The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-26
CROWDS In A COURT.
INTEREST IN THE BIRCHALLs
TRIAL UNDATED.

Many Ladies' in Attendance-A Nuns
Der of Witnesses Bxamined-A Wit
meas Faints-Close Cross-Examina-
ton by the Defendants Counsel
The Prisoners Stoic Demeanor.
WOODSTOCK, ONT, Sep: 25.-With the
desire to push the BirchalI trial through in
shorter tims than it has threatened to oc-
cupy, the court met this morning at $50
o'clock, half an hour earlier than previously
assembled. A crowd gathered around the
cab which brought the prisoner to court To
see him alight In spite Of the hundred
eyes watching him. Birchall does not finch.
He was in the dock ttls morning about
twenty minutes before tho judge entered
the court room. He was attended by his
special guard, Enthwistle, who stated that
BirchaIl slept well and had eaten a hearty
breakfast.
LADIES IN ATTENDANCE
There was even a greater attendance OF
ladies than on any previous occasion. Their
entrance in crowds just as court opened
interrupted tho proceedings and made sew
eral calls ''silence" necessary; and even then
the proceedings had TO be suspended for q
time until order was restored.
The first witness was 3. B. Fuller, man.
aRer of the Imperial Bank hers. He identi-
| fed the signature, "F A Somerset ON
| certain checks as that of the prisoner, who
| opened an account with the Imperial Bank
| ON Dec. 10 or IL, 1885, He identified also
certain letters put In evidence as those OF
| the prisoner.
SYSTEMATIC DECEIT.
A number Of letters and teegrams were
| read In spite of the objection OF Counsel
| Blackstock, the effect OF which was to show
that the prisoner had carried on systemati0
| deceit on Benwell and his father, and,
| after the young mans disappearance, on
young Pelley, who was with tho party and
was very anxious at young Benwell's not
appearing. During the reading of the tele-
! grams exposing his fraud Birchall's un--
usually pale complexion was suffused with
light flush of red. He made notes occasions
ally during the reading.
A number or witnesses were examined
with a view TO identifying Birchall aud
| Benwell as the two young men who arrived
at Eastwood ON the day Benwell disap-
| peared and walked direct from the train in
the direction OF the swamp whore Benweli's
body was found. III several cases Birchall's
Identification was direct and positive, all
though very few witnesses withstood cross
examination by Counsel Blaekstock without
becoming confused.
| All Of to-day's witnesses except one lady
had testified before the inquest, and where
| one OF these said more or less than they did
before the coroner, that circumstance was
turned TO good account by Blackstock.
A WITNESS FAINTs.
A young man named Crosby whose
Identification of Birchall was positive, and
who had also identified Benwell's body,
testified to having met both men in the
road on Feb. IL, near the place of the
murder. During bis examination this
| witness was overcome by tho ex-
citement of his unusual sur
roundings and by the heat Of
| the room and tainted awaY.
| BE was allowed to remain seated during ths
remainder Of his examination. Though
cross-examined closely, he insisted upon the
truth Of what he had stated.
Interest In the trial has not abated. II
possible, it was increased by to-days pro-
ceedings The audience was two.thirds
ladies, and more people remained outside
the court room than could be accommo.
dated within.