The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-16

NEW BE. ~0RD, Mass. June 15.-The
-enth day OF the Borden trial opened with
a big attendance Miss Borden WAS over
whelmed this morning with floral offer
lngs and appeared in excellent spirits.
The prosecution attempted TO Introduce
evidence that Lizzie Borden had attempt
ed to buy prussic acid, but the defense
successfully com bated the attempt, and
the state was not allowed TO Introduce it..
After the introduction of exhibits the
commonwealth rested lit case and a re-
cess was taken.
After the recess Mr.. Jennings opened
the case for the defense. He said that
they would show the previous spotleSs-
ness of the prisoners character and the
nbsence of intended purpose or oppor-
tunity The defense would show relations
between the father and the daughter
which excluded motive fer killing him,
and "A motive to Kill the mother alone
wonld not be enough: tor the government
claimed that the same person killed both.
lie claimed that the weapon had not been
connected with the defendant. Exclusive
opportunity would be negatived by show
ing that other people were around at the
time of the murder; that others entered
the barn before the officer who testified
that its floor WAS covered with dust, ana
that the burned dress was covered with
paint, and was not worn on the day of the
murder.
On the subject of circumstantial evil
dence, Mr. Jennings addressed the jury
thus: You are not to say how this mys-
teIious murder was committed. but to say
by whom. You are simply to answer as to
this defendant-to say you are satisfied
beyond reasonable doubt that she Is
guilty or innocent, and a reasonable doubt
is doubt for which you can furnish
good reason. There is not one particle of
direct testimony against Lizzie Borden to
connect her with this crime. 1t is wholly
and absolutely circumstantial lt Is not
for you TO unravel the mystery of how
these people died, but TO say whether this
woman dId the deed or not. Unless by
the evidence you can tie this woman to
The bodies of the murdered persons, you
must let her go free. We contend that,
with the evidence thus far produced, there
is no motive shown for this woman TO do
the deed, The governments claim is that
whoever killed one killed the other. and
while they have assumed to show ii mo-
tive for the killing of her stepmother,
there Is no motive shown for the killing of
her own father. In measuring the motive
you have got TO apply il III this case as be-
tween this girl and her own father"
The first witness for the defense was
Martha Chagnon, a daughter of the man
who owned the house ia the rear of the
Bordens She said that she heard "a noise
about IL o'clock on the night before the
murder. l. sounded like pounding on the
Borden fence and lasted five minutes.
Mrs. Chagnon confirmed her daughters
testimony.
Charles NJ Clifford and Uriah Kirby
both swore 10 having seea a strange man
on the steps of the iatter's house near the
Borden residence at ii o'clock on the night
of the murder.
Mark Chase, former policeman OF Fall
River, swore that about 1880 O'Clock a. m.
of the day of the murder he saw buggy
standing in front of the Borden house. In
the buggy was strange man, whom he
had never seen since
DR.. Benjamin Handy of Fall River saw
. strange man in the vicinity of the house
on the day of the murder acting strangely.
Others testified To seeing a strange man
nbout the house, and Walter Clevins, a
Fail River reporter, told of going to the
house on the day of the murder He went
into the barn, and while there heard three
persons walking about in the upper part
OF the barn. Several other witnesses were
examined, but nothing especially impor-
taut was ELECTED.