The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-13
Sensational Letter From
Miss Warren.
Conclusion of the Evidence Was
Reached Yesterday.

Lewiston, May 12.-At the opening Of
the Pierce trial in the supreme court in
Auburn today two attendants at the
Maine insane hospital testified to their
observation of Pierce while at the institu-
tion.
Their testimony was that Pierce did
not speak during the 10 days of his con-
finement, but that in other ways there
was nothing unusual in his department..
He ate we'll and slept well after the first
night.
The day of.his departure:he asked for
permission to change his clothes and Of
his own FREQ will and accord prepared
his toilet.
Several letters were introduced ad-
dressed to Jacob Edwards of Boston.a d.
rector in the Hill mill, signed Fred M.
0arcelon, an overseer in the spinning
room of the mill accusing Agent ". D.
Penneli Of taking men out of the mill to
do his private work; also of using paint
and other property. for private purposes.
Other letters read implicated Agent
Pratt Of the Bates mill.
Mr.. Carvalho testified that the letters
were written by the same hand.
The sensation of the forenoon was the
reading of a paper as follows:
ST, Maud NJ. Warren agree to marry
George W.Pieroe as soon as he gets single
and turns the Reed family out.
"MAUD n. WARREN.
March 80. 's7.''
DIR. B. L. Sanborn,i superintendent of
the Maine insane hospital testified that
Pierce had been in his care for q week
prior to trial. The Doctor examined him
daily.but discovered nothing except nor
NAL conditions in his physical appearance
and state. Pierce maintained an apathe-
tic, stolid attitude for tho week and all
attempts Of the physician to elicit talk
failed. But on the last day of his stay he
voluntarily came out of his reserve, asked
for conference with the doctor concern
ing his case and said that he had decided
to keep silent during his stay In order
to discover what the doctors would decide
regarding his appearances, said his ooun-
sell had advised him to come to the asy.
lum and behave himself.
DR.. W. B. Lane of the South Boston in
sane hospital and DR.. G. B. Bancroft Of
the Concord, N. H., asylum testified re-
garding interviews with Pierce at the
county Jail this week. With Dr. Lane
Pierce was sullsn, abusive and bolster
GUS. He got the impression that DR..
| Bancroft was sent by his counsel, so the
physician testified, and talked freely and
! coherently, saying that he wanted to so
back to the Augusta asylum for they
treated bim better there. Nothing was
drawn frcm the evidence of these experts
to maintain the insanity plea. l.,
For the defense, DR.. Theodore Fisher of
Boston testified as an expert, that in his
opinion, allowing the truth OF the evil
dence offered, Pierce was insane when
he committed the crime of which he Is
accused. He testified that the prisoner
had persecutory mania or primary de.
lusion of insanity. He described at
length the characteristics of such insani-
ty.
DR.. Sanborn was recalled by the state
and testified that, admitting the evidence,
In his opinion the prisoner was not in
sane when he sent the poisoned whiskey
to Mr.. Teel. On GROSS examination the
witness testified there were many cases
of persecutory mania.
| Dr.. Lane testified that in his opinion
the prisoner was not and had not been
insane.
DR.. Bancroft gave similar testimony.
He gave as IL reason for his belief that
while delusions, such as the hearing of
bells and voices were always present in
primary delusion of insanity, there were
mono in the case of the prisoner.
| This concluded the evidence.
The final arguments will be made to-
morrow morning at 9.30 Each counsel
is allowed one and one-half hours.