OCR Text |
Show FROM HIS OWN LIPS. Irvine Relates the Story of the Tragedy on the Witness Stand, Betrayed by His Best Friend, Stung by the Indignity Heaped Upon Him, and the Disgrace Dis-grace Brought Upon Those Dearer to Him than All Else on Earth, and Crazed by the Ruin Wrought in His Home, He Rushed to Lincoln Impelled by an Irresistible Impulse. mother, when she has had intercourse with another man?" The wife cried out, "i'li. never io it again r and repeated it. The mother said, "If you take her back it will be noble act in you; God wiil bless you for- it." She talked about ' the eftcct it would have on Flossie. . Witness said: "I love my daughter dearly. I bought a j beautiful cloak for her in Denver, which I gave her mother thai night." About 1 o'clock on Wednesday witness started for Lincoln, thinking he had only one true friend iu the whole world and that was Mr. N. C. Abbott. He waited to see him throw his arms around her neck and ask her for God's sake to help him. All through the night beautiful dreams of his child came to him, although he slept not. - Once he saw her though when she had grown to womanhood. She was passing the German National bank; Montgomery stood on the corner of Twelfth and O streets looking searchingly at witness and her daughter. The latter passed hanging her head in memory of tho terrible night at hotel Grace. The doors of the court room were locked before be-fore 2 o'clock this afternoon, on account of immense crowd, mostly ladies, present. The defendant took the stand and was critically crit-ically cross-examined by McCuliough on his possession of the revolver, his obtaining obtain-ing the ticket at Chicago for Lincoln and then again about tho red ball that witness wit-ness described as following him on the fatal morning and its bursting. He claimed that he did not feel wrong against Montgomery while on the train to Lincoln, but was thinking think-ing of his family. When Montgomery was thought of at all it was with the idea of, "Oh, how could you ruin my family after having ripen as cood a friend to vou as I . 0 - have been." DR. T. B. EASTMAN', and superintendent and physician at the insane in-sane asylum, after a practice of thirty years, confined exclusively to the study of mind diseases, testified to the definition of technical techni-cal medical terms and fully explained transitory tran-sitory frenzy and transitory mania. A hy pothetical question was then asked by Judge Powers which occupied thirty-five thirty-five minutes to read, reviewing the history nud career of the defendant. At its conclusion. conclu-sion. Dr. Eastman unqualifiedly swore that under the conditions named, W. H. Irvine was laboring under the disease known as transitory mania, and was insane at the time of firing the fatal shot. He was not capable of controlling his actions and not in a condition of mind to control his actions. The disease in the family forms a factor in arriving at the decision. Lixcoln, Neb.,OcL18. Special After 4 o'clock yesterday, after Irvine was placed on the stand to testify, his testimony was frequently fre-quently interrupted by his tears as he made a public detail of his domestic life. He gave a dramatical sketch up to the time of his departure de-parture from Salt Lake last May, and his firm assurances of never having doubted his wife's fidelity tip to that time, impressed the jury and audience with the truthfulness of the same. His description of the parting scene at the depot at Salt Lake, when his wife and daughter were leaving for the East in February, brought tears to all eyes, making a vivid picture of his little daughter throwing kisses from the car window, the mother crying and the father running to the end of the platform and returning the child's farewell, comforting comfort-ing his wife and taking a last glimpse . at the departing loved ones. Irvine received a letter from his wife, stating she was afraid she was going to have the same trouble which caused her sister's death. So he hastily disposed of his business busi-ness before starting, hoping that a traveling vacation would afford pleasure to the family and remove his wife's gymptpna of disease. On the 19th of May he started East, stopped a day in Denver, then came to Lincoln. At the depot a friend told him he had seen Mrs. Irvine on the train to Chicago some time previous and with Montgomery. They had all played cards together. The next day he went to Omaha and called on Mrs. Austin, Lis wife's sister, expecting to see his wife's mother, but she bad returned to Marion, Ind. Mrs. Austin in conversation said that Addie had told her mother she had been delayed de-layed in Chicago coming on late trains, but Mrs. Austin