The herald., 1894-03-27
THE TALK OF THE TOWN.
A Great Sensation in the
Heath Case.
Reel B. Terry Implicated in the
Murder.
An Important New Witness for the
Prosecution.
Mrs. Cora Palmer Makes n Startling Re.
VelatiOn-Hsath Greatly Agitstsd.
Terry Makes Public
Statement.
BY the Associated Press.


FRESNO, March 26.-The talk OF the
town this evening ie the testimony Of
Mrs. Palmer given at the Heath trial
this morning, duplicating Reel B.
Terry, formerly an attorney of this city,
and a bitter enemy of L. B. McWhirter,
in the murder of the latter. Her testi-
mony was a thunderbolt to the defense,
and all but those intimately connected
with the prosecution we're almost as
much surprised as the defense. Many
people recalled general rumor circu-
lated on the morning of the murder
that the "gang" had hand in it. and
they are now exultingly saying, II told
you so."
A peculiar part of this phase OF the
case Is that even the prosecution itself
was unaware OF the important evidence
within recah until last Friday. Mrs.
Palmer was seen by no peraon connected
with the prosecution till last Friday,
when she herself sent word to Mrs. Nc
Whirter to visit her at her home in
Washington colony, as che had some
thiog OF importance to communicate to
her.
Mrs. Palmer's recollection OF the Incl
dents of that tragic night was recalled
by the accidental finding in a rag bag
Thursday of mask and handkerchief,
saving them from the flames, and
which she had thrown aside, thinking
them of email Importance. as she sup
posed the men she met near McWhirter's
were merely incendiaries whose purpose
she had foiled.
The scene was etrikingiy dramatic
one, as the sick woman, propped up
on her pillows, with her nurse at her
side, was sworn. Her presence WAS q
surprse, and the whole court was ON
the qui vive to hear what she had to
say. She told how, after bringing her
husband in from Washington colony
and leaving him at the depot, she
started to go to Mrs. Nichols, a friend
living in the northern part OF the city,
to spend the night. While going along
N street she passed a buggy, in which
we're two men. They nearly collided,
and one man, whom she recogn zed as
Reel B. Terry, swore at her.
After she had driven short distance
in the direction from which the men
came, che noticed little fame in the
fox-tail along the sidewalk. A blaze at
budI blLAb Vi bHo JohE WOulu O6 Ohu-
gerous. So she stopped her phe on and
proceeded to stamp out the flames. AS
she did so her horse started. She stop
ped him and noticed that it was a hand
kerchief burning. She rolled 1t in her
hands to put out the flames. There was
with it a cloth and the witness exhib-
tied mask OF black cloth. rhs hand.
kerchief was of white silk and had great
holes burnt in it, but the part that at
tracted most attention was the mark In
the corner, "R. S. H." The rest of the
name was burned out by the flames.
Another point noted was that the black
cambria mack was OF the same material.
exactly, as the strings of the blue mask.
The witness described the horses and
buggy and the men seated therein. Dur
ing her testimony it was noticed that
Heath grew pale and troubled, clutching
at a table in front of him. On cross
examination Attorney Foote asked her
if the other man was Judge Harris, and
the witness answered positively no. She
was certain of Terry, however. She
stated she did not tell OF these things be-
fore because she was taken sick very
soon thereafter and left Freeno, while
the things she had put in her buggy
that night were thrown away by her
The cross examination was very rigid
and to some extent brutal, considering
the condition of the womsn. 1t is not
thought she can survive three months.
and this made her testimony all the
more impressive, her utterances being
the words OF dying woman.
Mrs.. Palmer came here IA years ago
from Michigan as the wife OF DR.,
Palmer, who bought property and
erected a comfortable house in Wash.
ington colony. She was his second
wife, and much younger than her hus.
band. She is woman of good educa-
tion and refinement, and is respected bv
her neighbora. The doctor was not
prosperous as farmer. and after few
years took place in a drug store in
San Francisco, and it was presumed the
final separation from his wife was the
result of domestic Misunderstanding.
After living alone with her son for sew
eral years she married printer by the
name of Boland sof dissolute habits,
from whom she has since been divol ced.
Mrs. Palmer is lady OF nervous tenn
permanent and some eccentrici.ies of
manner, but lady-like and bright and of
good reputation. II is believed by her
neighbors she is honest and sincere in
what she has said in connection with
the Heath trial.
A peculiar thing in connection with
Terry's alleged connection with the mAr.
der is that Judge Harris, McWhirter's
bitterest enemy. claims Terry slept with
him that night, and Terry will probably
put this forward as an albi.