The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-09-02

spired by "hatred as black as hell itself"
Whichever may be the true view, and
undoubtedly one or che other is true, for
there is no middle ground in case like
this, may never be known, but the final
judgment of the highest tribunal is still
some months away and the public must
accept what il has as the full evidence un-
til more Is shown.
1t is the Office OF the reporter to portray
facts and describe public opinion of them.
That has been the aim of this column,
and the fact that in neither of the argu-
ments presented yesterday was there any
new thought developed is conclusive evil
dence that the readers of the News have
had access to all the evidence that has
been available.
The pleas OF the opposing attorneys
yesterday were as different as it was pos
sible to conceive. Both were specimens
Of keen logic and each made the best
possible presentation of his view Of the
case OF the two that of Mr. Jennings
was the more eloquent and effective on the
audience.
1t was an address wherein the array OF
facts in his clients favor, the disproof OF
all the theories of the prosecution. and
the appeals to humanity and mercy were
blended with the incest precision and
voiced by man whose inspiration was
his soulful conviction that the defendant
Is innocent.
been detailed the possibilities OF someone
else being there, as shown by the un-
solved burglaries. The absence of blood
and the failure TO find weapon were
emphasized yesterday by the obvious fact
that Miss Borden was i'll on Wednes-
said so and Bridget said so. On
that morning she was In her room and
hence she did not go out and try to buy
prussic acid on that day Mr. Bence
said. This somewhat effectually disposes
of the prussic acid motive theory, SO far
at least as present evidence goes. 1t
leaves the government with absolutely
nothing In the way of fact to prove
Lizzies guilt, except her presence at the
house, her opportunity to commit the
murder and her own unintelligible ac-
count Of her acts and statements.
Unfortunately for her, while these are
plainly inadequate rs positive evidence of
guilt, they are adequate ground for sus-
picion-and that is the ground which Mr..
knowlton took in his plea for the
prosecution. 1t was repeated again
aud again and emphasized forcibly
that he at no time considered that
he had proofs of her guilt. He would be
prepared TO prove that when it became
necessary. All that he wished to do at
that hearing was to establish good evil
dence for strong suspicion and he claimed
to have done it.
He claimed that the wounds were not
those caused by great force and they were
not. lie stated that they were those OF "A
timid irresolute hand and the evidence of
DIR. Draper was convincing chat no one
of the first eight wounds were "necessa
rly fatal"
IL was this damaging evidence that Mr.
Adams very thoughtlessly brought out i'm
his ross-questioning. 1t had been claim
ed by the prosecution that the blows were
crushing, heavy blows. DR. Dolan had
testified TO that fact and IL was of mater
ial advantage to the defence that that
fact should be established.
But il was entirely refuted by Dr. Ora
per. The blows were light. Only in one
instance In Mr.. Borden's case was there a
blow sufficiently strong to cut through
bone one-sixteenth Of an inch la thick
ness.
Such blows were possible by woman.
and Attorney Knowlton was shrewd
enough to make n strong point of this
fact. that the nature Of the wounds was
such rs TO warrant the statement that
they must have been made by femin-
Inc hand: that being struck In the back,