Henry Brierly took the stand. Requested by the District Attorney to tell
the jury all he knew about the killing, he narrated the circumstances
substantially as the reader already knows them.
He accompanied Miss Hawkins to New York at her request, supposing she was
coming in relation to a bill then pending in Congress, to secure the
attendance of absent members. Her note to him was here shown. She
appeared to be very much excited at the Washington station. After she
had asked the conductor several questions, he heard her say, “He can’t
escape.” Witness asked her “Who?” and she replied “Nobody.” Did not see
her during the night. They traveled in a sleeping car. In the morning
she appeared not to have slept, said she had a headache. In crossing the
ferry she asked him about the shipping in sight; he pointed out where the
Cunarders lay when in port. They took a cup of coffee that morning at a
restaurant. She said she was anxious to reach the Southern Hotel where
Mr. Simons, one of the absent members, was staying, before he went out.
She was entirely self-possessed, and beyond unusual excitement did not
act unnaturally. After she had fired twice at Col. Selby, she turned the
pistol towards her own breast, and witness snatched it from her. She had
seen a great deal with Selby in Washington, appeared to be infatuated
with him.
(Cross-examined by Mr. Braham.) “Mist-er…..er Brierly!” (Mr. Braham had
in perfection this lawyer’s trick of annoying a witness, by drawling out
the “Mister,” as if unable to recall the name, until the witness is
sufficiently aggravated, and then suddenly, with a rising inflection,
flinging his name at him with startling unexpectedness.) “Mist-er…..er
Brierly! What is your occupation?”
“Civil Engineer, sir.”
“Ah, civil engineer, (with a glance at the jury). Following that
occupation with Miss Hawkins?” (Smiles by the jury).
“No, sir,” said Harry, reddening.
“How long have you known the prisoner?”
“Two years, sir. I made her acquaintance in Hawkeye, Missouri.”
“M…..m…m. Mist-er…..er Brierly! Were you not a lover of Miss
Hawkins?”
Objected to. “I submit, your Honor, that I have the right to establish
the relation of this unwilling witness to the prisoner.” Admitted.
“Well, sir,” said Harry hesitatingly, “we were friends.”
“You act like a friend!” (sarcastically.) The jury were beginning to hate
this neatly dressed young sprig. “Mister……er….Brierly! Didn’t
Miss Hawkins refuse you?”
Harry blushed and stammered and looked at the judge. “You must answer,
sir,” said His Honor.
“She–she–didn’t accept me.”
“No. I should think not. Brierly do you dare tell the jury that you had
not an interest in the removal of your rival, Col. Selby?” roared Mr.
Braham in a voice of thunder.
“Nothing like this, sir, nothing like this,” protested the witness.
“That’s all, sir,” said Mr. Braham severely.
“One word,” said the District Attorney. Had you the least suspicion of
the prisoner’s intention, up to the moment of the shooting?”
Not the least,” answered Harry earnestly.
“Of course not, of course-not,” nodded Mr. Braham to the jury.
The prosecution then put upon the stand the other witnesses of the
shooting at the hotel, and the clerk and the attending physicians. The
fact of the homicide was clearly established. Nothing new was elicited,
except from the clerk, in reply to a question by Mr. Braham, the fact
that when the prisoner enquired for Col. Selby she appeared excited and
there was a wild look in her eyes.
The dying deposition of Col. Selby was then produced. It set forth
Laura’s threats, but there was a significant addition to it, which the
newspaper report did not have. It seemed that after the deposition was
taken as reported, the Colonel was told for the first time by his
physicians that his wounds were mortal. He appeared to be in great
mental agony and fear; and said he had not finished his deposition.
He added, with great difficulty and long pauses these words. “I–have–
not–told–all. I must tell–put–it–down–I–wronged–her. Years–
ago–I–can’t see–O–God–I–deserved—-” That was all. He fainted
and did not revive again.
The Washington railway conductor testified that the prisoner had asked
him if a gentleman and his family went out on the evening train,