Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-06-29

witness III the Mead case this morning.
he went to the bank with Mr.. Manches
ter directly after the discovery of the
murder, and his testimony related main
" to the position and appearance of
MeadS body when found. The queS.
tons asked on cross eXamina ton inii-
cate that the defense will combat the
theory that Mead was struck on the
lead with Il club before he WAS shot
and that an effort will be made to show
hat he was killed outright b. charge
Of shot fired through the window.
HambletOn testified that there were
cuts on the top Of Mead'S head and
was asked many questions regarding the
location of the blood stains ON the walls.
He said that he had picked up some of
the shot that was found scattered i'll
the room and produced an envelope
containing this shot, which was offered
in evidence. Hambleton said that on
lle evening of the murder he was read
ing a newspaper at DR.. Manchesters
house where he roomed. and that
Tout midnight he heard the report Of
ss--n. He testified that it was Prior's
'-ls:ness as night Waterman to see to
tie lighting of the street lamps and
at the night of October {, 1882, was
stormy and unusually dark.
q. II. Rowe, who was under-sheriff
WHEN the murder was committed, told
how he found things when he went to
IL" bank after Mead was found dead,
but there was nothing specially new i'm
us testimony. J. M. Hatch, clerk of the
coult. was the next witness, and he
testified that Banker Mead's books had
been in his possession since last Novem-
Der, when they were turned over to
him by Attorney Sanborn. c. w. Lake
was then recalled to the stand and said
that in his capacity as administrator he
had occasion to thoroughly examine
Mead's books and papers and that a
certain book in which the banker kept
petty accounts was missing.
The district attorney handed Mr.
Lake a small record book which the wit
ness examined and said was issued
by the banker for the purpose of keep
ing ain account Of the bonds in his DOS
both the numbers and amounts OF his
bonds. Witness told where he kept the
books while they were in his possession
and said that at different times they
were i'm charge of James Chesley, who
was one Of the administrators, and
Mayor Reed. He said that he had
never authorized anybody to destroy
or bn1 10 y
and relating to the accounts for 1882
When court adjourned for dinner Mr.
Quarles asked Lake to examine the
books produced in court and see if he
could find the petty ledger
Part of the testimony given Wednes-
day afternoon by witness Lake, Bank
er Mead's nephew and administrator
Of his estate, was stricken out by order
of the court. The testimony related to
Photographs and was not very import
ant. Judge Bardeen held that the
prosecution must put the photogra pher
on the stand and prove that the pic
lures were representations Of the bank
er's safe If they were to be offered III
evidence. The witness who followed
Mr.. Lake on the stand was Mrs. Sophia
OvrOm, whose maiden name was Sev-
erson and who was employed at the
NOSburg House at the time of the MUIR
der. 1t was she who was sent to the
bank when Mead failed to come for
his meals on the day after the crime
was committed, and who found his
dead body. She simply told how she
discovered the fact of the murder at
about 2 O'Clock in the afternoon, and
she was not cross examined. The state
then proved the authenticity of its
by putting Photographer
Knudsen on the stand and Frank Vos-
burg, the hotel proprietor was the next
witness called. He testified to the eX-
istence Of a ledger for the year 1882
kept by Banker Mead, and this caused
a scrimmage between the attorneys,
regarding the account books that were
for a time in the possession of the de-
PENDANTS attorneys. Mr.. Quarles said
the ledger for 1882 was missing and
Mr.. Felker considered this a reflection
upon Judge Cote. Judge Bardeen
stopped the discussion by sharply Or
dering the examination of the witness
to proceed.
Mr.. Vosburg testified that the regis
ter of his hotel for the month of Oc-
tober, 1889, had disappeared and there
is much conjecture as to what bearing
this point has on the case. He said
he did not know just when the register
and that he had been un-
able to find any trace of it, though he
had made diligent search. Mr.. VoS-
burg was the last witness before the
court adjourned for the day.
The jurors sleep in the court room
On cot beds, and their slumbers are
guarded by the elizors, as the officers
IN charge are called. In the daytime
this court room is one of the hottest
places eXtant and the jury emerged |
from the first long and sweltering ses-
sion looking somewhat tagged out. In |
fact, the sandy country about Wau- |
paca is at this season Of the year some
what hotter than the place which a !
certain evangelist located in Racine /
The jurors take their meals at the VoS- /
burg House but they eat in room |
apart by themselves. The Williams |
brothers, sheriff and deputy sheriff. |
,,dinst whom prejudice was alleged |
by the defense, are on hand to keep |
order in the court, but have nothing |
to do with the jury.
Enough evidence has been given to
that III. c.. Mead was
very eccentric man and that he con-
1ucted what was probably the most
nec11Iian. hnnl,inr institution that eyer l