New-York tribune., 1902-07-03
MISS PEARSALL ON STAND.
SHE TELLS OF FOSTER-DISBROW
QUARREL.
PRISONER BROUGHT BACK CARRIAGE HE
HAD OCCUPIED WITH FOSTER AND
MISS LAWRENCE.

Good Ground, Long Island. July 2.-Louis A.
Disbrow, accused OF numbering Clarence Foster
and Miss Sarah Lawrence. to-day for the second
time faced Justice Foster in the formal proceed
ings which may end in his being committed to
the county Jail to await the action of the grand
jury, or his liberty. Owing to the method of
procedure forced the justice by Rowland
Miles, counsel for Disbrow. the proceedings are
likely to take several days. Each assertion
made by witness is written out in lOnghand
by Justice Foster. and the testimony is read
over and signed by the person giving it.
The hearing to-day was in Union Hall and 1t
well filed at both sessions. Disbrow looked
even more worn and haggaTd than he did yes
terday. No one greeted him and he greeted no
Most of the time he gazed out of an open
window. 1t was estimated that 40 per cent Of
the women of Good Ground visited the hall
during the day to get a look at the prisoner.
Many men and women drove in from the coun-
try about to see what was going on. and there
was a large number of vehicles lined up near
the hall.
When Judge Foster opened court Mr.. Miles
asked for the discharge of his client on the
ground that there was not sufficient evidence
in the dispositions on which the warrant was
based to justify its issuance. He declared that
there a total lack of even alleged motive
for murder.
District Attorney Smith asserted that the de-
position of Miss Pearsall showed that Disbrow
and Foster left the Ternell house to go out in
boat after ouarrelling, and that Miss Lawrence
was going with them. and that Disbrow did
not return until after daylight The deposition
OF William Walton showed that Disbrow had
told him that he loved "Dimp" Lawrence.
Jealousy and anger We're the motives for the
murder. The motion was denied and after it
l1aA haa,, h. hat tha jTS-
tice did not have proper jurisdiction. and again
denied. Mr.. Miles entered exceptions to each
ruling and to the whole procedure up TO that
point and against any further proceedings.
Fosters father. mother and wife were in
court and sat we'll up toward the front. None
of Disbl ow's family appeared. Thomas A. Dis
brow. father of the prisoner. asked Mr. Miles If
he should come down and Mr.. Miles told him not
10 do so.
John Caffrey of the United States Life Saving
crew at Shinnecock, the first witness. testified
TO finding Fosters body in Tiana Bay He did
not hear any noise or outCry on the bay the
night the two met their death.
He knew Foster to be a good swimmer. He
had not bruised the body in getting il out OF
the water, and had turned il on its back to pre-
vent such a thing. He had never seen body
taken from the water before Fosters that had
blood the face He saw cash on the face;
had not looked for any.
said he knew Foster 10 be a good swimmer
Fosters face was black and swollen. He saw
wounds. He also knew Miss Lawrence, and
saw her body on the same morning. Her face
was swollen and dark. Fosters coat was but
toned.
DISBROW TOOK CARRIAGE BACK.
Willis Wells a liveryman related how he saw
Foster at the station on Monday evening, June
o. about $50 o'clock. Foster hired an open run
about wagon from him. Later in the evening
witness Foster, Miss Lawrence and Dis
hroyy in he wa
two. The carriage was being driven toward the
Hampton Pines clubhouse The outfit was re-
turned TO him on Tuesday morning by D1sbrow,
who alone Witness found serge cap, a
red and black sweater ana some hairpnS in the
the station platform. That was on Tuesday af-
ternoon. He told DisDrow the carriage was
badly scratched and lot of paint gone off the
wheels and told him the charge would be $40.
Dishrow gave him check for $50.
Disbrow kept shifting in his chair while the
witness was testIfying but kept his eyes on
the speaker, and later did the same with Miss
Pearsall.
Coroner Nugent told of his examinations of
the bodies. There was blood on Fosters face.
1t having oozed from the nose. He saw no
abrasion over either eye. no cuts on the face. no
bruises, and the skin was absolutely clear. The
nose was not broken.
Miss Lawrence's head and breast were very
dark and swollen. He saw no marks on the
neck There was a circular wound over the
right eye. He was present at the autopsy on
Fosters body and saw no reason to change his
original finding that death was due to drowning.
Miss Ellen F. Pearsau was the last and most
important witness of the day. She occupied a
room at Ternells opposite the Dsbrow had
occupied The sum Of her testimony indicated
that there was quarrel either between Dis
brow and Foster. or Disbrow and his two COM
panions; that there was a reconciliation ending
in an agreement for Disbrow to accompany FOs-
ter and Miss Lawrence in a boat. 1t was soon
after o'clock on the morning Of the tragedy,
she testified, that she heard voices I'm DisbrOw's
room. The first words she heard were:
"Goodby, goodby; say goodby to the kid
1t was the voice of DisbrOw, and Fosters
voice, which she also recognized. responded
'goodby." Following these words, she heard
some walk heavily down the front stairs
Then the inner door closed with bang. and the
screen door was allowed to shut sharply. There
was considerable lapse of time after that dur
ing which she heard nothing. Then some one
came up the stairs again. There a knock
on Disbrow's door, and she heard Fosters voice
call Disbrow TO open the door. The door was
opened. and she heard Foster say:
Il can't go like this or Il can't leave like
this"
FOSTER AND DISBROW QUARREL.
Miss Pearsal was not sure which word was
used. Disbrow spoke. but not loud enough TO
be heard by the witness. Finally after Foster
had apparently spoken again. Disbrow spoke
loudly saying:
Can you look me in the face and tell me
that?"
This was followed by a noise. as if some one
jumped to the floor. Foster started to talk and
she heard Dsbrow say, Hush. Miss Pearsall
will hear us"
There was another period of low toned con-
versation, and then Disbrow appeared to lose
his temper, as he exclaimed loudly enough to
be heard by the witness:
by -, I'll settle this in the morning"
There was further humble Of conversation.
and then Foster said:
Say, if 1 get the boat. will you go with us?"
DiSbrow answered, Yes"
And you'll meet us at the wharf?" asked
Foster.
Yes" answered Disbrow
And you won't come .back?" asked Foster
DiSbrow's answer was this time, No
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