Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-01-23
BAD STATE WITNESSES.
They Seem 10 Be Determined to
Clear Carr.

The Carr murder case was resumed In
The Court OF Oyer and Terminer a. 2-45
o'clock yesterday afternoon. There were
two or three surprising features and de
velopments; but the most surprising
thing of all WAS the manner in which
William Sparks, a supposed star witness
for the state, went back on Attorney
General Biggs aud the little common
wealth.
HoUsER POOR WITNESS.
Immediately after court reconvened
Gsorge Houssr was recalled to the stand
aud was placed unoer rigid eross-ex-
animation By Mr.. Hayes. The prisoner S
attorney handled Houser well and rat
tied him so badly that he made aud re-
tracted statements, and quibbled over
small points throughout the whole cross
examination. He evidently knew that
the state ex pected something from him
and he did not know Just what.
Hayes-"How long were you In the
salooug About an hour2'
"What time did you leave Philadel-
phiaT Between / and o'clock.
What time did you arrive heref 81
don't know"
HAYES woRsTED IN A TILT.
Hayes Your name Is not on Il Q in
dictment'
BiggS-"I will explain that did not
learn OF the whereabouts Of this man
until about one week ago. He came here
at my request
Hayes went to you yesterday and
asked for the witnesses name and you
refused to give it "
Biggs-"It was more in the way of a
Joke than ANYTHING else II"
Hayes-"No 1t wasn't joke"
Biggs-''Well, your honors, | contend
that If my learned friend wanted the wit.
ness's name, he should have applied %
the curt and not have approached me
in that informal way.
Hayes-''I also asked Detectives Witsil
and McVey and they both refused to give
nae bis name / contend that the prisoner
should know the witnesses be is to meet,
and hat their names should be on the
back Of the Indictment"
Court-"Nos at all You have nc
right TO demand the name of witness.
NEVER SAW CARR BaFoRE.
Witness-"I had never seen Carr be.
fore, and have never seen him since
until | came here this time IL was
Greco WAC said he would mash their
mouths, and who was knocked down.
do not think it was Carr who knocked
Greco down. cannot say that the bar
! tender put them out, but If anybody put
them out ID was he. Long and Bullen
followed the two Italians out of the back
door, think. feel sure that they did
not go out of the front door Up to that
time there had been no disturbance with
Basso the big Italian. Basso, Sparks,
Carr sullivan, the bartender, and nv.
self were in the room, after the others
vent out.
What started the disturbance with
BassoT
Carr started to follow Basso up The
prisoner was near the table when he
rushed for Basso. Carr chased Basso to
the stove with beer glass Carr got the
beer glass from the bar. Basso was no
struck after the beer glass broke He
went out Of the front door"
lid NOT KNOW BAsso WAS BEAD.
Under redirect examination be stated
that he left for Philadelphia shortly
after The fight and aid not know the man
was dead until about a week ago when
Que of the detectives called upon him
He had no trouble in recognizing Carr.
Hayes Didn't Detective Witsil point
him out TO your "No. l recognized
him as soon as | saw him
He then left the stand.
HE WAS A DAISY" WITNESS
When Attorney General Biggs called
William E. Sparks to the stand BIZ
evidently thought that he had stal
witness. Sparks was large, able-bodieG
young man, very dark, and fairly good
looking. He lounged in che witness box
with the same ease that he would 70.
k,Ll krn hoI la In a
saloon ordering a glass Of beer. He did
manage to strsighten up once when The
attorney general wanted him to show the
Jury how tall Bssso was.
HE SURPRISES BIGGs.
Judging from the way in which Bigg;
led him out be must have thought that
the state had walkOver. but he had moi
asked dozen questions before he wished
he had never called the man to the stand
Sparks said;
al live at No 406 Wess Second street
have known Carr for two years anC
have known Schooner Long since 1889
went to the saloon at about 2 o'clock
was playing pool, when, at about s 81
o'clock, Basso and his Two friends came
in. Carr and his two friends followed il
q little while.
''The Italians ware drinking beer wheI
Carr, Bullen and Long came in. / was
playing pool with Sullivan AND Houser The
little Italian ordered drinks for the six
The other drinks had not been paid for
The little Italian said he would not pay
for the drinks Schooner began growl
ing about it, Both little Italians wer,
knocked down during the fight. Eithei
Long or Bullen did it, but / don't know
which one it was. The bartender cams
around and he aud Bullen ran the two
little Italians out.
LONG STRUCK THE BLOWS
'Long grabbed a beer glass from the
bar. Carr did not do mush of anything
but what fighting be did do was with hi.
fists Long struck Basso once behind tn
ear with the glass. IL turned him clea
around and then he struck him agaiI
back Of the other ear.
"Basso did not say anything until h
was attacked I think Carr was to-
drunk to do any big striking
Biggs-"Didn't you tell Deputy Attor
ney-G General Davis and me that Basso die
not say anything until Long and Car
struck himp
Hayes he is trying to diseredit hi
own witness. object. never exam
ined this witness In my life"
Biges-"This is case ofsurprise. W.
took down his statement word for wore
and that is what he said
The court overruled the objection.
Witness-"I may have said it; but
don't remember it, The Italian wal
standing between the end Of the bar auC
fhe stova whom he was first struck I'll