claimed she knew better, because be-cause Addie bad told her she was going to lay over cad have a good time. In none of his" wife's letters had she referred re-ferred to having seen Montgomery on the trip. The witness left Austin's house and went to the Paxton hotel, expecting to take the train for Lincoln, but found that none went out at night. He then walked nround r town, and after church returned to Austin's where Mrs. Austin said almost abruptly: 'Will, I've ben thinking about what I told you. aud I don't believe Addie stopped over iu Chicago on purpose." This made hisa think there was something back of it, and he went down and wired to his wife: "How are you Garfield beach and out driving with his family. In great anguish Irvine said: "I think I was as good a friend of Mr. Montgomery as he ever had." Resuming the thread of his story, witness said that his wife told him that this had been going on ever since ISsS. This fell like a heavy blow on the witness' head and dazed him. It commenced while they were all at the beach and witness was bathing. He first made love to her and paid attention. At that time she said there were a thousand other women who did the same thing. He mentioned the names of the parties. One lady went to Indianapolis to see her lover, another went to Omaha, and one of whom had been found in bed with another man by her husband, and he had taken her back. Witness was shocked and surprised, thinking it impossible impossi-ble that this thing tNj been going on. She asked witness what he was going to do with her, and he said: "You won't take Flossie from me; will you?" Witness told her she was not fit to have Flossie, and asked her if she had sent Flossie with the nurse when Montgomery was with her. He then related how his little daughter had waked up, and on seeing Montgomery there said: "Mamma, you don't like that man, do you? Papa is good to you and will be good to you if you will only be good to him." Then Flossie arose, put her little arms around her mother's neck and stood in the window in that position until daylight. She awoke about midnight and Montgomery shortly afterwards left. Witness BROKE DOWN COMPLETELY while testifying to his daughter's fidelity and his wife's sin. , She related to the witness wit-ness how in Montgomery's room at Hotel Grace he caught her while passing him, drawing her down to him between his legs, throwing his arm around her neck, and she in turn putting her arm around his ' neck, and there kissing each other. After this fearful recital he asked her whom she wanted, her mother or brother. She replied: "Oh, not Henry, for he would kill me." He then went to the room door and che said she would follow him. He told her not to do that, and 6he passed out ahead, saying she would commit suicide. He told her not to do that. He then went to Hotel Grace, examined ail? Lincoln to-morrow. Come soou. Where did you Btop in Chicago? Address care Abbott." The next day he went to Lincoln and made several calis and received a telegram from hi wife as follows: fol-lows: "Grand Pacific; shall I meet you there; Hurry; ccrue; stop with mother." The witness' mind was relieved to quite an cxteut, but to make sure he telegraphed to the Grand Pacific: "At what time and how long was Airs. W. H.Irvine and child of Salt Lake at your hotel?" Sometime between February Febru-ary 18 and Alarch 10. Later in the day he was in the German National bank when this message was handed him: "Do not-find same on our book. Signed Drake, Parker & Co." This snsettled and unnerved him. He went to Abbott's office and said he had to leave for Chicago at once. WThile on the train he wired his wife: "Meet me at Wellington Wel-lington hotel, Chicago." That 4y he did not eat anything or 6leep at night. He arrived at Chicago about 8 o'clock on Tuesday morning. Before going to the Wellington he went to the Grand Pacific and examined the register, hoping to find the wifs right and the hotel wrong. He found she had not been there previous previ-ous to that time. He never had a suspicion of his wife's truthfulness. Then he went to his wife's room in Wellington. She was in the middle of the room and ran toward the witness' arms to greet him cordially. cor-dially. He stopped her and said he first wanted to have a talk and settle some matters. mat-ters. Judge Powers had been conducting the examination of the witness and when he asked witness what she said, AlcCullough objected ob-jected on legal grounds to any discussion by the latter. Objection overruled. Adjourned. This Morninff. The court room was crowded with ladies. Irvine's appearance was more cairn than yesterday upon entering, but several times he completely