Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-13

MISS Almira j. knight, a sister of the
defendant, the owner Of the Florence J.
knight place. was the first witness call
ed after the opening Of court, Tuesday
She testified that she knew Fannie
Sprague and that the latter went to
work for Samuel Locke about April q
last. Witness had objected to Fannie
Sprague taking residence on her prop
erty while Samuel Locke lived there.
The knife used as States evidence and
said to have been the instrument with
which the murder was committed wit
ness stated she found on the sink at
about $50 on the morning of May l.
and after having cleaned and wiped the
knife she returned it to the same place
where found. 1t was used again by wit
ness 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 closely
questioned as to why she was led to
believe the knife had any connection
with the crime. Witness answered that
the questions asked her by the officers
caused her to believe her brother was
suspected and she then recalled that
she did not have the knife alleged to
have been used.
Charles Meader, the teamster enI-
ployed by the defendant. took the
stand. Witness had worked for de-
PENDANT since January. 1900. Provision
had been made to take the old wood
cart now before the court to Shapleish
about the middle of April. Witness re
paired some defects in the Pond pas
ture fence but left several lengths
down. Witness recognized some por-
tons of the rails used as States evil
dence as similar to the rails broken
out of the old wood cart. Witness did
not recognize the blood stained oak
piece shown him.
On the morning of May l. witness
asked defendant while latter was in the
horse barn for the loan of a knife with
granted and after having used the knife
witness laid it on the sink in his en-
ployer's house. Witness knew of the
plans made to visit Shapleigh on May 2.
Cross-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 re-
pairs he made. Confronted by the evil
dence submitted at the cornorer'S jury,
witness was not positive on certain
points as just what repairs he had
made, but the places where testimony
read that frost prevented his driving
stakes, witness recalled precisely.
The cross-examination was very
rigid as to the breaking of the rounds
from the old wood cart and witness
was confronted by his testimony, IN
pOint. given at the cOrOner'S inquest.
Witness accounted for the fact that his
was more vivid now as to
the size of the cross rails than at the
time OF the first inquest because he had.
by reason of the many cross questions
nut him about it he had become "edu-
Gated" TO it, Witness again was I'M
whether his direct examination
was absolute when the testimony he
gave at the coroner's inquest was read
To him. Witness could not tell the time
when defendant told him of having
mt a new handle in the peavey used to
roll logs nor could he remember of hav
ing been asked by any officer as to the
whereabouts of the instrument.
After a brief recess James w. Hobbs
took the stand. He was present at the
SCENE of the murder about an hour
previous to the removal of the body
from the Florence J. knight barn. Wit
ness is an insurance agent and investi
oates the causes of fires of property in
sured by him. A question by Attorney
higgins as to how long witness thought
the fire had burned, was excluded by
Jndse Powers. There We're two holes
Continued on page g.