The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-02-13


an Insurance. agent ana Investigates the
causes OF fires of property insured By
him. A question by Attorney Higgins
as to how long witness thought the fire
had burned, was excluded BY Judge Pow
ers. There were two holes burned
through tne floor near where the body
lay.
Witness said that the wood examined
by himself and Deputy Hanson In the
lot where Samuel Locke said he was at
work on May LIST, had then been cut at
least a week. Witness showed that he
was competent by reason OF 20 years
experience, TO judge whether wood was
freshly cut or not.
The cross-examination brought out the
fact, that witness went 60 the dafen1ant's
house on May 1st. Here the testimony
OF the witness at the ooroner's Jury
was read to him touching on the ques-
tion as to why he did not ASK for Edwin
knight when on May lst he went to the
latter's hom 9. This witness showed satis-
factoriIy after q discussion By counsel
ana the ruling by Judge Powers that
full explanation was allowable. Attor.
ney Matthews tried to draw from the
witness the admissi on that he had ceased
to work in the interests OF the state when
''it came too near home" A letter was
shown to witness and recognized as one
written to County Attorney Mstthews In
May. Witness remembered saying OF
Edwin knight that latter was as dear
- ~ hxne
There was splrltec scene when the
county attorney ross and asked among
other questions II witness could show
one way in which he had assisted the au-
thorlties to ferret the ona who committed
the crime, when suspicion first rested
on the defendant, to which he answered
that he had not been asked 20 do any
thing further.
Louis-B. Hanson was recalled to deter
mine positively that the date Of May 3D.,
when tracks were first found, was COR
rect.
Samuel Wright tsstified that he saw
the SprAgue woman going to the spring
on the morning or May LIST about .
O'Clock.
Cross-examined. witness said the only
way he could FIX the time he saw Fannie
Sprague was by judging from seeing the
children playing near the school house.
Hers q recess was taken until 30.
witness resumed the stand and ex-
planned the route he took and dssignat-
cd the point whsre last he saw the
Spragus woman as she came from ths
spring on the morning OF the murder.
Redirect, witness said when he got to
. spot SONS two miles further on, the
children were not at play which fact
gave him an indication OF the time.
Mrs. Mabel A. Perkins, who resides
across the road from the Edwin knight
place, was the pext witness. She testi-
lied that at about nine O'Clock on May
list, when she went TO defendants home,
she saw Edwin Knight in the blacksmith
shop. The visit OF witness did not oc-
,upy half an hour, aasi whilesshe was re-
turning home defendant was still in his
yard. witness recounred the incident
where one Lnych, grocery clerk passed
Cross-examined, Attorney Matthews
asked witness II she remembered having
liked at a previous Interview the last time
was seen by her about the
prsmiess was 0 IL, to which witness
answered: "No, did not. l was honest
about 1t" You wanted me 60 fix the
time at le. Rigid questioning failed to
bring about change in the time given
In direct examination.
Abbie III Ford, testified to having seen
freddie Sprague at about 45 on the
OF May 1st, playing in front of
home OF witness. 10 her knowledge, |
witness said, Freddie did not leave the |
premises during the whole forenoon. Mr.
Ford drove up to the door, took his child |
In his arms and brought her into the
house. Then witnesses husband told her |
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