The morning call., 1890-09-26
DAMAGING TESTIMONY.
A Net Of CifCumStantial Evidence Being
Woven Around BurChGll.

WOODSTOCK (Ont), Sept. 25.-Burchell ap-
peare1 in court this morning He was as
cool and collected as ever in the face of a
great crowd. A large number of ladies'
crowded into the courtroom at the opening
and interrupted the proceedings. This
made several calls for silence necessary;
even then the proceedings had to be sus-
pended until order could be restored.
The first witness was S. R., Fuller. Man.
ger of the Imperial Bank here. He identi-
fed the signature of f. A. Somerset on GER
tain checks as that of the prisoner, who
opened All account with the Imperial Bank
on the 10th or 18th of December, 1883. He
also identified some letters as those of the
prisoner. Counsel for the Crown wanted to
put in as evidence certain letters to Meler-
iSh, through whom the prisoner and Benwell
were brought together. The Judge said
that if he decided the evidence should not be
received he would so Instruct the jury. The
letters covered a skeleton of the corre-
spondence from the time of the negotiations
entered upon, with kilograms sent osten-
sibly from the Stafford House, Buffalo, but
really from the prisoner, telling himself at
Niagara Falls to ship the heavy baggage to
Niagara Falls n. Y. The effect of these
kilograms was to show the prisoner had
Systematically deceived Benwell, and Ben
wells father after the young mans disap-
| pearance.
Miss Cole testified she. Burchell and Ben
| nett were on the train for Eastwood Fe5ru-
ary 1Tth.
and another man passed his house 6 ing from
| the train that day.
During the reading of these telegrams ex-
posing his fraud, BurchelPs usually pale
complexion was sutfuSed with q light flush.
| He made notes occasionally.
Conductor Poole of the Grand Trunk .es-
| titled that two men resembling Burchell and
| Benwell rode on the train from Suspension
| Bridge to Eastwood, February 18th.
Miss Lockhart of Woodstock said she was
| travelling west, February 18th, from Paris,
past Woodstock. and she saw two Dassen-
| gers get off at Eastwood. On seeing Bur-
| chell afterward in Jail she identified MIN as
! the one who had sat before her on the train.
| The other she recognized In the body Of
Benwell when eXhumed.
Several other witnesses testified to seeing
| two men on the train February 18th, and
| Alfred Haywood identified Burchell as the
| man he saw in company with another that
| day going past his house as if coming from
| the train.
John Crosby swore to meeting two En-
| glishmen on Governors road. lie identified
| the prisoner as one of the men, and he
| swore he saw the other one dead in
| Princeton Cemetery the day Benwelfs body
was exhumed. Crosby faiuted during
| his cross examination. Several other
| witnesses swore to seeing the two men going
toward the swamp on February 18th; to
| seeing tracks in the swamp, etc. George
Fredenberg, George Mcdonald and George
dickinson swore to hearing two shots in the
| swamp ON the afternoon of February 18th.
| dickinson came here from Austin, New, to
| testify.
| Alexander Logan met a man walking
alone to Eastwood on February 18th, near
| the swamp, and identified Burchell as the
man. Charles Bulk also met the prisoner,
who asked him directions as to the road.
Alice Smith, aged II years, testified that
| she knew Burcheli rs Lord Somerset In
1888. She was then living with her grand
! father near Eastwood. She saw the pris-
oner on February 17th at Eastwood Station
| and had conversation with him.
| She next saw him in Woodstock
Jail. On cross examination Black
stock made brutal attack upon her
character. which caused much indignation
| among the audience. Before the adjourn
ment OSler said that only eight more crown
| witnesses were TO be called. The evidence
| so far has traced Burchill from Buffalo to
| the swamp, and back to Eastwood Station.
| There is SO far overwhelming circumstan-
| tial evidence.