Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-10

brother would see to that, but he did
| not know who he would get. He
would make a defence at the trial but
/ did not then know what Between
! South Gardiner and Gardiner as the
train passed the Rolling Dam brook
ne was asked if that was where he left
the railroad for the highway and he
said he did not remember exactly. but
he thought it might be.
Witness asked where he went first i'm
Richmond and Knight told him to the
home of his brother Quin When ask
ed to estimate how far the RESPONDENT
had travelled on the night Of the mur-
der. Richards said about y miles
Knight had said something about kill
ing himself. He intended to kin him
self in the morning after he got home
and the officers were lucky. he said Ia
find him alive.
His little daughter was on the train
and gentleman came into the car and
told the witness that she wished to see
her father. Knight was told, but he
did not wish to see her then. as ~
could not stand it, When knights at
tention was called to the region near
the library in Gardiner and he was ask
ed if he came down through there he
replied that he thought So but wasn't
sure; he had gone where there was
lots OF snow. When asked if there was
any change in Knights appearance
when they neared Gardiner, the wit
ness said that he noticed that he
trembled some and appeared afraid
When the witness asked Knight
about going to South Gardiner, on
the afternoon Of the murder. he said
he did ii to fool Lizzie Small who saw
him.
Tht witness was given a most thor
ough cross-cxamination. The counsel
for the defence took the account Of the
respondents confession as published in
the Journal at the time. ana read sen
tence by sentence the conversation be |
tween Knight and the witness as ID was
reported, asking witness If ii was true
to the best of his recollection.
Court adjourned for dinner.
At O'Clock in the afternoon. the 4
cross-eXamination Of Mr.. Richards was
continued for three quarters Of an hour.
The object seemed to be to bring out
clearly all that the prisoner had said
to the witness and how he acted and
at the time Of the interview.
Frank Chase, clerk al the Evans ho-
tel of Gardiner. was next called He
said that man signed the register.
Feb IL. under the name of George
Stetson of Bath. Mrs Knight was
with him. They remained only a few
hours. They arrived in the afternoon
at about l o'clock. He said that the
respondent looked like the man he saw
at the hotel. although he was not sure
that it was Knight who signed the reg
lister
This closed the examination of the
witnesses for the government
Twenty-three witnesses We're sworn
by the defence. A short recess was
then taken and when court again open
I'd. Mr.. Heath. counsel for the defence.
made his opening address to the jury.
Of which the following is a brief alb
straCt:
From the questions asked by the
defence. and more perhaps from the re-
framing from asking questions. it has
doubtless been seen what the defence
would be. There can be no controver-
y over the fact that. on Feb. II. Mamie
Small was unlawfully killed by the re
spondent. From the influence Of the
tSlpliIS 'lbl ilittl W iit-ll tdlblldl IuIllSll-
ment existed in this State. the govern
mcnt has been compelled to take up
much time in the proof of obvious
facts. The prisoner claims insanity as
a defence He must prove it. The pre-
Of the law is that every man
is sane until he is proved insane
Whoever. then. who puts up this de
fence must prove it as civil issues are
proved. You are t. weigh the evidence
precisely as YOU would in a civil case.
The same rules apply.
While | agree with the county at
torney in many things, ! do not agree
With him in some of his statements of
the law. The principle which governs
such cases is not made up of fixed
rules. There is no branch of law where
jurists. judges. lecturers and authors
are more in doubt than they are over
the question as to where the dividing
line between sanity and insanity can
be drawn.
There is a well known rule in this
State which will be quoted doubtless
by the court. but it is not sufficiently
broad and comprehensive. / will not
quote law. but will handle facts. and
bring out clearly every one which can
throw any light on this case.
In law insanity and responsibility
are synonymous 1t is for you to deter
mine whether or not at the time the
shots We're fired the man was insane
according to the rule which will he
given you, not by the county attorney.
nor by me. but by the court.
You have nothing to do with the
The public interests are
safe in the hands of the court. The
verdict should be approached under
the assumption that it is final. In the
history of the State there has been
only one case of homicide where the
verdict has been set aside. The effect
on the prisoner does not interest you.
The truth should be sort for with no
thought of the results. If you find a
verdict of insane all the consequences
are in the hands of the law and the
respondent will be taken care Of
bradford T. Knight is a man about
A. years old, although he looks much
older. He was naturally social and of
a cheerful disposition. During the past
10 years, however he has been changed
by a mental disease. His mother was
insane for one year. A sister has been
insane and a brother has died in the
Insane hOspital In the fall of $50