Kansas Liberal Newspaper

Kansas Liberal Newspaper

Kansas Liberal Newspaper

Posted on: February 15, 2012 - 10:33 pm
by Admin

Defence Attorney Gives Poor Showing

As the Kansas Charley double murder trial proceeded, it was now time for Charley to give the performance of his life, a performance much greater than any Dime Novel hero had ever made. Charley Miller must now take the witness stand. Frank Taggart, Charlie's attorney, began questioning Charley by bringing out the sad facts of the boy's past life. However, Taggart failed to draw sympathy from the court by never revealing that Charley had repeatedly been whipped for wetting the bed. Taggart did not show Charley as a serious, hardworking boy. Instead, he queried him as to why he repeatedly moved from one location to another. When Taggart asked Charley what had happened in Sidney on the way to Cheyenne Charley answered that he had met these "two young fellows." "The ones that I killed."

Taggart asked if there had been any bad words between Charley and the two boys. Charley answered that there hadn't been, thus ruling out a plea of self defense. As Charlie's attorney presented questions to the boy, Charley answered them in his usual unemotional manner. What surely seemed cold and uncaring to judge and jury may have been a case of one small, impoverished youth having had considerable feeling belittled and beaten out of him. Besides, Dime Novel heroes don't cry.

The Prosecution Takes its Turn

When Prosecutor Walter Stoll's turn to question Charley came he wasted no time in showing that many children were poor and became orphans but did not become murderers and that many children are whipped for bed-wetting. With each point Stoll made it clear that Charlie's life had been no worse than thousands of other children in similar situations. Stoll also attempted to show that Charley Miller had taken on the nickname of Kansas Charley only after he had committed the murders. Stoll stressed that this was done as a way for Charley to brag about his "bloodthirsty deed." Charley corrected the prosecutor but the damage was done.