Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1901-08-07
PRATT HELD FOR
THE GRAND JURY
Writ Of HabeSS Corpus Re-
fused by Judge Butler
CHEERS FOR THE DECISION
Crowd Jeered Prisoner as He Was
Led From Court Room to The
County Prison
CHEERS FOR THE DECISION

West Chester, Aug. 6.-The habeas
corpus proceedings In the Pratt murder
case were continued before Judge But
Ter yesterday. Despite the unpleasant
condition OF the weather the court
room was again taxed to it's utmost ca
pacity. A few minutes after the doors
were opened the benches rapidly filed,
and before 10 o'clock many persons
were compelled to stand in the aisles.
or the several witnesses examined
the most important testimony was that
given by w W. MacElrie. a lawyer and
member OF the coroner's jury. Mr..
AfacElrie described the finding Of the
body. ITS position, and the condition OF
the clothing thereon.
what | wanted TO know most, how
ever" said the witness. was the posi-
tion IN which the knife was held.
had looked for such a weapon. but
could not find il. ] leaned over the
body. and when Dr. Patrick slightly
moved It / saw the knife. ! believe
was the first TO have a view OF g. II
was lying loose in Mrs. Prat's hand
and the blade was protruding outward.
I should judge that there was about an
inch and a half OF two inches between
her second finger and thumb. IL was
covered with blood
Continuing the statement OF his IN
vestigations Mr.. MacElrie told OF the
finding OF the revolver on Mrs. Pratt's
bed
Il asked Pratt n the pistol was his
ana he answered e was. asked him
what he used It for, and ne said TO
shoot pigs with Then I questioned
him as 10 how long ago he-had ushed
st. and ne answered not since he killed
his pigs with II several months ago
Since that time he added. the pistol
was kept out OF his wife's sight. be-
cause she suffered from melanchOlla. ]
asked him where he kept the pistol
and he said he hid It I'm the cupboard
Several of the jurymen remarked that
it was a very poor place 20 hide q dan
gerous weapon. and then Pratt said he
mid il somewhere else"
Returning 10 The examination OF the
dead body Mr.. MacElrie said that. his
attention was called TO Mrs pratts
stockings by the fact that uhere was no
blood ON them.
II examined them carefully" the
witness continued, but I could see nc
blood on either the foot or sole Of The
stockings. l was somewhat surprises
at this because I Thought that There
surely must be blood spots on the wO-
mans stockings But / did notice in
particular the great pool of blood on
the top Of the stairway and the greal
bloody hand on the wall about three
feet from the floor The hand was OF
considerable size. and the marks
showed that tho hand slipped AND
smeared the wall.
llTI ...oc. FIn loft hnrH onI a. nniufQ
downward. on the railing along IN,
right side of the stairway there was Z
good deal Of blood. The bloody i'm
preston OF the hand on the wall wa
directly opposite TO the last blood spO
on the lower portion OF the railing
ION the first and second steps there
was considerable blood: there was
small pool on the third step, and q
SCATTERING OF blood all the way down
On the door of the bedroom ] foun,
the bloody impression Of four fingers
about q foot or foot and a half from
the floor, and parallel with It.
1T seemed tome as IL the woman lost
as much blood upstairs as she did OF
the lower floor. l can place no est
mate as TO the quantity Of blood shl
lost"
The most damaging statement mad
by Mr. MacElrie was that he notices
blood marks on the husbands tinge
tips enoircling the nails, a large-size
blotch OF blood I'm his right ear, som
on the shirt, and several blood spot
on the pantaloons.
Through this entire recital Pratt lis
tened attentiyely, but betrayed no emo
tion His head rested upon hi
clenched fist, and he noted every not
put down by his attorney.
Walter Hall and Evans Jackson, tw
other members OF the coroner's jur!
and Squire Paxson were the other wi
nesses examined. Hall proved a stul
born witness for the defense. althoug
nothing new or startling was adduce
from his testimony.
Hall stated on the afternoon follow
ing the tragedy he had a general COZ
versation with Pratt. during the couu
OF which he (Hall) remarked tn
there were some ugly rumors currei
about him. Pratt is alleged to ha'
answered: II am sorry that such r
mOrs are going around about NJ
TheS viii only hurt me in other W
mems company hereafter"
Jackson testified that he noticed Z
blood marks on Pratts finger at the I
was nervous and continually breaki
up bits of wood.
Il also noticed blood spots on
sleeve and trousers" Jackson said, "a
a trail of blood on the dining-roC
floor I remarked that it seem
strange that blood should be there. a
Pratt. who was standing close by me
the time. answered that the blood PR
ably came off his hands I asked h
II he touched the body. He said N
Strange I muttered. how he shot
have blood on his hands" and pas.
on without questioning him any e
Their"
After hearing all the testimo
Judge Butler decided that plea OF cor
sci that Pratt is illegally restrain
is without foundation in fact.
This decision was rendered after
witnesses for the prosecution had sp'
n half DAY in giving the court an
SIGHT info the evidence