The San Francisco call., 1897-02-13
BUTLER BEGINS
TO LOOK WEARY
Corroborative Evidence Is
Tightening the Web
Around Him.
Dramatic Blackboard Description
by Detective John
Roche.
A Sensational Incident That Fell F at
Many Austr allan Dispositions
Read.

Senior First-clsss Detective John Roche
of Sydney, New South Wales, had been on
the witneSs-stand about an hour yester-
day afternoon in the resum ption of the
examination OF Frank Butler, alias Har-
wood, alias Weller, etc, before United
States Commissioner Heacock, when At
torner Black suddenly assumed Thespian
posture, and with a sweeping gesture,
which terminated in pointing directly at
the prisoner. and ringing voice, inquired
as though it were a conclusion:
Then are you prepared to say what this
mans name ISL Can you say he is not Lee
Weller2"
The point was we'll made apparently
from evidence that Roche had just given.
The crowded courtroom was intensely
silent, awaiting the answer which GER
taiply involved the Blue Mounts mon
ster's identity.
Roche hesitated. Attorney Cormac
shifted in his chair and began to arise,
when the detective replied:
81 can't say what his name is. but he is
not the Lee Weller whom 1 knewW
And 1t is thus that most of the points
so far made by the accused's attorney
have tumbled down around the founda-
tion that was built for them. The other
testimony brought was substantially the
same as testified to previously.
The crowd around the Federal building
was much smaller than usual The pub
lie curiosity in Butler seems to be on the
wane and ready for new face tc gloat on.
The prisoner begins to show the effect
of imprisonment or worry. This was ap-
parent Yesterday to people who had not
seen him before. There are few fine
lines on his face and his eyes look weary
and anxious. 1t is still very rarely that
he allows any expression to creep into his
face.
When the case opened Attorney Dono-
hoe asked that the complaint and warrant
in the Arthur Preston case against the
prisoner be read, in order that the pris-
oner might be informed. He said that he
intended to take the murder charge up
next. He read them himself, going re-
peatedly over the names "Harwood, alias
Butler, alias S. BURGESS, alias Sampson,
alias Bair, alias Lee Weller. Though
these names were emphasized Butler
never WINGED.
The court-What is your true nameP
Butler, who had remained standing, as
ordered. during the reading of the official
papers, leaned over and consulted his at
torneys. Then he said:
Don't believe I'll answer" he said
quietly.
"You stand mute" said the court.
Butler sat down, ana Attorney Cormac
resumed tho reading of the derositions
discontinued last Wednesday. The depo-
sition of Louis Beebe Of Gienbrook, N. S.
W., told of seeing Weller and another
man whom he could not identity going
into the mountains, and the next day saw
Weller come out alone.
Peter Farrell deposed to finding some
waterproof clothing belonging to Weller
and to recovering il.
deposition OF Detective James McHat-
tie, dated November Is, was also read, tell
ing OF the discovery OF evidence, the iden-
tification Of Butler. which led up 10 the
suspicion of him as the murderer, which
has been so often related.
Attorney Block objected to the reading
of the deposition when McHattie was
present. The court overruled this, saying
he could cross-examine McHattie on the
deposition latet.
Robert Pay mes deposition was that he
was waterman at Newcastle and that he
pulled Butler out to the Swami Ida in his
boat. He identified the photograph lex
hibit Fl as the man he had pulled out.
and deposed further that Butler was very
anxious to receive the yalise, which had
dropped into the water. Weller, as Butler
claimed to be, told him he wan ted to go
to San Francisco.
Alfred John Hills deposition was to the
effect that he saw Butler in Newcastle
Move M ber 19, and that he showed him
gold bangle. He afterward in the sailors
clearinghouse, when he went into But