The Portland daily press., 1895-02-21
DEFENDANT ON THE STAND.
Macpherson Testifies That He Was
Not Near the FinsOn Place.
Argument for the Defense Was Made
Yesterday Afternoon-TestimonyT That
Hired Man May Have Caused the
Finson Fire.
Especial to the PRESS.

=
Bangor, Me-, February 2o.-P.H.Gi
len, Esq.,, made the opening argument
for the defense in the MCPHERSON trial.
He said that all the evidence that the
government has produced that bears up
on the issue is the statement of the re-
spondent himself that he was past the
buildings of Sumner J. Finson on the
night Of the fire, and that we admit
with both hands. Mr.. GiIlen said he
would show the route by which McPher-
son started on that night was the same
which he always took, and that which
any one would take who was travelling
to tine station. That when he turned
down the Finson road he was asleep, He
said he had a witness who would testify
that he met Mcpherson at 10 O'Clock, 10
or 1S miles from Bangor, going at the
rate OF two miles an hour, and sound
asleep. He was not in the vicinity Of
the Finson house when the fire started,
and couldn't have done the deed if the
wanted to.
Andrew Grant testified that on the af-
ternoon preceding the evening of the fire
Mcpherson was at his boarding house,
and that at he started for Stetaon.
GO. Simpson and George F. Neddiu of
Stetson, testified that they remembers
seeing McPherson in Stetson the night
of August 8, 1894, the night when the
Cook boy says he. saw the prisoner prowl-
ing around Finson's buildings in North
| Bangor.
Charles E. Abbey, an Exeter farmer,
| testified that he met Mcpherson on the
night of the fire about l3 miles from
Bangor. 1t was about .. M, when
they met. Three or four other witnesses
testified regarding McPherson's habits,
and just before dinner the prisoner took
| the stand.
He said that he was 35 years of age,
and was married in 1888. He said he
brought into town the day Of the fire
a load OF apples, and he also met sis
| ter from Massachusetts,, who telsgraphed
him that she WAS g DING through to her
home, and he went down to the Maine
| Central depot to meet her. He rode in
the train wlth.her to the next depot, and
then went to the Grant house to see his
| brother, who was lame, and not feeling
we'll. The clock vas striking 9 when he
left for home on the night of the fire.
He was unable to state in what part of
the cart he loaded the tobacco. He
stated that before ne finally left for
good he stopped at Dunham's saloon and
bought glass of beer, and it was this
one and only glass OF liquor he had
drank that day. In going home the
witness stated that he first entered Court
street, and then finally got into Ohio
street. He fell asleep soon after starting
and did not wake up until he found
himself in a dilemma in Beams yard.
L Al L..
tree." said he, "and as soon as I realized
the situation, unloaded part Of my
things, and then called at the house of a
| a man / have since learned was MI. Bean.
He didn't like it because l called him
| up. and he said something about being
disturbed by id tramp. | asked him
| for a lantern, and after some delay he
finally came. but without one and helped
| ME to get started again. l was intend
| ing to cross the Davis road, but I got
beyond, and afterwards came hack.
When I turned around I rrotted the
horse back pretty lively, and on my
right saw a light in house. It waa
an awful dark night" II fell asleep two
OF three times on the road, and was
awakened at different times by passers-
by, on the road. Don't know what time
I got home to Mr.. Goodwin's. l was at
the Finson place just seven times. I was
| there the last time on election day.
didn't know that my wife was there at
| the time of the fire, and the last time
called she was washinx dishes. She al
ways happened to be washing dishes
when called, and we had some CONVEX
sation about her going to Massach husetts
to work in straw shop. but I didn't
think it good plan. We had some talk
about our separating. and asked her if
she wouldn't come to live with mo
again, and she said it was only on ac-
count of Charlie that I wanted her to
live with me. She said didn't care
enough about..her to provide for her, and
we had some talk about divor ce, and
I said if she would get bill of divorce
would pay for it. We didn't have much
talk about it afterwards.
Testimony was introduced to show
that Emery, Mr.. Finson's hired man,
| W no went out to milk the cows on the
night of the fire, was a smoker, and
might have set fire from the falling ashes.
Shortly after O'Clock, Colonel Hutch
ings announced that all the testimony
was in. and he began his argument TOR
the defense.
ecH p. r PETTIGREM pEpcprE1