The Portland daily press., 1900-05-08
Bloody Thumb Marks on
Oil Can.
Cyrus Goodwin Able To Prove
An Alibi.
rsrrcrAL TO rHn rRxss.I


South Berwick, May 7.-1hs local au-
thorities and the two deputy sherins who
have been working on the Fannie
Sprague murder case have teen probing
clues today aud summoning witnesses for
tomorrows session Of the coroner's q IN
Quest. Frank Thomprou and Solomon
Cultcr OF Portsmouth were found iu that
city and were ordered to attend the In
quest tomorrow and give an account OF
their doings on day OF the murder. They
are nah peddlsrs, and they are said to
have nsen out OF town from Monday
night till Tuesday night.
Samuel Locke, the aged farmer at
hose house Mre. Sprague was employed
when she met her death, was again visited
by the officers today. the barn and out
houses searched and he was requested 70
make a third appearance before the coro-
rsr's jury.
The finding Of a bloody fngsr-print on
the handle OF kss osene can In his back
entry has given the officers another op-
portunity for conjecture. An unmistak-
able odor Of kerosene pervades the horse
stall In which IT, C partly burned body was
found. Lccke's overalls. which he was
questioned 50 SHARPLY about when he was
before the jury last Saturday. have been
found In the woods, just where he said
he had left them. There are no blood
stains on them.
Until teGay Mr.. Locke has been disln-
clinsd to make much talk outside Of the
Jury room. but to-day o reporter found
aim at home and lad q long interview
with him.
s'The morning of the murder left
| home about G. so and went into the woods
where had been chopping. l usually
carried my dinner; but that morning l
thought wouldn't. She seemed bent on
my taking my dinner, but told her
/ tiought 1t was going TO be o hot day, and
that would lay of awhile In the middis
Of the day, and would come home to din
nsr. said II she wanted to 60 out she
could do 90, es could get my own din
nsr.
81 was coming out Of the woods when ]
met the man whom the coroner had sent
to summon me. was thunder struck
when he told me Fannie was dead. when
got to the barn went into the tie-up
ana saw the body, then went on with the
constable. hunting for tracks. We tracked
the murderer from the baok door Of the
barn. through the lane, and down across
the sand hill to the railroad, I believe II
We could have had a couple OF blood
hounds to put on the trail Ne would have
captured the murderer"
Mr.. Locke was asked II he thought the
murderer was tramp or stranger. -
"Not bit Of IT." he replied. "Shs
didn't 20 out Int, that barn with =
tramp. My opinian Is that the m an.
whosysr he was, was we'll acquainted
with her, and with the premises too. !
bslieye he wasn't very far eff when
knight and Warren discovered the body.
for her clothing conduit have been burn.
ing more than few minsts."
"Had she said anything about expect
ing company that aayt"
s'No, but she had asked me ssveral
times what day of the weak May day
would bs. 6hs asked ,,pse that question N
Saturday, and stspp5d up to the calsn-
dar and marked dot over the date OF
May /. aud t,ld her she GOULD couht the
days as well rs 1. that Tuesday would be
the hrss day OF May. That morning
whsn st ,rted Tor WORK said to her, IL
q Ia ighiag way: 'This Is May day; let's
go Maying.'"
At t,is point in the ln.srvisw Select
man Durgin and Deputy Sheriff Spencer
drove into the yard. He looked out OF the
kitchen window. ard said: 81 wonder
waat they are sft,r now." He went to
the sd, door, took down q bar which