The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-18
TELL TALE TRACKS
WITNESS TESTIFIEs THAT SHOE
PRINTS AT SCENE OF MURDER
WERE MADE BY PoTTERS.
DEFENSE Announces WHAT 1T En-
Poets TO PROVE.


Gone From BodifOrd's But ~ Min
utes; That SwayHe Potter Borrow
ed a 12-Gaugc Gun From Bedford;
That the Potters got Back to BOdi-
fOrd's Home an Hour and Half
Before the shooting Occurred, and
Were in savannah ut NOOn-Eye
witness to Crime Testifed-OId
Negro Woman Snid She saw Potter
Kill Bourquin.
The state concluded the introduction
of its testimony in the Potter case at
$50 o'clock yesterday afternoon, at
which time the defense began to make
out its case. Before placing the first
witness on the stand Judge Twiggs
outlined the facts which he proposes to
prove. Shortly after O'Clock, the
court took a recess until this morning,
the first witness for the defense being
still on the stand.
The days trial was productive of
two interesting developments, the
identification of the tracks at the scene
OF the homicide as those of the Pot
tiers, and the statement of Candace
Kelly. an old negro woman, that she
saw the elder Potter shoot Bourquin.
The cross-examination of the old wom-
an brought out some Inconsistencies
in her statement, which was in several
particulars at variance with the theory
of the prosecution.
Identified the Tracks.
The most important witness for the
prosecution was Mir. c. B. West
colt. who testified at the morning ses-
sion. In brief, his testimony was to
the effect that he had examined the
country in the immediate vicinity of
the crime. and had discovered three
sets of tracks. all distinctly outlined
in the soft soil. To the best of his
knowledge and belief. these We're the
tracks OF w. J. Potter Swayne Potter
and the old negro servant of Mr.. Bour-
quin.
The tracks all betrayed peculiarities.
Those of The old negro showed that
one foot was straight. while the other
turned out. This was accounted for
when it was ascertained that the old
negro was slUe-footed. The other
tracks were Of different sizes. the one
set being larger than the other. The
larger OF these, which Westcott testi-
fed was that Of the elder Potter, were
traced down the embankment directly
behind those OF the negro. from a
point to the right and rear Of the spot
where the buggy was found.
shot From Bchind.
Westcott testified that the shots fired
from behind at Bourquin, were fired
from a spot to the right and rear of
the scene OF the homicide, and from a
poiAt below. The shoe tracks between
these points. the witness said, bore two
peculiauties. the first of these was
that there was a groove in the heel,
and the second that the shoe made two
different kinds Of tracks-a round track
on soft ground, and a pointed track on
firnc- soil. He said that subsequent to
his examination of the country in the
vicinity of the crime, he had examined
other tracks which he saw made by
the elder Potter, and the shoes them
selves. The tracks. he said were. in
his opinion. Identical with those dis
covered at the scene of the crime. the
same two peculiarities existing in the
imprint. He looked carefully at
the elder Potter's shoe. while
he had his leg crossed in the office of
the solicitor. This examination served
to explain the peculiarties to his
mind. The groove, he testified, showed
plainly in the heel.
The other popularity of one imprint
OF the shoe being round. and another
pointed. which was evident in the
tracks at the scene of the homicide and
in the tracks which he saw the elder
Potter make, was accounted for. he
said. by the manner in which Potter
walked. slightly on one side of his foot.
He said that the tracks afterwards
made by Potter, were made on the oc-
caslon when he, and several other dep
uties went to Potter's home and
brought him to the city, at which time
the suspected man was purposely led
through soft and sandy ground.
Examined the Boys shoes.
The peculiarities in the smaller
tracks, he said, were marked The en-
tire bottom of the shoe touched the
ground, there being little heel on the
shoe. He said that he had seen
SWayne Potter make tracks since, and
that In his opinion they were identical
with those made at the scene of the
crime He said that he had since ex-
amined the boys shoes in the office
of the solicitor, and that he then OBJ
served the absence of heel.
Westcott, who is a deputy sheriff tes-
titled that he had visited the scene
Of the homicide at a late hour on the
afternoon after the murder was COM
mitted He said that he at that time
observed the tracks in the mud on the
embankment, but that it was then
nearly dark, and he could tell little
about them. The next morning he
in company with number of other
deputies, visited the scene again. He
then followed the tracks made by the
old darkey, beginning at the point
where, as indicated by blood stains. the
old negro had been shot down on the
track, and tracing them backwards tc
the buggy.
Found other Tracks.
Just beyond the place where the ne
gro crossed the water under the en-
banlment, he discovered other tracks
These, he said. indicated that a mar
had fallen down the embankment
there being two places on the bank
where the edge had been mashed
away. He then told Of the tracks dowr
the railroad track which, he said, were
made by the elder Potter. These
tracks led into a field on one side OF
the road where in the broom sedg 90
there was evidence Of a meeting of the
men who made the tracks From this
point the two set of tracks ran along
together in the direction OF the Bodi-
ford house. He said that he followed
these tracks for some little distance in
the direction Of the house when his
attention was distracted by two pistol