broke down and the agony of soul endured by him was appreciated by all in room. Resuming his testimony he testified tes-tified when witness said he wished to talk with her, she asked what was the matter with him and what he wanted. She acted nervous when he asked her to recount her trip to Chicago. She dwelt on the railroad rail-road wreck, when he told her to talk of her trip from Omaha to Chicago. She said she met Mr. Stull, and witness thought she said a gentleman from Omaha who lives close to her relatives there, and an old lady. All of them played cards. Witness asked her If she met anyone else she knew. At first she denied it, then she said Montgomery was on the train, too. She claimed she staid at the Grand Pacific that day and night and paid $3 for her bill. Witness Wit-ness told her he bad something in his pocket which said she was not at that hotel. Her reply re-ply was: "Well, we stopped there, anyway." Witness said: "Will you go with me there and we will see about it?" At first she declined de-clined to answer,hen PHE BROKE DOWS, turned her head and said: "Ed said some one who knows you might see us there and 1 tell your husband, whereas if you are seen I there and he asks me I caa say I was there with roy sister." Witness had introduced his wife to. Montgomery whom he always esteemed es-teemed as a friend, consulted with him in ' ' business and when he had visited in Salt Lake was a guest of witness, who had given ; hint a small dinner while there, took, him to the register after paying the clerk 5 for the privilege because the proprietor did not allow al-low it. He found the date and register before be-fore reported. Then he examined the rooms and saw they were connected by a door. When he returned to the hotel he found his wife lying on the bed. She did not answer an-swer to a knock at the door. lis spoke to her but received no answer; then he shook her. Tho odor of chloroform was strong in the room. Finally he aroused her, and the conversation was resumed. He then sent a telegram to her mother to come on without delay. The wife told him Montgomery had corresponded cor-responded with her, calling her sweetheart; has always been kind to her, paid her a lot of attention, told her his business and once told her the bank was going to fail, but not to let her husband know. He took her out riding and said he ; husband did not treat her right, paid too much attention to his business and that he and Dr. Lawton had followed witness one night to a bad house. She explained HOW THE ASSIGNATION IN CHICAGO WAS ARRANGES. She was going into Richter's tailoring establishment ro see about her husband's clothes when Montgomery had stepped out of his bank and asked her in to see the picture her husband had sent him. It was a photograph of the natural gas wells near Salt Lake. . Alontgomery Alont-gomery then asked ber to let him know when she went to Chicago and he would go too. She wrote him from Omaha. While on the train he handed her a card with his name on it and the name of Airs. J. H. Aiiller. Witness, then told his wife he did not want to do her an Injustice, and asked her if she would write what she had said. She agreed and made several attempts to write her statement. Once she stopped and said: "Well, I will tell you all the truth, if you will take me back." Witness told her he did not want to take any advantage of her. Then mother came at half-past eight in the evening and asked at the depot what was the matter with Addie and said it was not possible that her daughter daugh-ter had been untrue. Witness took the mother to room door, but did not go in. Some time after he went in and the mother said: "I would RATHER HAVE FOUND MT DAUGHTER DEAD and taken her back a corpse than found this out." She inquired who Alontgomery was. Witness told her, "a friend of mine," and when mother heard he was over forty years old, she said "he was too old a man to ruin my daughter. Addie will not admit of the criminal act, but circumstances are so plain there is no doubt about it. I don't want to take her back but she is my own flesh and blood, and I will have to try and make a woman of ber." Alotber is an old woman and very feeble, too old for such terrible trouble. They didn't go to bed until after midnight A 1.1. KNELT DOWN and mother prayed. Woke np about 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning, went to wife's room. Mother was in her night dress, the wife in day dress lying across the bed. The mother was afraid the wife was going to have brain fever. Witness went out and walked the streets alone, thinking of the trouble. Upon his return tho mother asked if he would take her back aad he answered, "How can I, |