush upon the part of those upon the outside to get in and those upon the inside to get out.
The jury was not removed from the [?] while the discussion as to the competence of the confession for admission as testimony was going on, so that it has ere this been pretty thoroughly stamped upon their minds that there was a confession and the strong fight being made by the defense to keep it out cannot fail to impress them with its import.
Upon the opening of the court Mr. Sterns asked for a rule requiring that the witnesses all be separated; that none be allowed to be present while others were testifying. The court ordered all witnesses to remain outside of the court room until they had testified.
Dr. C. S. Bart was the first witness called, but ere a question was put to him the defense interposed objections to the third and fourth counts in the information, claiming that they did not state facts sufficient to constitute an offense. The objections were overruled.
Dr. Hart on the Stand.
Dr. Hart was sworn and examined by Mr. Hall. He said he was a graduate of a Columbus, O., medical school, and was from Marietta, O. He knew John Sheedy and attended him once about four years before his death; was a large man, and would weigh over 200; was at his house about [7:30?] on the evening he was assaulted; was at Eleventh and P streets when the first shot was fired and went down; five shots were fired; went in when he got there; Dr. Everett was there in attendance; there were a number of other people there; Sheedy was sitting in a chair just inside of the bed room; Mrs. Sheedy was there; witnesses spoke to Sheedy and asked if they had been trying to do him up again, and the reply was, "Yes. I don't know what I have done to merit such treatment." Officer Kinney brought in the cane; Sheedy was very nervous. The witness described in detail the wounds, over the left eye and the bruise across his wrist, which had been made by a blunt instrument. The wound was bleeding quite freely and his clothing was quite bloody. Sheedy sat up in the chair while the wounds were dressed, some fifteen or twenty minutes. Found no fractures of the skull, but the cheek bone was subsequently found to be broken loose. Sheedy went to bed after his wounds were dressed, assisted by witness and Dr. Everett; Dr. Everett suggested giving him morphine to quiet him, but witness objected, as he had found once before that morphine acted unpleasantly upon him; witness remained some fifteen minutes after Dr. Everett left; Sheedy appeared to be getting a little more uneasy; left about 8:30 and returned about 9:10, and Mrs. Sheedy had asked him to come back; found that Sheedy was very nervous; had been vomitting some, and some of those present were excited because there were traces of blood in the discharge; witness was convinced that the blood came from the nose; the bones of the nose were not broken; witness was not surprised at finding Sheedy very nervous and vomitting when he returned; had not thought this wound serious. When witness had returned Sheedy had complained of some pain in the head, but not severe. Witness had come back because Mrs. Sheedy had said that John wanted him to come back. Mrs. Sheedy had been left in charge. Sheedy made some remarks during the first visit to the effect that he didn't think the wound serious. Sheedy did not express himself as to whether he was struck or shot. On the second visit he went to the drug store and obtained thirty grains of sulfonal, a sleep producing remedy, with the use of which witness was familiar. Sulfonal has no after effects similar to morphine, except as a sleep producer; gave witness one powder, ten grains, a medium dose in the estimation of witness. |
