Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-10-06
WAKEFIELD TRIAL.
Expected that Defendant Will
Go on the Stand.
The Prosecution VIII Probably Close
and the Defence Open Saturday.
Story Of 1hursd;y y-pfosscu!ioa oidnf Like
Marshal prats's Iestimoay.

Story Of Ihursd:y :y-Presecu!ian pidnr Like
Marshal prats's Isstimaay.
The latest sensation in the Wakef ED
| trial i. that the defendant will undoubtedly
take the stand ia bis own behalf
| The end of this weary trial is now in
sight. The prosecution will probably close
| its case By Saturday, when the defence will
begin. There is, therefore, a strong posi-
biiity that the case may be given to the jary
on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week
Thursday WAS the sixth day of the trial
and was a more interesting one than any
previous except Wednesday. A number of
important witnesses were called by the gov
ernment.
The only new on w;s Mr.. Allen, WHO
had charge of the tody after il was found
and until the doctors came. He will
strengthen Mr. Carleton's contention tina,
the blood the Bleun boys saw on their
brothers face when they found his body
vas washed off by the rain before the au
topsy.
The attendance continues large and will
doubtless increase Friday, when the gov
ernment's reserve is called out.
At the opening of the morning session,
Harry Dunn was recalled to the stand and
examined at length in the direct as to stat =
merits he had made or failed to make be-
fore the coroner's jury.
On cross-exsmination be was not sure
that the party he cav at the camp rs be
passed there Sunday afternoon was Wake
field; the basis Of his judgment that it WAS
Wakheld. WAS that he knew it was the
Wskeiield's camp and saw p rson out IN
front of it.
Joseph p. Fairbanks of Lewiston. wit
ness at the Silver trial. testified that he
was driving over the Potter bridge about
a quarter TO ) On the Sunday afternoon IN
question and saw man come ont of the
woods in the direction of the Wingste camp
aad come up into the roal and cross the
bridge toward Potter's, and that the man
was wet and had no hat or coat, He bad
never seen the man before. The man ran
aud walked and appeared excited and
scared. As witness passed along the road
the man was within eight or nine rods OF W.T.
ness at the nearest point, bat said nothing.
J. c. Morrison of Gardiner, another wit
ness at the Silver trial, who owned the
camp with Wakefield. testified that on
Monday morning, July 2ith, the defendant
came into his store and ssid that the repu
tation of the camp WAS spoiled for letting
Il is summer, and that Wakefield said he
was not to blame about it. Mr.. Morrison
asked him how it happened, and he said
Blenn came over to the camp and they had
something to drink and they played few
games of cards, and he took big drink
and went up stairs to bed, and that was all
he knew about the matter; also that he
showed the witness the pocketbook, which
appeared wet.
Mr.. Morrison also said called. Tues
Jay morning. at Wake fields shop and asked
him about the pocketbook, and he said he
gave it to Silver when he went up stairs to
bed asked him why be gave it to Silver,
AMI he said he was afraid somebody would
come to the camp and go through him.
saws: ed, you have been with me good
many times in hard places and you never
gave me your pocketbook. Don't You CON
slider was rs honest as Silver his heeD!'
And he says Yes" | says "Dil you
give the pocketbook to Silver in the pres
enc. of Blenn?" and he says, mo, l took
him one side and gave il to HIM.
told him he had better go out and help
find the body. He said he hai no clerk.
said keeping this store open amounts to
nothing compared with what the public
opinion will be in regard to this matter.
Shut the store up and 20 out and work as
hard AZ you can and find this body and the
people will think You are doing right and
it will be right" And he said he woull,
and went out.
The witness also testified to the condi-
ton of the camp on nesday, the 2Gth
that the back of the rocking chair was
broken off about year ago and had lain
up on barrel; that the chair was other
wise whole when he hal seen it last before
July 23d. The pants found in the camp
and the hat found upon the body of Blenn
he identified as Wakefcld's.
Wallace A. Allen of Litchield was the
only new witness of the day. He testified
that he saw the body soon after it was di'-
covered and remsiued with it until the cor
oner and physicians came in the afternoon;
that it was not disturbed and that there was
driving thunder storm during the fore
noon.
James H. Blenn, a brother of the de-
ceased and an important witness against
Silver during the latter's trial testified
Went to the pond Monlay morning. s1l
Wakefield came out about O'Clock; asked
him how my brother happened to get
drowned. and ne said he didn't know any
thing about il that he was upstairs asleep
and didn't know he was there. Afterwards
he changed his statement and said he
played three or four games of cards with
my brother at dollar a game. and that
Charles won them all, and be got MP and
said ''you are To much for me-, Charles,
and took A drink of whiskey and tro bot
ties of beer, or one. would rot say posi-
lively which, and went up stairs aud went to
bed and knew no more about it until Silver.
think, came up and woke him up. Tues
day afternoon got my brother Charles
coat in wskefeId's back sh71. 1t was
hansirg up and Wakefield pointed il ont to
M.
The witness then testified "a to the search
for the remains Of Lis brother, and of tn. il
li.covsry by himself, Silver b ing in t
boat with hiEIi
At this point the government again
pressed the question of the competency of
Slrer's declarations and movements whii'
not in tie presence of the defendant, AMI
tie question was arghed BY Messrs. Heane
and Carleton for the government. the jury
having withdrawn to their room. Mr..
Spear suggested that be had ample authority
tn coutrovert this position. but the eourf
intimated that it had very carefully ex-
amined the question, kno~in1 that it vas
to arise, aud was satisfied that the almis-
sion of such evidence wouli resulr in
mistrial in the event of verdict against
the defendant.
The witness testified as 70 the eoedition
of the camp and the position AMI appe&r-
ance of the body when discovered BY him.
When tie noon recess wss taken. Mr.
Bienn was still on the stand. and he ~as