The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-05-14
SOUTH BERWICK CASE.
Slight Clue to the Sprague
Murder.
A Neighbor Now Under Han of sus-
picion.
sprc1AI 70 THE rREss.l

South Berwick, May 1s.-Ths corc.
ner's inquest In the Fannie Spragus muir
der case WAS reiumed today, thirteen
witnesses being examined. A lew OF
them had been on the stand before, but
most OF thsm were before the jury for the
first time. They are all residents Of South
Berwick Junction. In the nsiahborhood
OF the Knight barn. where the murder
occurred.
The list of Witnesses included; George
Wsrfen. Charles A. Thompson, Charles
Knight. Albert Perkins. Fremont K.
Littlefield, Edward II. knight. Charles
Meadsr. Samuel Wright. Mrs. Eiisa
knight, Mrs. Albert Perkins, Mrs. Fan
nile Warren, Mas Almsda knighs and
Miss Georgia knight.
They were all Questioned az to whether
they saw any body going toward the
knight farm on tho morning of the muir
der. There was some Testimony relative
10 q stranger who was seen walking
down the junction road, but the dsscrip-
lions OF his appearance did not agrea.
number Of the witnesses testified that
they cav Frank Rollins walking 10 that
direction, Just before seven O'Clock, and
that he returned on bicycle e, after The
tirs had teen discovered. Rollins had
faced tn, jury at previous session Of the
Inquest and had admitted that he went
past the knight far IN that morning.
The most Important feature OF today's
investigation was tbs discovery that the
oak stick found In the barn, aud which
was smeared with blood. showing that
1t was used In this ASA ult. was cross bar
from somebody's cord-wood cart One
end OF the bar appeared to have been
wrenched from the post. and q piece OF
1t is missing. after the adjournment Of
the inquest Deputy Sheriff Miles and one
OF the sslsetmsp started out on Q tour Of
the farms at the J unotion, on a hunt
for word cart with missing GROSS bar.
. A man living near the knight farm
is now suspected of doing the deed, and
1t looked ut one time during the day as
though a warrant would be issued for his
arrest. County Attorney Matthew'S aud
Coroner Ham, howe Fer. realizing full the
enormity Of the offense, felt that they
- NV SAoiHAhS AAeAo AoA&y Aoto WV ~ ossok
before an arrest was wads. The suE-
poet was seen in the Vicinity about seven
O'Clock on the morning of the murder
and was among the first to appear on the
scene af ter the deed was discovered. IL
Is alleged that he has had difficulty with
the Sprague woman in the past and that
he called upon her during the brief time
she was at Samuel Looke's. 1t 10 said
nat hs a,oountsd for b imsslf before the
coroner's jury between the hours OF seven
and ten on the day Of the murder hut that
he produced no evidence that anybody
saw him or that he saw anybody during
that time.
The inquest adjourned at As till next
Saturday. In order Co give County Attor-
nsy Matthews an opportunity 20 attend
to his Supreme court duties at Alfred.
Both he and Coroner Ham said this even
ing that they have not given up hope of
finding the murderer.
Samuel Locke, the aged farmer by
whom Mrs. Sprsgus was employed, said
today that be could tell more than he had
told in the jury room. but he guessed he
would wait till Judgment day, when
there will bs a Judge VINO will fad out
all about this mysterious case.