The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-05

champion had - DIS poseeelonf ne nau
accounted for purchases Amounting 70
Mr. Haley closed at Ills, after having
spoken Just three hours and i've minutes.
MR.. MATTHEws's ARGUMENT.
After brief recess, County Attorney
Matthews began his argument for the
state. He said he would consider the case
In three parts; first, that Elsie M. Horne
was dead; second. that her death was
due to criminal agency, and third, tnat
the respondent, George X. champion
committed the crime. He claimed that
/ eli the evidence in the case indicated that
a crime had been committed, saying 10
was most improbable that four persons
should meet their death by burning with
out being sufficiently awakened by the
smoke to make some effort to leave their
beds.
Referring to the testimony Of DR..
Leavitt, he said the doctor was we'll
known in the community as truthful
man, and he urged the jury TO take no
notice OF what he termed an attempt
upon the part of counsel for the defense
| TO make DIR. sLeavitt appear In the light
OF an untruthful and deceptive witness.
| he said counsel for the defence had asked
them to doubt the word or DIR. Leavitt
but urged them to accept without ques-
tion the statements Of Champion, ana
said he would leave it with them which
| they should accept as truthful,
| He said the circumstances of the lind
ing OF the bodies and their condition as
described by Drs. Leayitt and Dearborne
were witnessed with their own eyes.
| while the testimony OF DIR. Emerson was
based entirely on superstition. Unless
those who had been and examined tine
bodies OF the victims had falsifed, he
said, there was no doubt but swhat
murder mad been committed. 1t was
peculiar coincidence, he said, that II the
| Injuries were sustained as the result OF
accident, that all the wounds were oil.
rectly over vital parts.
MIR. Matthews claimed 1t had been
proven that Geore Goodwin owned two
| watches which after the tragedy were
known to be in the possession OF the pris-
oner. He claimed that while riding from
Union to Pennington, N. h., with Nv
eryman Stevens champion told his COM
panion that he had recently "swapped
watch chains and feared he had been
cheated, and that during the drive he
looked back frequently as II fearing pur-
suit.
Court came In at two O'Clock after an
hour for lunch and County Attorney
Matthews at onos continued his argu-
ment for the State. He first took up the
question OF the money seen by different
witnesses. He said it was proven that
Champion paid for his first drink at the
Central House with $40 bill while the
clerk at the clothing store where Cham
pion pull chased the white shirt also
claims TO have seen bill of that denomi-
nation in the hands of the respondent.
This, the county attorney claimed, proved
that Champion was in possession OF at
| least $50 when he arrived at Pennington
on the morning following the murder.
In regard to the shoes alleged to have
been the property of Scott Goodwin and
which were found upon Champions feet
/ -hs.r, ha MAtfhRNFa
the evidence showed that but four pairs
of this particular size and style had ever
been manufactured. Two pairs had been
shipped to the Newiield merchant, Dem
erett, ana had been sold in turn to DIR.
Leayitt and Scott Goodwin. Mr.. Mat
thews called attention to the fact that
the shoes had been identified as Scott
ioodwin's by peculiar mark on the toe
OF the left shoe and asked the jury II II
were likely that either OF the other two
pairs unaccounted for would possess ex-
actly the same kind of mark In exactly
the same place. He said Champion adj
mitted having erased the mark because
he wanted to exchange shoes with fell
| low prisoner who wore smaller size. He
asked the jury what Champion could
have wanted of size smaller than nine,
when that was his regular size.
He called attention to the testimony
OF the Pennington clerk who said CHAR
| pion told him he had the nose bleed at
the hotel the night before. In this con-
nection the county attorney recalled
Chief Watts statement that Champion
| told him he got his undershirt soiled from
having a severe nossbleed before leaving
Boston. He asked the jury which of
these stories they were going to accept
as fact. Regarding the blood stained
shirt, the county attorney said there had
been ample proof that the sJains could
not possibly have been received from any
| Of N "a
must have come from direction st right
angles with the bosom. He recalled DIR.
| Angeles testimony that certain parts OF
the shirt showed evidence OF contact with
bloody implement, and spoke OF the
hlament of feathers which the chemist
testified to having found In one OF the
| bloodclots. Finally, after having reviewed
most of the strong points In his case,
the attorney finished his argument at AS.
THE JUDGES CHARGE.
After a brief recess, Judge Andrew p.
| Wiswell, before whom the case is being
tried, began his summing up of the evil
dencs and charge to the jury. This occu-
pied an hour and a half. Judge Wiswell
reminded the jury that 1t was their first
duty to determine whether or not a muir
der had been committed, and after deter
mining this beyond doubt they should
90 further and decide whether George II.
Champion was the person who committed
the crime. He told the jurymen they
should consider the bloodstained gar
ments as much as they saw lit and should
also recall the prisoners conduct before
and after the alleged murder. They should
| carefully heed every suggestion from
| counsel on both sides and give due DELHI
Grafton to the questions presented to
them.
The blood stained garments and other
exhibits were then taken to u private
room ana at 4.80 Judge Wiswell ended
his charge and gave the case into the
hands of the jury. immediately after this
recess was taken until the jury should
have reported.