Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-03-31
HAINES' DEFENSE
Accused Mount Holly Woman to Be
: the Last Witness.
SUPPORTS ARSENIC THEORY.
Detective Parker Appears to Believe
In 1t Treatment OF PrtsOner's
Alleged Victim-TestimOny -
to the Little Girls Bruises.

Mount Holly. N. j., March 31.-Curi-
Gus courtroom spectators suffered an
other disappointment. Mrs. May Fen
ton Haines, charged with the murder of
her stepdaughter, G%wendolyn, did not
take the stand in her own defense. 1t
Is understood now that she will be the
last witness called and that all the EVIL
dence will soon be In.
The unusual spectacle Of a lawyer
being sworn as a witness for his client
gave some novelty to the proceedings.
E. P. Budd, counsel for Mrs. Haines,
had himself sworn and testified that on
the occasion of his visit to the Haines
house Detective Parker made the re-
mark, arsenic, come forth" Parker's
attitude was decidedly unfriendly to-
ward the defendant.
That the testimony presented during
the last three days was satisfactory to
the defendant was apparent in her
changed demeanor Saturday. She seem.
ed fairly radiant as she entered the
courtroom, carrying a huge bunch of
viOlets. She received her usual morn
ing embrace from her husband and
then composed herself for the ordeal.
Walter s. Dill, assistant cashier of
the Union National bank here, testified
that the drugs and other articles taken
by the detectives from the Haines
house were placed In a sealed package
and stored in; the bank vaults until
called for at the trial. The birth of
Mrs. Haines' youngest child in the Jail
in August last was certified to by DR..
w. P. Melcher, the prison physician. s
An Important witness.
An important witness for the defense
was Albert Fenton, a brother of Mrs.
Haines, who formerly made his home
with the latter at Delanco, but who is
now living at Bridgeboro, in this coun-
ty. He said he noticed that Gwendo-
Ign was we'll cared for in every way
and had never received Ill treatment.
Witness lived In the house while Nellie
Richards was employed there as a
servant, and he swore positively that
no such abusive treatment was inflicted
on the child as was detailed by the
Richards woman. The only punishment
he ever saw inflicted on the child was
once when her mother slapped her
hands because she insisted on pulling
books OF the table in the library.
Testimony Of similar import was
given by Nettie Fenton, a rosy checked
sister of the defendant, who had spent
several months at the latter's house
during the winter prior to the death Of
Gwendolyn. The child, she said, had
very weak ankles and was continually
falling about the house. 1t was In this
way that the bruises were received.
They were not inflicted by the mother,
who was always kind and indulgent in
her treatment of her. One day the child
fell OF a couch, bruislng her head Sc
verely. When it was necessary to cor
rect the child, 1t was done in a kindly
way.
On cross examination the witness
said she noticed at Gwendolyn's funer-
al that there were q few cuts and dis
| c%olorations on the child's face. She
/! also admitted having refused informa-
ton about the case to the prosecutor,
having been advised by Mrs Haines'
| counsel mot to talk"