The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-10
Many Witnesses Tell About
Pier Arson Case.
WhitfOrd and Hazard Give
Damaging Testimony.
Saw Man Who Resembled Wat
son and Answered in his Voice,


Watson, charged with burglary and at
tempted arson, was resumed in the Second
District Court at Wakefield this morning
at o clock. Judge Lewis presided The
witnesses at the hearing last Friday had
testified TO the apparent attempt to fire
the Continental Hotel Mt Narragansett
Pier on the night Of April 2S The man
who had broken into the hotel was seen
on the promises and he had been fired at
with IA revolver in the hands of Mr.. Gar
rie the winter keeper of the hotel Frank
Watson had been seen by several persons
at the Pier at 3 o'clock in the morning
about tho time the pistol shots were fired
at the hotel. He was seen going in the
direction Of his drug store where his
horse had been left standing since mid
night. Watson could be seen and not
heard as he had on tennis shoes. He was
stopped by policeman, who, with Mr..
Knowles and Mr. Quinn, two life savers
at the Narragansett Pier station, identified
the rapidly moving man as Frank Wat
son. Other witnesses testified To the in
crease OF the insurance on the hotel by
Frank Watson, who Is a nephew Of Alb
bic Watson, part owner In the hotel. The
hammer which was found in the hotel
and presumed to be used in forcing the
entrance was identified as belonging 10
Watson. This was the extent of the testi-
mony up TO the beginning of the second
day of the trial this morning. There were
several discrepancies in the testimony
and the defence are endeavoring to get as
much as possible from the prosecution.
A Life Saver Testifies.
The first witness today was Frederick
A. Whitford of Narragansett Pier life
saving crew. He said that he was patrol
ing during the l2-4 o'clock watch and was
at the station at 3 O'Clock while the
Casino clock was striking the hour. He
heard pistol shot. Then he heard two
more reports and saw the flashes from
the revolver.
Later he saw man coming along
Mathewson street toward Clarks block.
He was coming very still and seemed TO
be in his stocking feet. The witness, in
company with Mr. Quinn, and Mr..
Knowles, heard the man reply to chal-
lenge TO stop. IL sounded like the voice
of Frank Watson. The testimony Of this
witness corroborated that given by other
witnesses at the hearing last Friday. 1t
was to the effect that the size Of the man
was about that'of Mr. Watson. Daylight
was heaving and the outline OF the man
could be seen quite distinctly
In cross examination Lawyer Crafts for
the defense attempted TO make 2the wit
ness say that 10 was too dark to see the
man plainly, but the court informed the
defense that the witness had stated that
he could have seen the man coming down
Mathewson street If he had been looking
in the right direction. :. The kwitness
could not swear that the man was Frank
Watson. 1t was too dark to be sure of
the identity of the man, but he thought
that the man was Frank Watson.
A NOis. in WatsOn'S Barn.
Edward w. Hazard of Peace Dale, who
lives within 80 or 80 yards of Frank Wat
sons house testified that he heard noise
that seemed TO come from Watson's barn
on the morning in question. The time
was about 800 o'clock. He heard another
sonnd as if "a horse was at the watering
trough He then heard 2 the team as
though IL was being driven north.
In cross examination Mr.. Crafts at
tempted 10 make the witness say that the
sound was in certain key, that the
floor of the barn gave sound something
similar to that produced by dropping a
penny into a nickel-in.the-slot machine
prosecuting attorney and there was an
exchange of opinion regarding the legal
Information in possession OF the gentle
man on the opposite side.
She said that Frank Watson went into
the hotel later in the day In company with
William Watson. They came into the
hotel through u window under the piazza
Watson was there in relation to the insur-
ance. They had right there as the
property was owned 10y the family. Wit
ness SAID that the smell on the pantry
stairs was like that coming from naphtha
In cross-examination the witness said
that she heard feet on the'piazza steps and
did.not hear any knocking on the doors.
The witness in anwer to the question
whether she saw any indication thnt an
attempt had been made To set thelh tel on
fire, said that she saw burned matcnes.
There was nothing else burned
Charles Lamphier conductor on the
Narragansett Pier Railroad, who lives at
at 3:i5 o'clock on the morning of April
% He heard team being driven rapidly
in front of his house toward Wakefield.
Saw Horse and Buggy.
Henry Murdoch Of Peace Dale. night
policeman, testified tnat at 3:i0 O'Clock
on that Thursday morning he saw "A horse
and buggy coming up the east road from
the direction Of Narragansett Pier.
There was only one person In the buggy.
Mrs Elizabeth Carrie who lived az the
Continental Hotel on the 2Sth Of April
and was housekccper, gave "a description
of tho rooms occupied by herself and
husband. i'm the Continental Hotel and
told of what happened on that Thur sday
morning. She was awakened about ,
o'clock by hearing her husband strike a
match AT o'clock she heard sound
as NJ something heavy being drawn over
the floor, and the dog barkcd loudly.
The witness told of tho various things
that happened and corrobcrated the testi-
munysgiven by her husband last Friday
when hc was the first witness I'm the ex-
animation.
John Herbert Oatley of Rocky Brook,
Peace Dale testified that he heard "A
team as Il was driven into Frank Wat
sons 5 barn ON the Thursday morning i'm
question between 3 and 4 O'Clock. He
could not swear that the sound came
from Watson's barn.
Testimony From the Records.
Herbert Caswell, clerk OF court in