The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-30
The latest example, OF yellow JOURNALISM r-eor

.cord with those made by the Fosburgs.
IL Is further contended that the state-
ments of the members OF the Fosbur8
family, made at the time of the discovery
OF the murder and those made by them
before the coroner. vary In material
points.
BASIS OF SUSPICION.
1t was also said that the suspicion
against Robert S. Fosburg was primarily
based. not on any suspicious actions OF
the young man, but on the inability to
make the evidence OF a burglary cores
pond with what was stated as fact.
The first suspicious point was found in
that part OF the narrative which described
one of tho burglars as leaving the
house by jumping through second story
window, TO the roof OF projecting bay
window and thence TO the ground
This seemed reasonable enough, until
the chief examined the window and found
i4lat the wire screen ON the outside could
not be raised 20 "A point more than ~
inches above the sill.
To plunge through such an aperture
would be manifest impossibility. To
crawl through would have been possible.
but IL seemed as IL IL would not have been
a difficult matter for those inside ths
house To- have captured a fugitive escape
ing I'm this manner.
But this was not the main point. As
suming that the burglar got through the
window all right. and reached the roof
OF the bay window, then what? lhe gem
eral supposition was that the burglar
jumped from the roof OF this projecting
window to the ground.
It would not have been very high
jump, nor a very hard jump. since it
meant jumping on to soft lawn, or
flower bed. The question comes, how
would man jump under such conditions?
And il was in trying to answer this qucs-
ton that the chief found . strong sus-
picion-
AN UNNATURAL JUMP.
If the burglar jumped from the roof OF
this window to the ground. he did the
very unnatural act OF jumping backward.
a ais is shown by the fact that the tracks
on the ground were made with the toes
to the building and the heels outward
But even assuming that the burglar, in
stead OF jumping from the roof, hung
over" as the boys would express Ii, and
dropped TO the ground, the police were
still sceptical For. If the burglar caught
the little balustrade on the roof OF the
bay window to support him while hang
ing, he would have had to swing over tina
caves OF the roof These caves projected
about nine inches beyond the window,
and yet the footprints were found nearer
than that to the walls of the house. II
is supposed that the police argued that.
instead of jumping off. he would strike
the ground at a greater distance from the
side of the house than these marks indi-
Gated
with this suspicion In mind, the police
next examined the marks on the pillar by
which the burglars were supposed 10
| have gained admission TO the second
| story. and came 10 the conclusion that
the imprint OF a dirty hand. which was
| found on the pillar, was not made by
| anybody in the act of climbing up, but
was the impression OF a hand purposely
| dirtied and imprinted there for the ex-
| press purpose of giving false clew.
THE SHOE IN THE CASE.
Considerable weight has also been
| placed on the shoe which was found In
| the house and which was supposed "a
| have been dropped by ono OF tho burg
lars. and II Is said that tho police Will
try 10 prove that this shoe belonged to
| young Fosburg. They have been making
n great many inquiries IN an endeavor 10
ascertain where this shoe was bought.
and who bought it. They have found out
that ~ was bought In New York. but
they havs not vet. IL Is said. heen bic 70
chow that Robert s. Fosburg bought II,
OF even owned IL. They will try 20 prove
this point. however, by showing that u
was worn either by him or by some ono
possessing the same pedal pecularities.
There is, it is said. no dipf . cvidencs
that the young man Killed his sister. IL
Is all circumstantial. but u is believed 20
have been pretty strong and ccnv'nc'rs
To have justified the chief OF police snc
tho district attorney. both CONSERVATIVE
men, In permitting the indictment, q tN
II they did not ask for IT,