The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-06-16
MISS BORDEN'S TRIAL
The Defence Proceeding Rap
idly With Its Case.
BETTER OUTLOOK FOR PRISONER

DIR. Handy Testified That He Saw n Men
tally Disturbed Man Near tho House
on the Morning of the Murder-Mr
Jennings Opening Speech to tho
Jury-The Accused Woman wept.
New BEDFORD, Mass June 16-The
court room was again packed at the open
ing of the eleventh day of the Borden case,
The prisoner was early in her place, and
appeared cheerful More than half the
spectators were women.
The first witness called yesterday was
Charles H. Sawton, New Bedford drug
gist.
The defence vigorously contested every
point of the governments testimony of the
prisoners attempt to purchase prussic
acid. Mr.. Lawton testife that he knew
of no other than medicinal purposes for
which prussc acid is used
Henry II. Tillson. Of New Bedford in
the hat cap and fur business testified:
He cared for the furs of others as well as
his own; he devote some OF his time also
TO preserving furs. He was asked If
prussic acid w 5 ever used in the care of
furs but h answer was objected to by
the defence and ord red stricken out. He
had no knowledge o. the effect Of the acid
on furs.
Nathaniel Hathaway, analytical chemist
New Bedford. was next called. He was
acquainted with prussic acid in both
forms; it is usually sold in two per cent
solution. He was asked about the suita-
bility of the drug in connection with furs
and the question was objected to, The
court considered the question very broad
one, and the matter was ruled out.
After consultation the justices excluded
the evidence of attempted purchases of
prussic acid. After introduction of ex-
hibits the Commonwealth rested its case
and recess for fifteen minutes was taken.
During the recess the prisoner talked
earnestly with Mrs Fessenden, of Boston,
the first lady who has spoken to her in the
court room.
The prisoner sat with her face buried in
her handkerchief during counsers plea.
After distinguishing circumstantial from
direct evidence and illustrating the dan
gerous character Of circumstantial evil
dence, he said every link In the govern
ment's chain of evidence must be proved
beyond reasonable doubt, includ-
ing motive, weapon, exclusive oppor-
tunity and intent. The defence
would show the relation between the father
and daughter which excluded motive for
killing him, and the motive to kill the
mother alone would not be enough, for the
government claimed that the same person
killed both. He claimed that the weapon
had not been connected with the defendant
Exclusive opportunity would be negatived
hy showing that other people were
around at the time of the muir
der; that others entered the barn
before the officer who testified that
its floor was covered with dust and that
the burned dress was covered with paint
and was not worn on the day of the mur
der
Martha Chagnon was the first witness
called for the defence. She testified that
at II o clock on the night before the muir
der she heard noise like the pounding on
wood in the direction Of the Borden fence;
continued for five minutes.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Knowlton; noise
seemed to come from that direction but
made no investigation.
Mrs. Chagnon confirmed her step
daughters testimony about the noise,
cross-eXamined, first thought it sounded
like a dog,
John w. Gronard testified that he
painted the Borden house in May, 1892,
and he thought that the prisoner was il
the vicinity of the paint tubs
In the afternoon DIR. Benjamin Han@y
testified that he passed the Borden house
between 1920 and 10;40 on the morning
Of the murder aid saw medium sized man
OF pale complexion with eyes fixed on the
sidewalk He was in the street between
the B, rden and Kelly house, and attracted
witness attention by his strange actions
IN cross examination: The man was walk
NJ slowly away from the Borden house;
eemed mentally agitdted.
Jerome T. Borden testified that he en-.
tered the Borden f 1T door without diff
Guilty the day after the murder.
Walker p. Stevens, reporter of the Fall
River News, testified that he Ment into Uhe
Borden barn Immediately after the murder
md heard three people talking in the loft
Cross-examined Made search of the yard
With no result; tried the cellar door and
'ound if fastened before he went to the
arm.
FALL RIVER, June 16.-A boy of the
iame of Potter, son of q. G. Potter, CLERK
n the Fall River Water Works Office,
While looking for ball, found Ratchet
III IHe 'op vi Jouh CIoNes DdThi when Is
located just in the rear Of the Borden prop.
'rty
Mr.. Potter reported his find to the DO.
ice He still has the hatchet In his DO,
session. and describes It as an ordinary
Implement, with hammer head. The
handle was weather beaten, and the blade
covered with rust.
Some of the particles of rust being r..
moved, slight coloring of gilt was dis
closed, which would either indicate that
he hatchet was at one time used as an or
nament OF was quite new whel lost or dis
carded.
There have been no electric linemen
upon the roof of the barn where the hatchet
was found since Aug