The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-13
PRATT TRIAL
NEARING CLOSE.

West Chester. Pa, Feb. 12.-The
defense in the case Of William H.
Pratt on trial for the alleged murder
Of his wife, closed at s O'Clock this
afternoon. DR.. Wadswortli, o! Phil.
adelphia, will be placed on the stand
tomorrow, In rebuJtal for the Com
mon wealth.
To-day was another one Of expert
testimony. Dr. Mobiles was recalled
at the opening hour this morning for
cross examination, and he was kept
on the stand until O'Clock this ar.
ternoon. He had then occupied the
witness box for nine consecutive
hours Of the Court sessions. Lawyer
Reid, for the Commonwealth, assaiIed
his testimony perSistently, and the
experts theories Of suicide received
rude shocks In several instances.
In trying to show that the wounds
on Mrs. Pratt's hand indicated sui
eide D. Mobiles offered to cut his own
fingers to illustrate how he believed
the woman had made these wounds.
by taking the knifein his right hand
in such position as would make cuts
Of the character found on Mrs.
Pratt's hand, the witness was asked
to illustrate how she could have cut
her throat with the knife clasped In
that manner. When the expert tried
it was found that the back of the
knife would have made the cuts in.
stead of the sharp edge.
SIS the position of the knife, as
found in Mrs. Pratt's hand more con-
sistent with suicide than with homi.
eide? Did the knife appear to leave
her hand before she was dead?"
asked Mr.. Pierce. ~
YES" replied the expert, "Af.
ter killing herself the band could have
relaxed. The conditions are eEtire.y
with suicide. To make the
hands Of person clasp knife after
death is impossible. She killed her
self with it.
OBJECTIONS TO REPETITIONS.
DR.. Greene, another expert. was
recalled to testify concerning certain
blood spots observed by him on the
steps Of the stairway, sections Of
which he exposed to the view Of the
jury. He was subjected toa severe
cross examination, lasting for some
lime, when the attorneys for the de.
tense objected on the ground that it
was to no purpose.
~ think, Mr.. Reid" said Judge
Butler, in reply to the objection,
'that you have gotten everything
'ut ol this witness that there is In
him."
"We!l, want to get II out again"
'etorted Mr.. Reid.
"You have been long time doing
IT, exclaimed Mr.. Hayes.
Charles PennyPacker, a member Of
he Chester County Bar. was the next
witness, and he Testified tna conver.
;ation he had had with Mrs. Pratt
about one month prior to her death.
lie observed that her manner was
istless and indifferent to any circum.
stance then existing or to any that
nay have existed.
Mrs. Frank B Smedley testified
hat the last time she saw Mrs. Pratt
vas about three weeks before her
leath, when "she seemed sad. " The
License then rested its case.
"IIave YOU anything la rebuttal?"
sked Judge Butler, turning TO Dis
rict Attorney Baldwin.
DEFENSE FLATLY CONTRADICTED,
"Yes sir, responded the prosecut-
ng attorney. and he called Mrs.
.harles ". Roberts, of East Bradford
It whose place Mrs Pratt attended !
tea few weeks before her death.
The witness testified that she called !,
+ Mrs. Pratt's home to extend the in
itation aud found her cheerful aud /
n good spirits. but she did not want ,
o attend the tea because she did not
ave any good clothes to wear. She ;
nj. lily promised to attend. however,
nd "did So and came in sailing
aid Mrs. Roberts.
Miss Josie Roberts a daughter.
lated she met Mrs Pratt that after.
oon and noticed nothing unusual in
er appearance.
The last witness of the day was
lrS. John Hicks. sister.in-law Of Mrs.
'ratt, who testified that during the
III OF 1899 Mrs. Pratt had stayed sew
raj days with her, and beyond hav-
1g an attack Of Indigestion was in
God spirits though at times she had
cen her look very unhappy, This
as to show that Mrs. Pratt was not
.elancholy and contemplating sui
de.
Dr. Wads"orth, Of Philadelphia,
ill appear in rebuttal Tor the Com.