The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-09
CARPENTER SHEDS TEARS.
His Aged Mother Kisses Him at the
Close of Yesterdays Court.
Witnesses Examined in Beh alf of the Defense
"A Number of the Members of Carpen-
ter's Family the Stand


Special to the indianapolis journal!
LINCOLN, ILL.,, Nov. S-The excitement was
renewed this morning in the examination of
carpenter on the charge of numbering
Fora Burns by the presence of score of
witnesses, mostly roughs of both sexes i'm
ported from Decatur by the defense to break
down the testimony of Mrs. Carpenter, of
that place. She was one of the leading wit
nesses for the prosecution, with whom Fora
had spent some months before going to Lin
coin. These witnesses were "hard lot" and
INDUCED in several fights after their arrival
last evening. The general opinion is that
Carpenter injured his case by their presence
and testimony One Brigham Young,
so nick-named for his amours and
escapades testified that he wouldn't believe
Mrs. Carpenter under oath. VIM. Lake
swore to the same; also, that he Gake) had
been convicted of stealing a horse and had
been an occupant of the Decatur Jail. Mrs.
James swore to Mrs. Carpenters bad reputa-
ton; also, that she Mrs. James, had INDUCED
in several drinks of whisky on arriving in
Lincoln last night. She suspected once that
Mrs. Carpenter tried to poison her. Mrs.
Brewer, who believed Mrs. Carpenter kept
an assignation-house had taken a walk last
evening with man and had drunk wine with
him. A number of other witnesses
OF the same stripe gave SIM
liar testimony. James Magee gave
testimony indicating that Carter, railroad
news-boy. and fora Burns had kept assgna-
tons, at Mrs. Carpenters house, as often as
once week Magee testified, also, that he
too had been in the penitentiary in Indiana
for seduction.
The hair-pins found in Carpenters buggy
were next considered. Barry, a detective of
Chicago, testified to finding them in the
buggy, and Mrs, Gates swore that she used
the same kind OF hair-pins. and had ridden in
Carpenters buggy and might have lost those
found in il.
Mrs. Gates also testified that Fora brought
her new silk dress from Decatur; she, Fora,
complained of being sick and tired after
coming from Decatur; it was thought she
had been dissipating.
Mrs. Sweet, of Newton, Mass, cousin of
the wife of the accused, was at Carpenters
on the night of the 18th of October. She
heard Carpenter come home at 10 o'clock.
Mary Carpenter, mother of the accused,
aged seventy-four, saw Carpenter In the hall
before she went to bed about 10. Gertrude
Carpenter, daughter of the accused, said she
gave Fora a pair of velvet-topped shoes. Fan
ME Carpenter, another daughter, said great
many ladies rode in her fathers buggy. She
fixed up Miss Esten's hair while out riding
with her in the buggy. She might have
dropped the hair-pins. Some time in May,
young man in Decatur visited Fora; she met
him at the gate, and they went off together.
Fora was out late frequently.
DIR. Nerred, in practice since 1862, exam
ined Zora's body at the coroner's. She was
in the first stage after death; there was con-
siderable animal heat. He examined the
ground where Fora was found, and examined
the blood He thinks she was killed between
midnight and o'clock A. M.
A large number of quite reputable wit
nesses from Decatur and other places were
called to rebuff the impeaching evidence
against Mrs. Carpenter. The result was about
a stand-off
The court adjourned until $50 A. NJ to-
morrow. The case will scarcely be COM
pleted tomorrow. At the conclusion of the
examination of old Mrs. Carpenter she
stopped put her arms about her sons neck
and kissed him. He broke bown in fit of
violent weeping
Or. A. n. Miller, of Lincoln, went to FL
Paso on Wednesday, and assisted by S. L.
Raney, justice of the peace exhumed the
body of Fora Burns. The brains liver, kid
neys and intestines were removed and her.
medically sealed in cans. With them the
Doctor left for Chicago, where the parts will
be examined by chemist at Rush Medical
College. 1t is the Doctors opinion that o.
A. Carpenter is guilty of the murder, and he
thinks the coming examination will sub
stantiate the theory of abortion.