The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-02-03

| ID
2 can't to you that at thtime of the MUIR
o der this man was. accdine to his own
t story, without the hop, near the spot
J | where the murderer lust have stood,
e and possessed of til implements OF
l death. Every Circumstance points to
5 this man as the murder.
AS TO
J The Matter othe Gun
it is claimed by the Site that he could
not have obtained the an because people
J were about the Moxcey place nearly all
the time.
But it is common know ledge that
thefts are daily commited while people
are.about. There was lbundant oppor-
tunity for Prawda to tae that gun. And
that he. did. take it, shown by the
strongest evidence frm the mouth of
Prawda himself. The cry night of the
theft he asked Moxceyif someone had
taken his gun, or "hoolsd it.n Clarence
Moxcey testifies to thi, and Prawda
comes on to the stand, nd when asked
If he recollects this conversation, he says
that he does not! Although he recollects
other conversations so veil, he does not
remember this! 1t is il testimony also
that after the shooting he followed the
younger Mrs. Moxcey firm the room and
with i" trembling mouth'saskedher about
hershusband's gun, AMI recalled to her
mind that he had always been good
friend to her.
Mr.. Powers had not Concluded his adj
dress when the hour forthe noon recess
came. The court room vas crowded to
its fullest capacity whe1 the hour came
for him to resume, mann women being
| in the audience.
/ Mr.. Powers began by taking up the
! question of the secretion of the gun, and
the testimony of both Hrawda and his
wife on this point, saying that Prawda
had every inducement. as did also she to
conceal the circumstances that took
| place that night. He had from fifteen to
| twenty minutes, and in jhat time he had
/ ample time to go half a mile and back,
had he desired to go SO far. No one but
| he knows where hesdid conceal the gun.
| 1t may have been in the house itself, 1cr
| the barn.
In regard to motives, they say That this
man had no motive. The question of
motive is one of the most, complicated,
depending upon the Situation of the
man, even upon the blood that flows in
his veins. WHAT'S IL motive to one man
has no influence upon another. So gen.
Glemen, you must in thiscase depend up
on your judgment.
The Property of Mrs. Meyer.
was the motive You cannot believe the
testlr hony of either Ffawda or Mrs.
Fra, VIDA in regard to Their knowledge OF
aer mothers finances. She says that Der
mother told her that Jaob had all the
money. Now either she lid not say this,
or if she did there was ome reason why
| she did not want thosen the house to
L =, he Mrs
Meyer cannot come here and her silent
lips cannot explain this. She had about
two thousand dollars worth of property.
She was getting old. / Sic lived with the
| Prawdas portion of tle year, and she
was known to Have rnatea Will Ana
vet we are told that August M. Prawda
and his wife never talked over her
mothers financial condition. Prawda
also testifies that he die not even know
how much Mrs. Meyer was paying a
| month to his wife, Such things are
contrary to human experience.
So far, gentlemen of the jury, | have
confined myself to the statement made
by the prisoner himself. ! do not by
that intend to disparage the testimony
given by the other witnesses in this case,
which is full and conclusive, although
largely circumstantiai All along the
| pathway are the guide boards pointing to
this respondent as the one who com
mitted the crime, and the most legi BILE
characters. on the guide boards are writ
ten by the respondent himself.
Some unfavorable comment has beer
made on the conduct of Mr.. Blake and
MIR. Buchanan for their zeal in this case.
But when murder has been committed,
when assassination stalks abroad, | dc
not understand that pubic. officers are te
be reprehended foE zealloasiy doing theli
duty. IN @k
to be that this VAS in hgtident But
do not find SINGLE Fact to support this,
which is merely an assertion OF the
counsel for the defense%
I have already taken more of your TIME
than intendedsto and have but wore
more. The counsel on the other side ha:
said something to you about the sacred
other thing which the law of the lane
regards as equally sacred and
That Is Human Life.
And | believe that your verdict will
have an effect tending to make human
life safer in the remotest hamlets of TIL
county. cannot believe that there viii
be miscarriage of justice in this case
l have confidence that the Supreme AL
Wise Power that has declared tina
| although, J0e Wlcktu Jolu Hduu III udis
they shall not prevail, will guide you tt
right conclusion in this case.
Mr.. Powers spoke a little over TIVE
hours, and had the closest, and at som'
points almost the breathless attention o
. the large audience. Prawda was NOR
visibly nervous than at any tim
. throughout the trial, but this is equiva
lent to saying that his habitually stocia
aemeanor was only little modified, 4
sickly smile played over his features onl.
once or twice in the most scathing
portions of the attorney generals ar
raignment.
Judge Bonney Charged the Jury
as soon as Mr.. Powers had finished speak
ing, saying to the jury that they ha'
: listened with patience and care in thi
case, and with pleasure no doubt to tn
eloouence of counsel. But the time TO
, oratory had passed and the time ha
come for deciding, without fear or favor
u without sympathy for the prisoner 0
those dependent upon him. The officer
} for the state and the attorneys for tn
defense have fulfilled their duties abb
and impartially. Now the duties of yo
and me begin, continued the judge
| r J,.x,- IA fr,"t. a