The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-20

| the cistern sufficient TO submerre the
oouies--the water In the cistern was Al
daily use by the household theretoforr
he took the handle of the cistern pumn
ana secreted it. BY some means or care
used not stain of blood had been left
On tne hoors. on the walls or furniture. in
/ the room where the killing was done mr.
on the way from that room. inside or ont
| side OF the house. on the way to the cis :
tern. The servant returned at about II
CLOCK. and slept in the house but heard
no noise, except a faint dream-like re-.
membrance Of hearing child cry. The
next morning at about o'clock he tapped
az the servants door, awakened her. re-
quested ner to rise and go to market a
tning she was not In the habit of doing.
He was not seen again until the servant
returned from market. On her return she
LOOK the teakettle, proposing to fill it with
water. and In taking hold OF it, made quite
noise, when defendant said to her: Don't
| use water from the cistern as n cat fell
in there last night" Some question about
the wife and children arose, when he said
! that he had had some trouble in the night
and had sent them to San Antonio on the
. O'Clock a. m. train, but that they would
be back on Tuesday or Wednesday, when
everything would be ready to go keeping
mouse at the Scott place. His breakfast
being prepared. defendant gave note to
| TIE servant to be carried to a cartman d.
recting him to go to the store of defend
ants brothers and procure and bring to the
house some boxes; he also gave her money
| TO buy some nails and bring to him all
| or which was done as directed and the
cartman was requested TO return at 3 or
o'clock. He ate his breakfast. After
| breakfast he sent the servant with a note
| to second hand furniture man to come
and look at the furniture and other house
mold effects. He came and looked at the
enects and asked the price wanted, and
was told $1o0, but finally agreed TO take
500. and, the trade was consummated at
those figures and the goods delivered Dur
Ing the day the bloody clothing sheets,
holsters and pillows and other blankets.
comforts-all more or less bloody--a
bloody Ratchet, the hats and bonnets of
the wife and miscellaneous clothing of the
children mot bloody. bloody cotton from a
mattress. portions of the ticking from
mattress. also bloody, We're all packed in
the packing boxes and Dailed up and AT 4
O'Clock delivered to the cartman to be
conveyed to the transportation office for
shipment from a fictitious person to a
fictitious person at Houston, Texas. Tho
addresses on the boxes were written in
feigned handwriting by defendant. During
the day he had various money transactions
with different persons. wrote various
notes. tore some up and others were de-
livered to the persons to whom written.
He was in or about the house the greater
part of the day. In the evening the milk
man came, whom defendant met at the
door and said this is the milkman. got a
pitcher for milk and told him tho family
had moved to 912 Rio Grande street (there
being no such street number) and that the
next day he, the milkman, would find In
the milk pitcher two tickets instead OF one.
AT that time he appeared weary, as IL
having been hard at work, in shirt sleeves,
breathing hard and face flushed. He packed
three yaliseS and put them in the back
premises Of the next house during the
evening. Later In the evening toward night
he went to hotel. ate supper, went TO
barber shop and was shaved. returned to
the hotel and played checkers until toward
train time. Did not conceal the fact that
he was on the eve of departure; to one he
said he was going to Dallas, TO another
to San Antonio to another Georgetown, 10
another Dallas or Fort Worth. At the time
named he went TO the places where he had
deposited his valises obtained them. and
made his way to the depot; remained In, ut
and around the depot until the train came
in at about II 40 p. NJ. Did not buy ticket
to Chicago: boarded the train, rode on IL
in seat with a party whom he knew and
who knew him. conversed on Indifferent
subjects. He was apprchended In Chicago
about thirty days thereafter and extradited
for trial on charge of having murdered
his wife and children At the time OF the
murders he was out of business, without
any ready means judgment of forcible de-
tainer had been rendered against him for
the possession OF the house in which he
lived; process to GUST him was in the
hands OF an officer. and the 9th of July
was the last day he had permission OF
the owner TO remain on the premises. At no
time anterior to said Gath OF July, nor on /
that day nor the day subsequent thereto f,
did he. TO many friends and acquaintance |
and those with whom he transacted bust
ness. present a demeanor, appearance. |
habits or conversation different to what |
was usual to him. On the foregoing hypo- |
thetical case the prosecution put the fol- |
lowing question to the Witness GTaking |
the foregoing recitation OF facts to be true. |
you will please state whether In your
opinion the defendant. W. Il. Burt. was
sane or insane on the Gath day OF July
1867"
in INV opinion on the fact stated the
defendant. W. e. Burt was sane on the
night of the 2itk OF July. 1896
The State then prcpounded to the wilt
,ess the following hypothetical question
doctor in addition to what have stated
n Won in my last question as facts, take
he following fstcts to be true also; that
he defendants mother in the latter part OF
Ter pregnancy with him was violent and
had to be restrained and guarded, and
hat his grandfather on has mothers sue
vas adjudged insane by the court ana was
confined In an asylum, but was Donus.
ut and had guardian for three s ye's waa ana
Mild ahouf years old he stole purse
vii, 81 or S. in ii. put the money under
/. rock so II would rot and turn 20 ,,, eniu,
nd afterwards sold the purse ana money
nv Of cents: and "a short time after tnat
e took a white rabbit belonging 70 nl a
'rother and drove io,penny naii .n rnmpd
-, Ala &, because he wanted to see how
he rabbit made and "a w as sasa,o
NV. 49,, mi confessed that he did
o ons In his lie after thai he was cheer En-.
IL but later became mor ss.hs sna whsn ne
= hous III years old he went 10 Ut