The Portland daily press., 1901-02-07
Testimony of A Sensational Char
acter Introduced.
knight Not The Only Person With Motive
And Opportunity For Crime.

, prevailing at that time-mersly to live
uuon the place without paying rent to
keep the in surAnce in force.
Witness said he was not averse 30 ac-
cepting the offer, but told knight that
Mrs. Knight, the owner OF the property,
had warned him TO vacate and also had
said that the Sprague woman must leave.
| The settlement OF the question was left
until later time, and other matters
were discussed. Witness contracted to do
some work for Knight and the lattsr paio
him some money for labor done In the
rast.
On the morning of May !, witness said
he was at work some distance from the
house, cutting wood. AS he was return
ing home about noon he was met by Ed
ward Goodwin. Goodwin told him Of the
nnding of Mrs. Sprague's body in the
burning barn and together theI hurried
TO the house. When they arrived there
there was quite a number OF persons
about the place, among them tbs coron sr
and Florence j. Knight. Witness went
directly to the baIn and there found
tracks made by a mans shoes. He fol-
lowed the tracks over the hill toward the
railroad track in the direction OF South
Berwick. Witness then returned TO the
house ana during the afternoon Edwin
Ii, knight called. Witness and knight
were alone for time and were speaking
of the tragedy. knight expressed horror
and surprise at the brutal killing and
was discussing the case freely when an
other person entered the room. Upon the
appearance OF the third person knight
sdroitly changed the topic OF conversation
and few moments later left the house.
The cross examination OF this witness
was conducted in a very spirited manner
and dwelt particularly upon his relations
with the murdered woman during an
acquaintance of three years directly prev
ious to her death. Locke was forced TO
acknowledge that several letters of a COM
promising character addressed TO the wo-
man, were written by him. Locke ad-
n.ittsd that be had known the woman for
three years. He had called upon her
at her apartments and had dined at her
house, but he denied that he ever had
furnished either food or money for such
Yeaton brought forth the letters ands.arter
they had been read the witness acknowl-
edged that he was the author. Certain
expressions In the letters which would
tend to compromise the character OF
Fannie SpTague were presented to the
jury in priv ate. During the time witness
was being questioned recording various
expressions used in the letter, numerous
objections were made by the prosecution
Lawyer Yeaton then took occasion to
define the position OF the defence, saying
that the theory of the state was, in
point, that Edwin ii. knight was
responsibls for the condition of Mrs
Spragus at the time OF her death.
The defence maintains 1t will show
that it was not knight but another who
was responsible tor this condition
Judge Powers decided the point, saying
that "inasmuch as the defence oonsid-
cred this man (the witness) the person
who committed ths crime," the evidence
would be allowed to go in, the ground
being q question OF motive. Witness then
defined what ne meant by the expressions
referred to in the letter and when further
questioned, denied that he sver had i'm
proper relat ions with the Sprague wo-
man.
Then the attorney questioned the wit
ness closely regarding his direct testi-
mony on the footprints near the barn
He was asked how much he told of the
case before the ooroner's Jury, and replied
that he told all be knew. 1t was true, he
said, that some details had slipped his
mind, but he did not consider them OF
any great Importance In answer to a
question witness threw the blame on his
"reoolleotion' for failure to tell OF the
footprints near the barn when be testified
before the ooroner's jury.
An attempt on the part Of Lawyer Yea.
ton to learn the whereabouts OF witness
daughter and the cause Of her being sent
away, met with very prompt objection
from counsel for the prosecution, and tbs
objection was sustained by Judge Pow.