Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-27
ON THE STAND.
Mr.. Burrowes Denies That He Wrote
the Anonymous Letters,
And Experts Uphold His Step-vereiet for
the Defendant Seems Probable.

PORTLAND. Oct. y5.-Ihe Burrowes case
today drew an immense crowd. The court
opened with joke by Judge Walton
When the cries announced that .'all persons
who have anything TO do before the court
may now come forward and declare it" the
court remarked dryly. that a good many
had evidently come, referring to the large
crowd present.
By request of Judge Symonls the cour,
ruled that no testimony shall be hereafter
introduced by the plaintiff except in re-
| buttal
Mr.. Charles s. Cook proceeded TO open
for the defence. He said that the defence
would consist of plain and unqualified
denial by Mr.. Barroyes of all knowledge
or participation in the writing of these let
ters. He called attention to Mr.. Burrowes
high character and standing in the COM
munity. He sketched Mr. Burrowes' early
life during the time of his education at
school. II was at this time that he con-
ceived the idea of making screens, and
from a small beginning he has built up the
largest screen factory in the world.
Mr. Burrowes will go on the stand and
deny squarels that he ever wrote letter TO
Mrs. pease or caused one to be written 10
her. He never interviewed her and in fact
did not even know that there was such a
person as Mrs. John w. Pease, until near
ly year after these letters purport to have
been written. Testimony will be intro
duced 10 show that the statements of Mrs.
Ptase ON the stand are absolutely false.
At the clo>e of Mr. Cooks opening,
recess of an hour was taken to allow the
jury and counsel to visit the house of Mr..
pease, where all the strange occurrences
described by Mrs. Pease are supposed to
have taken place.
The jury having returned, the trial of the
case was resumed at 80 o'clock.
Mr.. Burrowes was called to the stand.
After the preliminary questions as to his
age. length of residence, etc, he said he
was first in "A crockery store in Portland
when boy. lie afterwards attended the
Wesleyan seminary, kent's Hill, and the
Wesleyan University at Middletown, He
took orders for screens during his school
life and afterwards established the large
screen factory in Portland. He described
the extent of the business. He employs
l.0 people in the busiest season.
Mr.. Burrowes was shown the two anony-
nous letters. He denied that he ever wroie
the letters. or caused them to be written.
Tie never had any part or knowledge what
soever in writing or sending the letters.
Al the date those letters purport TO have
been written he had "A slight acquaintance
with Mr.. Peasc. Mr.. Peasc had never been
employed by him but had worked for his
brother. At the date of the letters he did
not know that there was a Mrs. Pease. He
first knew it last winter, when the news
papers announced that she had received
certain letters.
He first saw Mrs. Pease to know her
when he came into the court room last
Monday morning and heard her testify
against him. Mr. Burrowes firmly denied
that he wrote or sent, or caused or procured
to be sent the letter asking Mrs Pease to
come to the postoflice steps in the evening.
MIR. Burrowes was shown the envelopes in
which the anonymous letters were enclosed
and denied ever having had anything
to do with them. lie denied that he ever
drove up Gray street and threw letter on
Mrs. Feases steps.
Cross examination by Mr.. Rand. Mr..
Burrowcs said he had written one anony
nous setter since January Is, 1892 Shown
letter aud envelope he admitted that he
wrote it and it was not signed. lie said the
contents OF tnis letIcF were true WHen tiief
were written. Judge Symonds protested
,ainst the admission of this testimony,
but the court admitted it,
Mr. Burrowes said he had written no
other anonymous letter since January l5,
1892. Shown another letter and envelope
he admitted that he wrote them, but they
were written on the same day of the other.
No name was signed to the second letter.
The first letter was read aloud. 1t was
a letter to Mr.. Loripg, the printer in ref
crencc to printing bill heads and was about
the irregularities of business. which caused
Mr. Burrowes to be brought before the
United States district court some time
ago.
David Carvaho of New York, an expert
penman, said that it would be next to i'm
possible for Burrowes to have written the
anonymous letters. This was also the
opinion of II. W. Shaylor of Portland, ex-
pert penman. These two witnesses Occu-
pied the whole afternoon, explaining at
length their reasons for deciding that the
letters were not in Burrowes' handwriting.
The opinion is growing that there will be
a verdict for the defendant. The alibi
that Burrowes will be able to prove will
show that Mrs. Pease was mistaken in her
testimony that Burrowes threw the letter on
her steps july l2.