Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-19
.ROBT. S. F0SBURGH
Now on Trial for Killing His
Sister May, Last August.
Jury Easily Secured None Of Expect
ed Sensations MateriaIize.
Jury Views Premises. One witness Finishes.
Another on the Stand.

Pittsfield, Mass, July 1S.-With the
jury impannelled and having been
taken to the scene of the tragedy the
testimony OF one witness concluded
and that of another well under way,
and with the fatal bullet and the
biOodstained night dress of the victim
offered as evidence, the governments
case against Robert S. Fosburgh, the
young man charged with shooting and
killing of his sister. May Fosburgh.
Aug. 20, 1900, may be said to be fairly
started at the close of todays session.
There We're none of the sensational
developments which are expected, and
the evidence was mostly technical or
confined to descriptions of the Fos-
burgh house and contents City Engi-
neer Arthur A. Fobes brought out
nothing particularly important.
Medical Examiner Frank Paddock
proved a little more interesting. prin-
cipally because as a result Of his tes-
timony the various articles mentioned
Were shown to the jury men and eX-
amined by them.
DIR. Paddock. who is a sufferer from
heart trouble. was very pale and had
frequent attacks of faintHess. These
attacks Of Illness had some effect on
the nature of his testimony causing
him To forget several things which the
government had hoped to bring out.
An effort will be made to refresh his
memory. tomorrow. 1t is expected that
his cross-eXamination will be extreme
ly rigid.
The most interesting portion of the
session, today. to the large audience
was the description of the bullet and
the bloody night dress. The comb box
from the bureau in the spare room in
the Fosburgh house on the night of
the tragedy. which was found on the
following day to have been pierced by
bullet, was also exhibited, and there
the state rested for the day.
Young James +. A. Fosburgh was.
this afternoon. served with sub
poena by State Officer Whitney to tes-
tify on behalf of the government.
Beatrice Fosburgh was summoned.
yesterday. The boy says he does
not know upon what line they eX-
pcct him TO testify. In addition the
government has summoned as wit
nesses DR.. Frank A. Draper. medical
examiner of Suffolk county. and Col.
Dimond. mayor of Lowell, both of
whom gave expert testimony regarding
bullets and bullet wounds in the re-
cent Eastman trial in Cambridge.
A Jury was secured within 80 min
utes from the time the first name on
the panel was called. The names of
the men follow: Norman H. SWEET.
Williamstown. farmer; Egbert Yale.
Stockbridge. carpenter; Michael Nevin.
Jr.. Washington. farmer: Wallace Or
ton. Williamstown. carpenter: Charles
Wolfe. Stockbridge. blacksmith; Jo-
seph Ramsey Egremont laborer John
II billiard North Adams. iceman:
Chas. f. Plat. Great Darlington. mer-
chant; Edwin F. Barnes, West Stock
bridge. miller: Edwin L. Boardman.
Sheffield. farmer: John ]. Daley. Ad-
ans. tailor: Ralston F. Little. Sheffield,
farmer. Edwin F. Barnes was appoint
ed foreman by the court.
1t was 90 when the venerable crier
of the superior criminal court for
Berkshire county arose to announce
the coming of the judge. AS the presid-
ing official took his place the falterng
tones of the crier announced the open
ing OF the session in the formula end
ing with the familiar words: God
save the commonwealth OF MasSachu-
Sc It's
Before this the court room had been
filled with spectators and lawyers and
others entitled to admission within the
railing reserved for counsel. The court
officers permitted no more to enter the
door than would fill every seat. No
che remained standing. When every
available place had been taken the
doors We're locked.
The spectators We're ahead of the
principals in the case and before Rob
err Fosburgh had appeared there were
traces Of Impotence upon many faces.
The defendant seemed to be hardly
more than a boy as he entered the
court room accompanied by the MEM
bers of his family and several friends.
in spite of the fact that he is mar
ricd and is the business associate of
his father. AS far as any sign of con-
Germ goes he might have been entirely
ignorant of the issue which he faced.
II" wore a neat black suit, a white
shirt and low collar and black bow
tie.
The mother whose loyalty has mark
ed this case from the beginning, and
the father. whose wealth has been used
without limit in obtaining evidence for
his son. two sisters. Bertha and Bea-
trce and younger brother. Fred Fos-
burgh, were with the accused man
when he came into court. But they
were not so close to him as his wife,
nor were they closer than his wife's
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. w. B. Sloan of
Buffalo, N. Y.
In the party also were Lawyer SEN
eca N. X. Taylor. Railroad Detective
Sherman of Rhode Island. and Miss
Bertha Sheldon of Providence. who
was q guest at the Fosburgh house at
the time Miss Fosburgh was killed.
At the time the session of court was
opened the heat had become very op-
pressive in spite of the fact that
dozen rotary fans had been placed at
convenient points in an endeavor to
provide for the comfort Of those en-
ga ged in the trial. VS.
The defendant having plead d to the
Indictment against him. Wednesday,
Continued on page 80 1