New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-16
STRONG TESTIMONY FOR THE DEFENCE

THlFDkS OF INV III NiN r. 'Ii'hi' ''A' ''''
rurrp-A STRANGE MAN SEEN NEAR THE
uOrsE-Miss BOHDEN'> VISIT To TIE
BARN
New BEDFORD. Mass. Juno 13.-Mariha ,hacnon. III"
daughter OF DR.. Chagnon, who lives In house 'l'''
10 that Of the Durdcns. first took the stand Tor thr
def nee Mis- Clnrnon testified that there was a
fence between the yards In the rear. She Identified
a photograph showing the fence and the position Of
tho two houses she laid that the night prccciinc
The murders at about IL O'Clock she heard pounding
noise tina; frightened her. she was sitting with her
mother IN tho Ching room Of their house TIL" noise
continued al intervals for about fifteen mnuleS III"
mad. no attempt 10 investigate II. because she wa
frightened She said that In the front OF her fathers
ward thcr, was Usually kept set'ce for people "a
SIT on. The next morning when she went out oi
III. house nj abonl O'Clock she noticed that the
sctiee not In It's usual place. bni was removes
some distance on tho concrete walk
Miss Chngnon is n French nnndnn. quca viitei
and intelligent, but She had some difficulty III un1ri
standing the questions OF counsel. and II seemed Us IL
the District Attorney In crossc1amnaifon was at pains
TO make the most OF her disability Nevertheless. he
did not weaken her story. lie tried 10 get her l"
admit that the noise might have been made by h"r
Newfoundland dog in his house and ri ono POINT the
Dis,rtct-At,oIHey. having rather arfnv made him
self n,Isundersi0od he did succeed apparently IN com
hitting her 10 that proposition but when she cam'
10 understand IT she quickly Strengthened the matter
out and insisted to the last that the noise coui moi
have been made by the dog anyhow. and that II did
not come from the direction Of the doghousc.
DESTROYING EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY.
Miss Chagnon's mother Mrs. Mary \. Chasnon
was called corrobOrae this story. liz purpose.
together with that OF considerable. testimony that
came later. to prove that The states theory 81
Lizzie Bordcns exclusive opportunity TO commit Tho
murders false theory. Mrs. Chagnon agreed Will
her daughter In rcciting tho particulars Of the noise
| she was sitting on the sofa when she heard H. II
| came from the back yard. and seemingly from Tho
fence between the Chagnon yard and the Borden yard
Mr. Kn0wlton asked IL sllc didn't remember the visit
Of Orccr Harrington TO her house one day. She said
| she did.
| "And your husband made noise with the nsl
barrel out In the yard, didn't hc7" She said he did
| "And didn't you say that that noise sounded like
| the noise you hcatdln "Ycs.' said the witness
but It was in a different direction. The nois'
that night did not come from the place where th'
ash barrel kept In this vicw the witness
| would not permit herself 10 be disturbed.
| Following up the effort to give n significance e
these peculiar noises Mr.. Jennings called Charles VI
| Clifford. MIR. Clifford lives at the house Of Urinl
Kirby. which Is tie next house to that Of DR.. Chag
| non. lie said that al about IL o'clock the nigh
] Of August 3, us he entered the house. q man wa
| lying the steps. The man was stranger 70 tina
| ncighborhood. lie had straw hat. dark In color
| IL drawn low over his forehead shielding hl
| eyes. lie appeared 10 be In a stupid condition
Mr. Clifford tried to ascertain from his breath whchc
or not he was intoxicated. and satisfied himself tina
| there was no smell Of liquor about him. lie Above
| him 10 remain whore he was.
| After Mr.. Kirby was produced the owner OF III,
house In which Mr.. Clifford lives. and an occupant o
| IL with him. IIc also saw this strange man nj tina
| same time Of the night August 2. lie spoke t.
the man and shook him. but received no answer an'
| no attention. lie was sure the drunk