The sun., 1897-02-06
SHELDON MURDER TRIAL,
THE PRIsOHER,s ELDEST DAusH.
TER TEsTIFIEs AGAINST mn
She Has Beeu Outspoken In the op,n,o,
That Her Father shot Her Mother
He Had Lost All Affection for III.
wtf. nad Lsvi,hed II on the Hired .IrI

she Has Bees Outspoken In the Op,p,o,
That Her Father Shot nrr Motb.r
Hs Had Lost All Affection for III.
wtf, .ad L-vished II on the Hired Girl.
AUBURN. N. V. Feb. 5.-Intense interest cen.
tired In the Sheldon murder trial to-day, frun
the fact that IL had gone out that May Sheldon.
eldest dau ghter OF the accused man, II pretty
girl Of ~ years. was to take the stand IN hehn.,
OF the people. Ever since the tragedy she bn,
been outspoken in tho opinion that her mother
never committed suicide and that her fathe,
was the only person who desired her death.
She has not RETAINED from declaring her grm
belief that he shot her.
The most amusing witness OF the trial thusfnr
wa, old Ben Teterly, but the point ciiciicu iro.,
him was nuite important In Its bearing pp,n
the web Of circumstantial evidence which III.
people are weaving. He lives near Il q She.don
farm and was IN tho habit of cutting n"ross lot,
unmolcstcd as he went by. lie was tax my ,hs
usual short route on the mornin ing OF tho tragedy
when he was sharply called to account by Shsl.
don and WAS ordered to go around the other
way. Sheldon drove away from the house soon
afterwnrd. and on meeting peddler. who lad
been IN the habit OF stopping at his house told
him not to stop that day. as his wife aid not
need anything. The people had proved hat
the household was out OF soap. and had intend.
cd to get some the next time this pedder inads
his rounds II ~ the theory OF the prosecution
that the victim lay dead upon the pantry floor
at this time. and that sheldon did not want the
body discovered until he had created All alb.
The morning session to-day was occupied BY
neiRhb bors Of tho Shcldons. who told what thcy
knew of their domestic relations. The tc.t.
rnony WAS not " general interest except that Of
Mrs Martha Remington. cousin OF the victim.
She arrived at the house soon after the tragedy.
kx.4w ,zh Ah. I...ls.. L..
pantry and saw blood stains on the floor. She
had some conversation with Sheldon. lie ap.
pearcd agitated. lie said. II don't see why
body didn't hear the shot. I don't see why
Powers, the pedd!cr. did not hear IT," She
asked why Powers did not come to the house
and Sheldon said he had told him not to come
that dav: Sheldon said III I p-rhap. the reason
powsrs did n 70. s, nssr the rS, wss 6eSHa;s ,h'
however that all the windows aud doors were
May sheldon WAS called to the stand late this
afternoon. She said she was II years OF age
AZ the time OF her mothers death .he wa. At
mothers health had been good. She wa. ever
cheerful and seemed much happier after Ellen
and went West without q word TO her mother,
posed that the Sullivan woman went with him.
in detail. all going To show that sheldon had
lost all affection for his wife and isvished 4
money TO kerr. so that when he wanted to u,es
little he had To ask her for IL.
May Sheldon also testified that she had seen
her father hug and kiss Ellen Sullivan In The
presence OF tho whole family. aud had oitea
seen him go To her room at night. His attitude
toward this woman was always Iovelike. willie
he was .urly aud often profane to her mother,
In a word. she said he treated the hired girl as
he should have treated his wife. She wns ques-
toned long and minutely on these point.
going over nearly her whole life on the
farm. Concerning the death OF her mother
Ia hr
say. as she was absent teaching school in
w eedsport at the time. Her last meeting with
her mother. when she kissed her good. by was
patheticaiiy told between sobs. Her story OF
her homecoming was equally pathetic. She
arrived q few hours after her mothers death
and, under the lawyers questioning. described
the condition Of things in tho blood stained
pantry and about the house. Her examination
occupied the afternoon session. and at its con-
clusion court adjourned until Monday.