East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-01-26

With every available seat in the
court room occupied and men stand
ing up against the three walls of the
court room the trial of Claud Arnold
for the murder of a. Rabeal is draw
ing the biggest crowd of any murder
trial in local history. The interest is
Intense and every spectator strains
his ears TO catch every word Of the
testimony given by the witnesses on
the stand With every witness the
state IS drawing closer and weaving
finer its web Of circumstantial evil
dence about tho unfortunate defend
ant
beginning yesterday afternoon with
the Introduction OF the testimony Of
Coroner Ralph Folsom the prosecu-
ton started Its looms and has been
steadily weaving on its web ever since.
4 thread here and a thread there,
picked up and pieced together with
a masters skill by Sheriff Taylor and
his assistance it is being woven into
a woof for the benefit OF the jury.
Testimony Begins.
Coroner Folsom testified to the
finding of the body and the inquest.
He was followed by DR.. Cole who tes-
titled as to the blows on the mans
head, the crushed skull the spatter-
ed brains and the death which must
have been instantaneous from such
brutal beating.
Sheriff Taylor took the stand and
detailed to the jury minutely the spot
where the body was found. the con-
dition of the body and the surround
ings II was near mile post 1872 on
the Spokane branch about six miles
above Umatilla The body lay in Il
bunch of sage brush short distance
from the railroad track toward the
river Evidence showed that the body
had been dragged from the south side
of the railroad track across the track
to where IT lay Evidently the mur-
derer intended to dump his victim in
to the river but finding the conditions
unfavorable left It lying there after
carelessly attempting to cover 1t up.
The face was covered with some
brush and grass Across the track at
mile post 90 the sheriff found where
two horses had been tied to post.
These tracks he followed from that
point on the return to where they
were lost in the country road in the
vicinity of the Government reservoir.
From there it was impossible to follow
the horses track farther
At the point where the body was
found the sheriff testified as to the
condition OF the ground and the find
ing of several foot prints in the sand !
and dirt OF these foot prints careful |
measurements were made and of one |
especially a plaster cast was made. |
Also the big, ugly club with which the |,
deed was done. bloody ana covered |
with spattered brains, was picked up .
and introduced in evidence.
witnesses Connect Prisoner.
So far the defendant had not been
connected with the testimony except
in n general sort OF way, Deputy
sheriff Bert Wilson took the stand
and the principal points of interest
in his testimony were the plaster cast
OF the footprint found near the body
of the murdered man and the shoes
taken from the defendant at the time
he was arrested. These We're put in
evidence for the consideration Of the
jury. The shoe was fitted to the plas-
ter cast and the jury was left to draw
their own conclusions
Then the state began from Echo to
connect the defendant with the crime.
Mr.. Bonney liveryman, testif ed
that about the 21st of lest November
the defendant came to his liverystable
and hired a team and buggy. At the