The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-08-03
PRATT HELD
FOR MURDER.
Hearing in the Accused
Mans Cell Very Short
But Intensely Ora.
matte.

West Chester, Aug. William
! II. Pratt, who was formally arraign
| cd this afternoon before Justice OF
the Peace Paxton, was given an ap-
portunity to explain to the satisfac-
tion of the magistrate the manner in
which his wife met her tragic death
on last Wednesday a week ago. He
failed and was committed to answer
the charge OF murder.
The proceedings were conducted in
the dark little cell which Pratt has
occupied since his incarcera tion more
than a week ago. In the cell were
Justice Paxson, District Attorney
Baldwin and sistant, A. p. Reid,
Thomas W. Pierce, counsel for the
defendent; DR.. Elwood Patrick and
Walter A. Hall, witnesses
Without formality the proceedings
were opened, counsel for the Sta to
and for the defendant having agreed
that only two witnesses should be
examined. DR.. Elwood Patrick, who
aided in conducting the autopsy over
the remains of Emma Pratt on the
day following her death, was sworn
and said briefly that he thought it
would have been impossible for her
to have personally inflicted the
wounds which resulted in the tragedy
Walter A. Hall, was sworn and said
that he had seen Pratt driving for a
doctor just after the injuries to Mrs.
Pratt had been made public. That
as member of the Coroner's jury,
he went to the Pratt homes tead to
investigate assertions made before
the jury by Pratt to the effect that
the latter had been pulling weeds
and repairing the fence near the
house when he heard the screams of
his wife and child. Mr.. Hall then
said the juryhad found no evidence
Of Pratt having either pulled weeds
or repaired the fence.
Pratt was not put upon the stand
and remained mute throug hout the
proceedings.
He was fearfully nervous and care.
worn. His hands were still for
scarcely an instant. While standing
he moved res tlessly shifting his
weight first on one foot and then on
the other, and even the muscles Of
his face were not under control. Ap.
parently the man has almost com.
pletely lost the stoicism which he
displayed when first told that he
must surrender to the law and an.
swer to the charge of having killed
his wife.
While the Pratt case has been of
vast interest to the people Of West
Chester since first it became known
that the husband was suspected of
away with the wife, intense
eagerness to learn al the details was
notshown until today. At 10 clock
this forenoon it became known that
District Attorney Baldwin and his
counsel Attorney A. p.
Reid. were beginning the examina-
tion of twenty-five witnesses who
are likely to be utilized by the State.
AS if by magic the sidewalk in front
of the two offices became clogged.
Men, women and children craned |
their necks for glimpses Of the people
who have added some little bit to |
the testimony regarding the develop
ments at the Pratt homestead on the !
day Of the tragedy and affairs in tine
Pratt family preceding the death Of
Mrs. Pratt.
Gerald Zell, the boy who lived in
the Pratt household up to within
month, and who has told of jars be-
tween husband and wife, was locked
upon as it he was the star attraction
Willie Wise, the child berry picker,
by Pratt on the day Of the
affair and who testified that he
thought he heard Mrs. Pratt scream,
was another star witness.
At the office of Attorney Pierce,
however, things were more quiet,
and Mr.. Pierce was busy preparing
the defense which. he expects to make
at the proper time. Mr.. Pierce
stopped long enough to say that he
had the extra suit of clothes which
Pratt wore on tue day of the tragedy
that they were not besmeared by
blood, and that he had permitted
the States attorneys to inspect the
garments.
Mr.. Pierce frankly admits that
public sentiment in West Chester is
against his client but says when the
time comeA he will cWlvince all that
his client has been unjustly held to
There Is no truth whatever in
the story sent out today that vii.
lie Wise, the young berry picker,
his original story by
now claiming that Mrs. Pratt was
shot out of doors and carried into
the house by her husband. The fact
is that in his examina tion today by
Dis trict Attorney Baldwin and AL.
fred 2. Reid, he adhered rigidly to
his original story, viz. that he saw
Pratt come out of the house, rush up
to the pump and wash blood stains
off his face and hands. He declares
that be only stood few feet from
Pratt when this happened and nod
ticed the blood on the defendant
particularly.
Wilbur Pratt was also examined
by the Comm onwealth's attorneys,
and he told identically the same story
related by him to the Coroner's jury