Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-08
HELD ON MURDER CHARGE.
William II. Pratt demanded at End of
Habeas Corpus Proceedings.


William III. Pratt demanded at end OF
Habeas Corpus Proceedings.
West Chester, Pa, Aug. L-At 4
corpus proceedings in the case OF Will
liam II. Pratt Terminated by Judge
Butler remRnding him to Jail for trial
at the next term Of Quarter Sessions
Court on the charge Of numbering his
wife. The decision was reecieyd with
applause by the auditors, but it was
quickly suppressed by court officers
Tho courtroom was again crowded
today to hear the evidence. and the
audience was composed largely of
women. There was the same curiosity
on the part OF the public to catch a
glimpse OF the prisoner as was dis
played Monday. and large crowds hung
around the main entrance of the Court
House as the prisoner arrived and do
parted The accused man looked q
little more cheerful than at any time
since he was placed under arrest, and
he watched the witnesses closely as
they gave their testimony.
a dozen witnesses were examined be-
fore noun, and OF those three testified
to having seen blood on the prisoners'
face, hands and clothing.
Harry Cochran,a West Chester cattle
dealer, told Of having barRained with
Pratt for the purchase of two cows
but, as Mrs. Pratt OF jscted to their
sale, he did not take them. Subae-
quently Robert Merriek bought them
for $50. at II O'Clock on the morning
of the day of the tragedy.
Walter E. Hall, member Of the
ooroner's Jury, told of conversation
he had had With Pratt, when the latter,
referring to reports about him in con.
nection with Mrs Farra, stated that
he was sorry such rumofs ever got into
circulation, because they would inter
fere with him going in women's society
hereafter.
William Wise, 10-years-old berry
picker, was called, and when he ap-
peared in the witpess boz there was
hutter Of excitement throughout the
court room. His story was
81 sometimes worked for Mr.. Pratt,
and on the day that Mrs. Pratt died
went there with smaller boy to piok
raspberrios. 1t was about 1880 O'Clock
when we arrived there, and we came
away about o'clock While there in
the berry Patch We heard Mrs Pratt
cry out: oh, papa! papa! Ouch /" /
picked up seven boxes of berries aud
the other boy two, and started for the
house. Before we reached there we
heard her cry again, but not after
that. When We came up TO the house
MIR. Pratt rushed out and went UP to
the pump ard washed bis face and
hands. t@
Ibid you notice anything on his
| face and hands?" he was asked.
q. kUs e
his forehead and blood on his fingers.
He brushed right by me when he came
out of the house.
| The witness got through With his
| story smoothly until he came into con-
tact with Lawyer Pieree's GROSS .exam-
| iuation. When he was made to say that
he had told different story TO news
paper reporter. TO the effect that when
be returned to the house from the berry
patch he saw Pratt carry the lifeless
body Of his wife into the house. The
boy said this story was not true, as he
had imagined 1T.
The most dramatic story Of the day
was told by former District Attorney
Mac Elree, who was q member OF the
coroner's jury. Being q trained crimi-
nal lawyer his testimony was regarded
as exceedingly important by both aides,
and he was listened to intently. After
relating the manner 10 which the body
lay, MIR. MacElree proceeded with his
evidence as follows: +,
I II looked particularly ar the hand
and knife. The latter was held very
| lightly, showing that it could have
been placed there by another hand.
| Afterward went upstairs and saw the
pistol lying on the he'd, with a depres-
sion made in the pillow, and the latter
containing blood and powder marks. !
asked Pratt whom the pistol belonged
to, and he said that it was his, but
that he had not seen it for long time.
There were six or seven steps OF the
| front stairway that had no blood on
them, while there was some on the first
two steps at the top and great deal on
| the two lower ones, and on the floor
where the body lay, and much blood on
the clothing. examined the various
pools of bioud upstairs and ON tho land
| ing at the head of the back stairway,
ard | am of the opinion that altogether
| the blood upstairs was about equal to
that at the foot OF the front stairs.
II examined the door at the head of
the back stairs aud found the bolt bent
as If it had been forced. The mould,
ing was sprung out about ap inch. l
shut the door and found that it was
easily opened with the moulding in
that condition. did this because Pratt
had stated that be forced 1t open when
he first came into tho house l ex.
amined the mark Of a hand ON the wall
un the Loft side OF the stairway going
down. examined it particularly, and
was satisfied that il was the mark of a
left baud and q large hand at that.
Pratt had blood upon his shirt and
some spots upon his pantaloons. There
was trace OF blood on the back of his
hands and around his finger nails and
attention was called to the fact at the
col oner's inquest that there was large
olot Of blood in one Of his ears.
The blood story was ooiohorated by
DIR. Patrick, who noticed the mark in
his ear and other parts of his body
by Evans jackson and Harry johnson,
two members of the coroner's jury, and
by William Wise, the berry picker.
The last witness heard was Gerald
Zell, former inmate OF the Pratt
home, who told of unpleasantness ex.
listing between Pratt and his wife since
last spring.