Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-14
The MURDERER'S KNIFE
FOUND BURIED YESTERDAY WITH
BLOOD UPON IT.
Farmers Mother, Mrs. Dan Prince, Dis
closed its Hiding Plscs and That lie
Was at Her House Monday Night
and Washed His Hands.

While the humble funeral of the MUIR
Hered colored woman, Agnes Willis, was in
progress yesterday afternoon at the home
IT her sister on Champlain street, Chief
OF Police Smith and Sheriff Thomas
reeves were plying Mrs. Dan Prince the
mother of Gilbert Farmer the man in Jail
rhaiged with the crime, with questions in
the hope of securing the knife with which
we deed was done. Before the first earth
clod had fallen upon the coffin box at Lake
lew cemete.y the knife with which the
dead woman was killed was in the hands
or the officers with the blood stains still
upon 1t. The knife was found buried in
an clubhouse where 1t had been co,lfessedly
placed by Farmers mother She admit
ted to the officers yesterday that Farmer
came to her with the knife between ! ard
S'5O O'Clock, washed his hands and gave
her the knife, telling her to pat it wnere
IL could not be found. The finding of the
KNIFE is the only important development
IN the investigator during the last "a
hours
fhfly yesterday morning Chief Smith
went to the Jail and had n long conversa-
tlon with Farmer. Later in the forenoon
nc again saw him. Tho outcome of these
visits to the Jail was the decision to take
fainer to tho home OF his mother on La
fountain street, where he was to procure
the Knife which was used by Mrs. Louise
La Cruso in cutting the chicken on Mon
day afternoon. Later it was decided that
inc chief and Sheriff Reeves should go to
the house ind talk with Mrs. Prince be-
lore taking Farmer out.
Tho two o.hcers drove to the house in
Shcrin Reeves team. Mrs Prince was
there but did not appear glad TO see the
callers. For some time she steadily de-
MED any KIN } ,,ledge of a knife of any sort
ether than the one secured by the chief
there on the preceding day. This knife,
1t is now believed she placed In the bureau
drawer as "A hoax. After little the on-
Gers told Mrs. Prince that unless she told
where the knife was hidden and at once
that she would be taken to jail and i'm
lrisoned on the ground that she was
shielding Farmer 10y refusing to give up
the knife which he left there and with
which Mrs. Willis was murdered This did
not bring the woman to Cnfc ssion of
the sacreting of the knife and Sheriff
Reeves told her that she might go out Of
the house and get into his wagon and go
to Jail or tell where the knife was hidden
and THAI at once. The preparations for
her removal to Jail weakened Mrs. Prince
ana she admitted that she had a knife but
that she had thrown it ont in a pail Of
Stops. This did not satisfy the officers. on
a renewal of the threat OF taking her to
jail she then agreed to disclose where tile
knife was buried in the clubhouse. She
then accompanied Sheriff Reeves to tho
outhuilding while Chief Smith remained
inside to guard against the removal of the
knife If ii were concealed in the house.
In the outbuilding Mrs. Prince indicated
where the knife was buried and the Sher-
If dug it from the earth.
The knife is pocket knife. a litt!e
larger than those usually carried The
large blade is shaped after the style of 10
clip point or similar to dirk knife while
the blade about an inch from the point
seems to hollow inward, forming sort
II stained blood
after having been thCown into the $ op
pail, washed and buried on the wooden
handle We're found distinct marks of the
bloody fingers of the murderer. while in
side the case and at the connection of the
blade and handle the stains could easily
be made out The knife was taken TO the
State Laboratory Of hygiepe, where the
stains will be examined in order to
tabish beyond al doubt thcig nature.
Under the discovery of the knife and the
sharp questioning, Mrs. Prince tod how
Farmer came to the house in the evening
and after washing his hands and giving
her the knife to take care of had gone
directly out again, This she has previous
y denied
The prisoner at the Jail retains his wood
an attitude and eats and sleeps well. What
little information lie gives out Is in an
swer TO carefully worded questions and
thou at best but little at a time Tho
progress of the case yesterday was eX-
CclCnt and the finding of the knife estab-
fishes a cue which will not easily be over
thrown. Its Importance appeared at once
to the attorney of the Ieisoner, j. F. CuSh-
man. who went almost directly to the Jail
after hearing the news. The curtains and
blood-staincd articles from the Willis bed
room, whore the woman was killed, were
secured yesterday.
The funeral was held yesterday after
noon at o'clock from The home of sis
ter of the murdered woman, Mrs. Eva
Carsaw of South Chanp.ain street. The
house was crowded with the friends and
neghbors of the deceased, hoth colorcd
and white, ana outside the house the
street was lined with people foc block
in each direction The casket was plain
black one with silver handles and rested
in the parior where the remains could be
viewed On the caSket were several
lunches of flowers sent hy people who had
employed Mrs. Wills and become ac-
quainted with her in that way. Rev. G.
l.. Hall oficiatcd and music was furnished
by members of the Adams Mission choir.
The bearers We're Edward f. Hamilton,
Herbert McDurfee, Edward Ounley, Chas .
Mount, William Frisby and L. W. Free
man. The interment was in Lake View
cemetery, whittier the remains were es-
cort d by procession of ten teams