The Portland daily press., 1897-10-02
NEARING THE END.
Argument For Defense Made in
the Waite Trial.
CASE WILL BE GIVEN TO THE JURY
THIS AFTERNOON.

S@S>ASO@e
Evidence Of Various Kinds in the
Defense-For the Afternoon Mr.. Edwin
G. Heckbert Made an Able Argument
for His Clientele Dealt in Facts
Mainly But at Times Was Very
Eloquent.
The Waite case, which has proved to be
one Of the most interesting trials the
County of..Cumberland has seen for
years, is drawing to a close. In many
ways it is the most remarkable trial ever
known in the state. The evidence for the
state and defence has been very strong
and some of it has been of decidedly
sensational character. Some Of the stories
told on the witness stand can only be
duplicated inl the pages of the yellow
backed detective stories which SO many
people idle away time in reading. Both
sides of the case have put in their best
work and the result has been very in
| teresting trial.
Yesterday was taken up by little tes-
timony for the defense, little evidence
called in rebuttal and in the afternoon
Mr.. Edward E. Heckbert made his argu-
ment for the defense. He spoke for over
two hours and half and his effort was
a most praiseworthy and able one. He
told the jury what they wanted to be
told, facts. He relied little upon elo-
quence, though at times he was exceed
ingly eloquent. The case will probably
be given to the jury today. Waite shows
by his appearance that he is very conf
dent of being acquitted, though his ner-
vousness yesterday was more apparent
than it has been SO far during the trial
| When court came in at ten O'Clock yes
terday morning Waite, the respondent,
resumed the stand, and the cross exami-
nation was resumed
He was handed paper which he stated
was a card to place in the windows of
subscribers TO notify people thattheplaces
we're under the protection of the ''Port-
land Protective PATROL kThis card said
that the respondent had headquarters at
Benson's 8 stable. Witness said he did not
have headquarters at this stable. Neith-
er did he have authority from the police
to say the patrol was authorized by them.
! Witness was shown paper which he
said he signed at the reading room of the
Preble House the morning before his ar
rest. When he signed it there were Clark
and Stetson present and many other peo-
pie were in the room.
| Speaking of the check for S4OO made out
| in his name, Waite said he first saw it
Friday forenoon in Stetson's hands. The
signature and number of this check were
blank. Waite said he saw Stetson in his
room at a. m. Friday and went to the
Preble House about $50. He left the
hotel at 10. 40 o'clock. When in the hotel
! Stetson and Prichard were with him.
They spent their time talking about the
business which they wanted Waite to 60
| into
| 'sThe fur business2'' asked the County
| Attorney.
IT did not say what kind of business, u
said Waite. sA
He said 1t was business for the dyeine
of fur, but was not fur business. They
did not say to him that it was SNUG
Cling business. He left Stetson that
morning about eleven, and saw him
again in the afternoon. Waite had an
appointment with Stetson and Prichard
for the afternoon, but had no arrange
ment to meet them at the Preble House.
MONDAY afternoon said Waite, we
went out to Riverton Park, and went to
sail on the launch. On the front of the
launch was small whistle. / knew
there was no steam on the boat, and this
whistle was blown by compressed air.
said that had tried to invent such a
whistle once myself in order to place 1t
| on the steam fire engines. This was all
the talk we had about steam fire en-
gines.
NI told Stetson about my patrol system,
and how it had been started and failed.
I had no talk with Stetson about fires
while at Riverton. Coming home
on the car I had some talk about the
mysterious fires. 1 told him that had
been told by several people that was
suspected of setting these fires and ha6
/ told my W1l6 dDOlto ios A-AAo Ah1 WIN LAX
not to care, for II they suspected me i,
would give some other poor wretch (
rest. did not tell him that they didn'r
know 1 did it, and only suspected me o
setting the fires. He did not tell me tina
1 should be more careful and it was ,
great thing to start these mysterious fire
before the patrol scheme was started
Never told Brady that it would be goot
thing to so into the liquor business if
could get someone to run 1t for me.
"Saw Brady or Stetson, on Wednesda.
when was going to the reception OF tn
New Hampshire Board of Trade at th'
Falmouth. We had no talk. Saw hin
Thursday morning about nine o'clocl
land went into the house and up to hi
room with him. I waited there an hou
and half until Stetson and Prichar,
got through their talk. Prichard wa
there and explained to me about tn
bond. "A man IN the employ Of thi
company would be required to give
bond for his honesty because the mai
would be obi ged to handle large sums O
money and might be come possessed o
some of the secrets of the company s,