The Portland daily press., 1894-02-02
The CASE FOR PRAWDA.
A Large Audience Hear MIR. Seiders
Present 1t.
UNUSUAL INTEREST IN THE TRI-
AIS CLOSING SCENES.

Forenoon-It Is Expected that as Soon
as the Court Comes in This Afternoon
the Judge Will Give the Case to the
Jury-Cross Examination of Prawda
Yesterday-Court Begins at O'clock
This Forenoon.
The court room was crowded yesterday
morning long before the hour for the
beginning of the Prawda trial. Public
curiosity had been sharpened by the
reading of the testimony given Wednes-
day by Mrs. Prawda and by the accused
himself.
Prawda took the stand yesterday morn
ing with the same GOODNESS and uncon-
cerned air of confidence that he has dis
PLAYED throughout. Mr.. Chase began by
asking the witness about he arrangement
under which Mrs. Meyer lived at his
house Prawda did not know how much
she paid, as the whole transaction was
with his wife.
On the Sunday before the tragedy
Mrs. Meyer called the witness to her room
and told him that she intended to go on
Tuesday to the house of her son, Mr..
John j. Meyer. She wanted her room
repaired some. especially as regarded the
nauer. and told witness that she would
give him the money with which TO get
the needed paper.
Witness said that he had never had any
trouble with his mother-in-law. al
though there was sometimes little
tr able between her and his wife. Mrs.
Meyer had a short memory and frequent
ly put things away where she could not
find them. Then she would complain
that they were lost Sometimes his wife
would complain to him about this habit
of her mother, but he would say Moth
er is getting childish" Also often, when
Mrs. Meyer would thus lose things he
would jokingly say to her Annie took
it.n
Questioned as to the wads, the witness
denied that he had ever had paste
board wad such as the one found in the
yard after the shooting.
In regard to Constable Blake's state
ments, Prawda gave some testimony
UOAdiil5 w Pop oiiA1 PeAo ~ oA~S S> "
An Entirely New Light.
Witness testified that he did not tell
Blake that he was in the barn when he
heard the report, but told him that pre-
viously he had been in the barn doing
his chores, etc. Witness also denied posi-
lively that he had ever told Blake that
he did not 90 up to Mrs. Meyers room be-
fore going to Gerow's. 1t was true that he
had told Blake that night that he was
innocent, but it was because he had
looked through the barn door and seen
Blake searching the hay NOV. After
wards Blake asked him if he knew who
did it, and he had then told him that
he did not, and that he was an innocent
man.
Afterwards Blake called him into the
dining room and said: ave have been
very good friends. Can't you tell me
who did it?n In response to this witness
had again told him that he did not
know. and had protested that he was an
innocent man.
On Thanksgiving day, or about that
time, Blake had come to him and
Advised Him to Run Away.
To this witness says he replied: Mr..
Blake, what shall run away for? Here
1 am and you can come and get me any
day. I will never run away"
In regard to that part of Blake's testi-
mony wherein Prawda was represented
as saying he could tell something, but
did not want to accuse an innocen man,
the witness said that this had reference
to Clarence Moxcey, Blake asking il
Moxcey didn't do it. To this witness
replied that he did not wish to accuse
an innocent man.
In regard to the testimony of John
WEIGH to the effect that he (Prawda
had S aid by the roadside that he was il
the barn when the moist was heard, wit
RSGs testified that he had not said so.
Wclch had asked him where he was
and he said he was in the privy. WEIGH
asked where that was, and witness tol6
him it was behind the barn."
Pursuing the inquiry Mr.. Chase asked
"Have you ever. said to Tom Carey Tom
if I am arrested don't swear on me'?n
"Never.n
"Did you say: If I could find the mar
who did it would mark him as ht
marked mother'?"
81 did,"
Witness was then asked to explain
about the Moxcey gun. He said that ht
first knew of the loss of it on the Sun
day morning after it was lost Saturday
night. Clarence Moxcey himself TOLD
him of it. Witness saw Clarence going
across the field with his dog, and asked
him if he was going cunning. To this
Moxcey replied that he had no gun; that
it had been lost from the buggy or or
the road, or that Mrs. Moxcey had taker
it. Witness explained his presence in thu
field on the night the gun was lost by
explaining that he went after rop,
which he had left in the field where h'
had hitched his COW.
"Do you know anything about thu
loss of Clarence Moxcey's gun" asked
MIR. Chase.
No, sir.
Have you had it?"
Nc sir.
Have you seen it?"
No. sir, answered the witness, posi-
lively.
do you know who fired the shot tina
hit Mrs. Meyer on the 28th of last Novem
Der.
mo, sir" and then turning to tn
jury, Gentlemen of the jury, do no
know that, God is my witness"
Did you do it?" asked Mr.. Chase, sol
1