The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03

PROVIDENCE, r. l.. Feb. 1.-The CEN
tire OF interest in the Fosburg tragedy,
which heretofore has been in PittsaeId,
has shifted to this city. Under the guild
ance of Seneca n. Taylor. one OF the Lead
ing members of the Missouri bar. the F'os-
burg family will make determined effort
to force to an immediate trial the charge
against the son that he killed his sister.
In order that the defence may be ready
to proceed at the earliest possible no
ment. Attorney Taylor is endeavoring as
knowledge of every detail of information
that can be utilized In demonstrating the
innocence of the accused man. To this
end he came to this city yesterday after
noon, accompanied by Mrs. Robert l.. Fcs-
burg, the mother of the young man, for
the purpose of holding a conference with
Miss Bertha Sheldon.
They called at the home of the Sheldon
family last evening Miss Sheldon was
not, at home, but the visitors were in
formed that she would meet Mr.. Taylor
in the morning. Mr.. Taylor took up the
case through deep personal friendship
for the Fosburg family. Attorney Taylor
and Mrs Robert L. 'Fosburg had a talk
gram drawn to a scale indicating the rel
alive positions of the rooms and the hall
of the second floor of the Fosburg home
in Pittsfield were submitted to her. she
recognized the locations of the several
rooms and stated that they were correctly
marked as to occupants on the night OF
the murder.
Mr.. Taylor told her that he desired to
obtain an accurate statement OF her re-
IL. i'll
her stay in Pittsheld, together with
detailed statement of all that occurred
on that night. 1t is probable that the
evidence of Miss Sheldon will be sub
mitted at the trial in the form of an afii
davit. Mr.. Taylor had her make a sworn
statement in detail for this purpose.
On his return to the hotel, Mr.. Taylor
said he had taken an affidavit in which
Miss Sheldon had given, just such an ac-
count OF the affair as he had supposed she
would. He said she spoke earnestly OF
tho love and devotion in the house as ex-
ceptionally noteworthy. She corroborated
the statements of Mr.. and Mrs Fosburg.
ST.. in every particular regarding the de-
tails, and the much talked Of discrepancies
were found to be mythical. He said fur
Their that Miss Sheldon declared that from
her knowledge of the home and its in
mates. it was absurd to say Robert Fcs-
burg. jr.. killed his sister She said she
did not see any shot fired, nor did she see
any Of the burglars, but she was salts
fed beyond all doubt that burglars were
there and did the killing
From this city Mr.. Taylor went TO the
Kent County jail, in West Greenwich. and
saw William McCaughey. one of the wire
gang who were operating in the neigh
borhood of Pittsfield about the date of the
murder. McCaughey's statement to Mr.
Taylor was practically as ALREADY told.
He said that his gang was in Pittsfeld
at the time and he alleged that one of the
gang whom he suspects OF having turned
states evidence in connection with the
gangs stealings was one of three men
who entered the Fosburg house and killed
the girl. 1t is asserted however that
McCaughey is perfectly willing to do any
thing that will get the alleged informer
into trouble.
In addition to obtaining an affidavit
from Miss Sheldon and a statement from
McCaughey Mr.. Taylor also got an affi-
davit from another altogether unexpected
source. man named James D. FeeIey.
who says he was a brakeman employed
by the Boston and Albany Railroad at the
time of the murder, turned up at the
Sheldon home this morning and fell into
the hands Of Mr.. Taylor. He says that
he was of Oh three days vacation at
the time of the murder of Miss Fosburg
and that on the morning following the
night OF the tragedy he met Michael
Quinn, one of the wire gang. in a Pitts
field saloon and drank with him. Quinn
was drunk and in the course of his maud
lin conversation he said that he had
done up" girl and had put her out
Mr.. Taylor is going to Pawtucket to-
morrow, the home of Quinn and most of
the members of the wire gang and on
jail at Taunton are confined four or five
members OF the wire gang who are await
Ing trial 1t was at Taunton that young
Fosburg was first told about Quinn.