Morning journal and courier., 1888-08-01
rr.u Draoor sTARR CASE.

THE DEACON STARR CASE.
rhe Defense HAS 1ts Innings-TestI-
mOmy of the acknowledgements
Made by Lawyers Zacher, Newton
and Stoddard-LawYer ArvHne to
Close This Morning.
The Benton-Starr case before the Common
Pleas court drew a very large audience yes
terday, and Guilford's best society was large
ly represented in the court room. With
Deacon Starr was his wife, who insists that
her husband is innocent. AIRS. Starr famed
herself vigorously, the weather being too
warm for comfort. The interest in the case
may be said to have eliminated yesterday,
the testimony of the deacon himself being
the center of attraction. The deacon was
calm outwardly and looked unmovsd despite
the storm assailing his reputation. The dea-
con is rather soeiable looking man, but
still active and apparently unbroken. he
testified that he first noticed that Fannie
Benton was in delicate condition when she
one day was on her way home from church.
He said it was true that he had in his life
time walked out with Fannie, but he had not
walked out with her in 'S5 or '86. He said
that the statement of J. w. Eldridge that he
had been in Fannie's company on certain
evening in '85 was untrue. During the win
ter of '66 he had made few calls on the
Benton family. At that time Fannie was
not employed In the shop. He had been in
the field in which it is alleged he conducted
himself improperly in Fsnnis's presence but
twice in six years.
In reply to Mr.. Arvine he acknowledged
that j. W. Abby had found him behind q
certain stone wall during the autumn of $50.
TYah o1 1Nk %hr0r7 fIaf6 oT1h ID
way to Widew Loomis. He had not called
| at Newton Pope's on his way to see the
Widow Loomis.
At lifetime he gave 81 to Fannie he was
1 told that Fannie needed some money to get
/ medicine with Fannie's mother told him
that her husband would not give her money
to purchase medicine with, and he accord
/ ingly pulled out dollar and gave it to her.
He could not remember that he called
on Mr.. Benton after the day he
LEARNED that Fannie was in trouble,
/ until Mr.. Benton sent for him. Prior to
| that discovery he admitted that he had call
/ ed on the family often. At the time he re-
/ sponded to the request of Mr.. Benton to call
| in reference to Fannie's condition, he had
suggested that the town should not bear the
| expense occasioned by Fannie's condition.
During the interview Mr.. Benton had re-
marked that somebody had got to settle for
this" Continuing, Mr.. Benton told him that
Fannie charged him with being responsible
| for her condition. He had Immediately
/ said that he would spend 81 200 before he
l would admit that such was the fact.
Continuing Mr.. Starr said: 81 told Mr..
Benton that there was not word of truth in
Il the story. turned to Fannie and said,
4 Fannie, what does this story mean? She
1 said, You will find outp then said, Fannie
you know, know and God knows that the
charge against me is false then asked her
to tell me when the alleged betrayal occurred.
| She said: 'You will find OUT Mr.. Benton
1 then told me that If did not settle the case
he would send me to the State prison. told
him that he could not scare nae. I did not
! say to Fannie that she must have mistaken
some other man fer me. / engaged counsel
| at once and by the counsel was advised not
I to go near the Bentons. l was of the opin-
| ion that the Bentons were trying to black
mail me, but Notwithstanding that I did call
on them two or three times after my council
had told me to keep away from them.
Benton asked ne If had sent letter to
| the daughter OF Arson Leete. I denied
| that had sent such a letter asking Miss Leete
| to meet me on certain night or any other
time.
"On one occasion called on Benton in re-
spouse to his request, and told him again
at that time that did not arrange to meet
Miss Leete on the railroad track. deny
that I carried sugar to the Bentons. I carried
sugar in my pocket almost always at that
time, and it is possible that had a few
Jumps in my pocket when called on the
Bentons. do not think I gave Fanny a
lump, I was dumbfounded at the charge
Benton made against me, and / suggested
that Fannie might be afflicted with tumor /"
Donald Mcintyre, foreman of the Guilford
button shop, next testified. He said he had
seen Aleck, the Frenchman, with Fannie
Aleck talked with Fannie whole hour in
the shop. He called there to see her. On
one occasion Aleck called and noticed that
he had little in-you understand what that
means, your honor. After Aleck left told
Fannie that Aleck was Watching her. She
smiled. 1 then said: I suppose Aleck is
boarding at your house and I guess he sleeps
near where you do. She laughed and said:
"You know how it Is yourself"
Miss Mcintyre, daughter of the last wit
ness and an exceedingly attractive looking
Young lady, was called to tell whether or not
Fannie had said anything to her about q
side saddle. She thought Fannie had but
she could not tell when or where. The young
lady retired blushing, and Attorney Arvine
wanted the testimony stricken out. Judge
Bradstreet admitted it.
Representative Charles Griswold of Gull
ford, treasurer of the Guilford Savings bank
and q surveyor, testified as to the measure
ments he had made which showed the dis
lance between various locations mentioned in
the evidence.
Mrs. Almira Calhoun, of Guilford, testi-
fed to the intimacy between Fanny and
Aleck She had often seen them together
One day Fannie told her Alex. was going to
get divorce from his wife. In the winter
of 'S5 and '86 she frequently saw Fannie and
Alex. out walking and riding. She saw them
together very frequently just prior to the
time Fannie became mother.
r. A. Woodruff, or Guilford, said he en-
pleyed Woodruff during the winter of 'S6.
Three times had he known Fannie to come
to the woods where Alex. was employed.
He did not know that anything improper oc-
Cured in the woods. He had frequently
seen Fannie and Alex. out riding together.
Generally, he said, they were together about
dark.
At this point the defense announced that
they were through and recess of fifteen
minutes was taken. After the recess Mr..
Zacher called r. P. Abby of Guilford. Mr..
abby said he knew Fannie and Aleck and at
one time saw them in q swing together.
Richard Starr had asked him If he would
give quarter for . sight.
Judge Stoddard-Are you the Abby who
has been charged with having geen criminal
1y intimate with Miss Bentoni
Mr.. Abby-There have been such rumors
Judge Stoddard-Thst is all, sirl
After this E. G. Bishop, Guilford farmer,
testified as to measurements between certain
points which he had made. They
tended to show that Mr.. Starr could not have
been visible at spot where he was said to
been seen with the plaintiff.
Lawyers Zaeher, Stoddard and Arvine had
q brush at this point over . query put by
Mr.. Zacher as to Mr.. STAIRS character for
chastity. Mr.. Arvine on the homestretch of
argument on the matter, claimed that the
question was fair one as the prosecution
proposed to impeach Mr.. STAIRS reputation
for chastity prior to the Benton charges.
Judge Bradstreet declined to admit the
question and Mr.. Arvine noted an exception.
Fannie Benton, recalled, also denied that
Deacon Starr had said that the charge against
him was untrue. Aleck had never asked any
one if they would "give quarter for sightn
as had been testified to.
At this point both sides announced that
they had finished introducing evidence.
Here another fare-up among the lawyers
occurred. 1t was oecasioned by Judge Stod-
dard's enquiring il Aleck st. Marc was in the
room. Mr.. Arvine objected to the question.
Aleck doomed up in the audience and at
Judge Stoddard's request stepped forward.
Judge Stoddard then told Aleck he might