The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-07
Sees the Hass Mans Moose.

: West Chester, Pa, Feb. 6.-Tht
fourth day of the trial of William II,
Pratt for the alleged murder of his
wife opened with q crowded Court
room this morning, the number OF
women in attendance being greater
than heretofore. Nearly every physi-
clan in town shows interest in the
case, and many were in the Court
room to day.
Seated among the witnesses when
the proceedings began was little Will
bur Pratt, the only child of the ac-
cused man. His appearance upon the
stand is anxious!y awaited by all who
b yc been attending the trial. Sew
cral times during the day Pratt be-
came deeply detected, and once bis
counsel had to cheer him up.
Chief Of Police Robert Q. Jefferis
was the first witness called today. He
identified the butcher knife found in
Mrs. Pratt's right hand the piece of
paper with the three bloody finger
marks, taken from the cupboard in
the Pratt kitchen; the pillow from
Mrs. Pratt's bed and the revolver
found there on. lie also identified
the blood stained carpet and mating
taken from the floor Of the bedroom.
lie was followed by Justice Of the
Peace $. NJ. PaXson, who acted as
Deputy Coroner in the case and who
also identified the articles.
Harry $. Johnstn, a member Of the
Coroncr's jury, testified that he reach
ed the Pratt residence a few minutes
before 3 o'clock on the afternoon of
July "A and found Mrs. Darlington
and her daughters, William II. Pratt
and Dr. Patrick and DR.. Cheyney at
the house.
lie described the position of Mrs.
Pratt's body.
Was there any blood on her left
hand? asked the District Attorney.
There was not, was the startling
reply. Her left hand was completely
free of blood.
He described the imprint of1lle hui
man hand on the right side of the
wall at the back stairway and three
bloody finger marks on thecdgc OF the
door leading from the bedroom to the
rear stair way. These bloody marks,
he said, were abeut 1S inches from
the floor, as if they had been made by
person in a reclining position in an
attempt to open the door.
The witness had not seen the
knife before DR.. Patrick disturbed
the body. aud when the latter was
lifted The knife lay so lightly in the
hand that it dropped 10 the floor.
DThc witness had had a conyersa-
tion with Pratt who followed the
Coroner's jury upstairs. At this
time, aud before the inquest was
held, Pratt said his wife thought
she was delicate aud would not
live long. Pratt told him he had
found Mrs. Pratt lying at the foot
OF the front stairs, gasping, and IN
the last throes OF death, when he
returned from mending forces and
pulling docks. Pratt further stat
ed at the inquest that lie thought
it queer that Mrs. Pratt should cut
her throat while there was auoth.
,r undlscharged cartridge in the
hamber iu the revolver.
lie referred to the contradictory
statement made by the defendant
his whereabouts on the
Afternoon of July "a, and also tothe
statements made by
athcr aud son at the coroner's in
luest.
Justice OF the Peace Paxcn was
'ecallcd and corroboratcd John
on's testimony. While Paxon was
II the midst OF his testimony Pratt
ank low in his seat and looked SO
le iected that both OF his LAWYERS
topped 10 his side and whispered
o him TO cheer up.
HEARD HIS WIFE SAY. "oII, PARA"
PaXson was followed by Il. W. G.
lercer, another member Of the Cor
ner's jury, who testified that Pratt
old him that when he discovered
Is wife lying at the foot of the front
tairWay she gave one gasp and cX.
ooh, WILL" Pratt also
sid the same witness That he heard
is wife exclaim: son, Papa as he
asled up the back stairway.
Walter e. Hall, also a member OF
lc Ctroner's jury, said he passed
ratl while on the way to his home,
nd that Pratt told him that his wife
ad committed suicide by shooin
crself and cutting her throat Mr..
all S testimony regarding the blood
> The mating in the bedroom was
lfcrcnt from that of other witness.
), in that some Of them, lie said. re-
mbIcd smears, AS i(a body had been
jagged across the floor. lie also
AIDE tic positive declaration that
raft told him he heard his wife say:
ID. Papa" when he was going up
c back stairway.
WITNESS cONTEADICTS HIMSELF.
Evan B. Jackson, also Of the Coro-
rt jury, testified that when he
lied Pratt s attention to the trail
blood ON the dining room, which
in the direction Of the cupboard ,,
lcre the butcher knife was found ,
stated that the blood might have c
opped from my hands" lie also
|" blood around Pratt's finger Q
lis, Il spot in his ear and another II
his Shirt. The witness. however
IS confronted with his testimony at
habeas corpus proceedings, when
denied having seen blood on the .
roam ~ Drrit onI l,ta