The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-19
FIFE ON WITNESS STAND
SAYS HE WAS DRUNK THE NIGHT
RICHARDSON WAS KILLED.
Defendant Asserts He Could Not Re
member Where He Was-Efort
to ImpIicate Crowley.

SAVANNAH Mo, March 1s.-When the
trial of Stewart Fife on the charge of hav-
ing murdered Frank w. Richardson was re-
sumed to-day two of his sisters sat beside
him and the prisoner held his little brother
in his lap The defense to-day produced
witness who testified that Fife at the
Richardson house the night after the shoot
ing 1t had been the theory of the state
that Fife was the only employe of the
Fife-Richardson company who did not go to
the residence after the murder. Nearly all
the forenoon was devoted to evidence re-
lating TO the revolver found in a sewer re-
Gently. and which the state tried to prove
belonged TO Fife and was the weapon with
which Richardson was shot.
Just before noon the defense sprung a
sensation by bringing the name OF George
Crowley, a prominent young man and for
mer associate of Fife and Richardson. into
the case w X. Cross, who lived a short
distance from the Richardson house. was
on the stand. The night of the tragedy, he
said he was standing on the public square
and saw a man pass him, going from the
direction of the Richardson home. An OBJ
lection was offered by the state and the
jury was sent out.
Attorney Boyd, for the defense, offered to
prove by the witness that he had seen
George Crowley on the night of the tragedy
between the time Richardson was killed
and the time the alarm was given at the
corner of the square. walking at fast gait
with his hat pulled down and his collar
turned up, painting as If he had been run
ming; that Cross spoke to him and that
Crowley paid no attention.
Then" said Prosecutor Booher, I'VE
withdraw all objections
Judge Burns, however, was averse to ad-
mitting such evidence and decided after a
long wrangle that the state would finally
object. The defense made its offer. which
became a part of the record. The defense
offered 10 present five witnesses TO cOrrObO-
and others the defense also offered TO prove
that Crowley had said he killed Richardson,
but one of Fife's lawyers explained that the
statement was not made seriously by Crow
ley.
Fife took the stand in his own behalf at
the night session of court. Fife was asked
il he went TO Lake Contrary with Mrs.
Richardson. He said he went with his sis
ter. He denied being with Mrs. Richard
son in the old Catholic churchyard and ex-
planned his being with her on the old
in her testimony. Fife denied that he had
talked with Ed Norris. the St. Joseph
saloon keeper. or that he had shown Norris
a revolver. He was asked about his move
ments on the night of the Richardson muir
der and said: Il don't remember. ] was at
Kings corner. in Mack's saloon, at the
pool hall and at the Owl Club"
'Were you any nearer the Richardson
house than Kings corner that night before
the death of Richardson"
NO, / was not
Were you asleep i'm the Owl Club?'
Eyes. | don't know how long l slept"
Were you ever, i'm the year 1900 except
al times you have mentioned. at the stone
steps with Mrs. Richardson at night?"
mo. sir"
Fife testified that he could not remember
anything of his movements around the pub
lie square the night of the murder except
that he was at Kings at o'clock and went
to the Owl Club about o'clock. 1T may
g. he said. Fife said he was so drunk he
could not remember where he went or what
he drank