The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-02-13
Freddie Sprague's Story Contro'
verted by Witnesses.
Prof. Robinson Says Dried Human Blood
COuIdn't BE Detected.

| large amount of evidence was put In.
The defense Will undoubtedly rest to-
morrow, as all the important witnesses
have given their testimony. A verdict
may not come, however. much before
Saturday.
Miss Almeda ]. Knight, a sister OF the
defendant, the owner OF the Florence j..
knight place, was the first witness called
after the opening of court. She testified
that she knew Fannie Sprague and that
the latter went to work for Samuel
Locke about April 2lst. Witness had
objected to Fannie Sprague taking resi-
dSnos on her property while Samuel
Locke lived there. The knife used as
state s evidence aud said to have been
the instrument with which the murder
was committed, witness stated she found
on the sink At about 80 ON the morning
OF May lst, and after having cleared and
wiped the knife abe returned 1t to the
place where found. 1t was used again
by witness at about $50. witness saw
her brother return from the pond pasture
having In his hand pail OF nails and a
hammer.
Cross-exAmined, witness was olossly
questioned as to why she was led to be-
lieve the knife had any connection with
the crime. Witness answered that the
questions asked her by the officer
aroused her to believe her brother was
suspected and she then recalled that ne
did not have the knife alleged to have
been used.
4 Charles Meader, the teamster employed
by the defenant, took the stand. Witness
had worked for the defendant since
January, 1900. Provision had been made
to take the old wood cart, now before the
court, TO Shaplsigh, about the middIs OF
April. Witness repaired some defects
In the pond pasture fence, but left ssv-
eral rails down. Witness recognized somt
portions OF the rails used as state evi-
dence as similar to the rails broken out
OF the old wooden cart. witness did not
recognize the blood-stained oak piect
shown him.
On the morning of May let. witness
the horse barn for the loan OF knife
with which to clean fish. The request
was granted and after having used the
knife witness laid 1t on the sink In his
employer house. Witness knew OF the
plans made to visit ShapIeigh on May
I'd.
Crosx-examined witness traced on the
chart the exact route he took when he
repaired the pasture fence ON the day in
question. He described what repairs he
made. Confronted by the evidence sub.
mittsd at the coroner jury, witness was
not positive on certain points as to JUS
what repairs he had made, but the places
where testimony read that frost pre-
vented his driving stakes, witness re-
called precisely.
The cross-examination was very lengthy
and rigid as to the breaking of the
rounds from the Old wood cart and wit
ness was confronted by his testimony,
in point, given at the ooronsr's inquest.
Witness accounted for the fact that his
remembrance was more vivid now as to
the size OF the oross-rail than at the time
OF the first inquest because he had py
reason of the many cross questions put
him about 1t he become educated"
to 1t. Witness again was uncertain
whether his direct examination was
absolute when the testimony he gave at
the ooroner's inquest was read to him.
Witness could not tell the time when de /.
fendant told him of having pct new
handles in the psavy used to roll logs,
nor could he rem amber of having been
asked by any officer as to the whereabouts
OF the instrument.
After brief recess, James W. Hobbs
took the stand. He was present at the
scene of the murder about an hour pre-
vious to the removal OF the body from
the Florence ]. Knight barn. Witness is