The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-06-15
MISS FERNER
CHANGES MIND.
viii Not Wed Haggsnbotham
Until He is Acquitted.
ACCUSED OF KILLING MOTHER.
Al First She Desired 10 Marry the Prisoner
at OnG,, but Could Find No One 10
Perform Ceremony.

Philadelphia. June l5.-Clara Ferner mas
roconsidered her avowed determination to
wed John Haggenbotham, branded though
he is by a coroners jury as the murder
er of his aged mother
She had determined yesterday TO deiy
public opinion and unite her life with MS
even though II might be in the shadow-of-
a gallows The police say her real mo-
tive was 20 make 1t impossible for her
10 be called upon to testify against him.
As his wife she would be exempt from
that hardship As his sweetheart she
might not be. Whatever her motive, Miss
Ferner yesterday was unable TO fnd any
body willing to perform the ceremony OF
weading her ME 20 one that the state
may claim She said today.
SAYS SHE WILL WAIT
81 will not marry John Haggenbotham
untn this frightful charge has been DIS
nroyed. not because 4 would not willlnsly
do 40 but because j have decided ON sec
ond thought that our marriage had pest
be deferred on account OF the implication
made that / wanted 20 marry Johh SO
could not be a witness
INV impulse yesterday was 10 marry
care for him. but l see that this Is not
the best course 60 pursue. SO ] shall walt
"John never did the dreadful thing he
is charged with. He would not hurt
hy." a..
Haggenbotham's postponed wedding Is
the sequel of one of the most uraih"u0
climaxes ever seen in coroners court
ue was present at the inquest yesterday
merely as a witness, but he left II pris-
oner with the verdict OF the coroner
Jury registered against him as a fnaul-
eide
Mary Wright, a negro servant nrst ap-
peared as the alleged principal III the
crime but she is now held only as an ae-
cessory before and after the fact IL was
the story she told I'm court that altered
the uosition Of Haggenbotham before the
law.
Mrs Haggenbotham, who was seventy
six years old and i'm comfortable clrcum-
stances. lived with her son john, dec-
orator AZ No 1916 Chestnut street About
| haIf mast two o'clock on the afternoon or
lime a Mary Wright. her negro servant
| ran into an adjoining apartment mouse
and asked that a walter be alloWeu 'o
! accompany her home, exclaiming: am
| afraid 10 be In the house. Something has
| happened" -,
4 William r. Courtney. a boarder' went
| over 10 the house and found Mrs rag
| renbotham lying unconscious on the moor
I of a hallway on the third story. she was
| hleeding from wounds in her head and
4 face. and fragments OF a bottle were scat
| tered over the floor. Mrs. Haggenbotham
was removed TO a hospital. and died on
Saturday last without having regaineo
| consciousness
susnIcIon al once pointed 20 Mary
Wright. and she was arrested Until Mon
day she asserted that she was innocent
| and did not know who had assaulted hel
| mistress ON Monday she told the ne
tectives that John Haggenbotham ha'
killed his mother and she repeated TN
story at the inquest
NOT PERMITTED TO SEE HIM.
Mary Wright says John Haggenbothau
| killed his mother because she oppose
his expected marriage 10 Clara Fernei
| with whom, according 10 the police, n
had been friendly for fifteen years. Mis-
, | Ferned endeavored TO call on the prisone
| today but she was not permitted TO Sc
, him.
Detectives are hunting I'm Philadelphia
: | Atlantic city and Somers Point. y. j., 10
> the man who. Mary Wright says, wa
i'm the house at the time OF the murue
and who IL wanted AS an accessory.
Uaggenbotham defence is likely 10 !
an alibi. based on the allegation that
was I'm his office at Fifteenth and Ches
nut streets at about the time his motl
er was killed.
Assuming that he was I'm the house n
32l6 Chestnut street when Mary Wrigi
declares he was the police say there W,
stin ample time after she had given u
alarm and the neighbors rushed in Il
him TO have effected his escape and
have gone on a car to his office beio
- AIR Courtney went there 10 summon hi
: 90 come home with the news OF his mot
% ers woundng.
is II Is pointed out that the natnrh II
nulse for a man under the circumstanc
Is wonld ne TO rush instantly 10 his mot
y. er's side but that instead of doing q
tho accused man took time TO send e