The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-07-22
GRIEF OF A MOTHER
Mrs. Fosburgh at the Grave of Her
Murdered Daughter.
To-DAY'S TESTIMONY AT TRIAL
Prosecution Announces That 1t VIII
Probably Finish Its Case
To-day.
Hes~ York Ssss. !ssscEaT sa-vIcs.


Pittsfeld, Mass, July 22.-"May, May!
Oh, May, my daughter If you could
speak only one word to tell the world that
your brother is innocent and take from us
the terrible weight of trouble that is
OursI"~
Kneeling by the side of her murdered
daughters grave in the Pittsfeld cemetery
yesterday, Mrs. Robert L. Fosburgh, with
tears streaming from her eyes, in her an
guish brought these words from her heart.
They were at the conclusion of a prayer
in which Mrs. Fosburgh was Joined by her
daughters Esther and Beatrice, her sons
James and Robert, the latter's wife and
the familys friend and adviser, Judge
Seneca NJ. Taylor.
1t was an impressive scene, and, seeing
1t, no one could doubt Mrs Fosburghs s
sincere belief in the innocence Of her son.
The family, as it has done every Sunday
since the tragedy Of last August, yesterday
visited the cemetery. For an hour quiet
devotional exercises were held by the side
Of the grave. AT the conclusion the moth
er was so overcome that it was necessary
for her sons to assist her to the carriage
and support her on her way home.
Pittsfield, Mass, July 22.-With three
steps in its case against Robert Fosburgh,
the alleged slayer of his sister May ap-
DaF60lly
day to the third days session Of the trial
with the announcement that it hoped to
complete its case before night. The first
witness to-day was Arthur A. Fobes, a
local civil engineer, whose testimony was
mainly concerning. measurements about
the Fosburgh house and the arrangement
of furniture.
The next witness, Nelson ]. Hall of this
city, told of visit to the Fosburgh house
so1n noly ho
shooting He found a pair of black half
hose with white dots, he said, on the
grass near the edge of the road. The
half hose were we'll worn on the bottom.
Further on he picked up a single sock.
The half hose was identified in court by
witness as the one he found. The tracks
of bare feet we're also noticed in the road.
They were about ten inches long and quite
broad They disappeared at bend in the
road further on.
The finding of pair of trousers and
of the pillowcase which is said to have
been used as a mask by one Of the burg
lars, was then described by those who
picked them up, and the articles were
shown and identified.
Lawyer Crosby asked that Harold w
Hopkins, who occupied the witness stand
at the time, should try on the pillow
case to see If it possibly could have been
used as a mask. Judge Stevens declared
that such step would be unnecessary al
that point. The judge apparently satisfied
himself on this point by running his hand
into the torn place to see just how large
it was. Photographs Of the piazza posts
of the Fosburgh house, smirched with the
imprint of grimy hands were introduced
as evidence, to which the defense objected
but was overruled.
Dr. W. w. Schofeld, who has beer
looked upon as an important witness FOL
the state, was then called. He told o.
being called to the Fosburgh house a
1870 a. M, and Of finding two officers or
guard when he reached there at o'clock
Some one said: You are too late doctor
the girl is dead" Witness entered the
house and at once went up stairs. On the
floor of the bedroom he saw the body o
the girl covered with a sheet and with
pillow under the head. Blood was oozinl
from the mouth and from the wound. H,
examined the body and was convinced i
was dead. 1t lay diagonally across tn,
room.
The witness said he saw two women OF
the bed and the defendant standing in
doorway. The other members of the fam
lily were in an adjoining room. Witness
said the elder Fosburgh declared to hin
that he was lying in bed in his room OF
his left side facing the door. He sud
denly awoke to find a man standing il
front of him with a revolver in one hant
and lantern in the other. The revolve
was within a foot of his head. He sprani
up and struck the arm which held tn
revolver and then grappled with the in
truder. Suddenly he was struck on tn
head and knew nothing for few mo
ments. When he recovered he found hi
son, the defendant, had been seriously as
saulted. Dr. Schoield described the ter
rible wounds which he found on the hea
of each. Each of the members of tn
family was fully dressed at the time O
the witness arrival except that the de