Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-25
TRAMP'S CONFESSION IS EXCLUDED
BY COURT as HEARSAY EVIDENCE.
Bertram Raymond Places His Wife Two Miles from
Scene of Murder Half an Hour Before Its Occur
ence==Governor OF Maine Tells the Story of Re-
covery of Death Noose==Jury Takes Car Ride.
ESTABLISHING ALIBl.

The defence in the Raymond case
received a temporary and possibly a
permanent setback in its development
of the tramp theory. Saturday after
noon, by the exclusion of the Hurd
confession. Witnesses We're ready u
testify in relation To confession
which il is claimed that a young man
named William Hurd. who killed him
self in Lincoln, July 80, 1906, made,
the day before his death, duplicating
himself and two other tramps in the
killing Of Matte Hackett at Readfield,
Aug. 4. 1905. This confession was
ruled by Chief Justice Whitehouse to
be hearsay evidence and therefore in
admissible. unless the attorney gem
eral was sufficiently convinced of itf'
Importance to waive all objections to
admitting it. This neither Attorney
General Pattangall nor County Attor-
ney Williamson are at present willing
to do. although it is understood that
counsel viii take up the matter further,
Monday.
Bertram Raymond. husband of the
respondent, was put on the witness
stand Saturday afternoon, and his
examination and cross examination
occupied more than two hours. Ac-
cording to his testimony he left his
wife at her tenement at 80 p, NJ,
on the night Of the murder while the
State fixes the time of the commits
sion Of the crime. which happened at
a distance of two miles from their
home. at sos, and the defence claims
that 80 was nearer the exact time
the Hackett girl was killed. In relat-
ing his story of his search for his
wife, which began about o'clock ana
lasted until nearly II o'clock, Bert in
sisted that he did not pass along the
path which led by the tree. under
which Mrs Raymond has claimed that
she was sitting but went around by
the read. because it was dark. He
Insisted that the low tan shoes, which
his wife had wcrn earlier in the sum-
mer, were destroyed with other rub
Dish a week before.
1t is probable that Mrs Elsie Hobbs
Raymond, the respondent, will take
The stand. early Monday forenoon, and
tell her story of where she was dur
ing the time that her husband was
searching for her, his story apparent
more complete narrative, which the
defence believes win establish a per-
feet alibi for the respondent. Bert
Raymond, who is a tall angular look
ing young man, with AN extremely
large nose, testified with a minute
ness of detail in regard to his move
ments on the night of the tragedy and
| once when asked by Attorney Gener-
| al Pattangall why he was so long get
| ting through with his chores on that
night replied, we didn't calculate to
| hurry"
| The cross examination of the prin
cipal witnesses for the defence by AT
| torney General Pattangall was one of
| the noteworthy features of the day.
He addressed the witnesses in many
instances by their given names in an
| easy conversational manner, often
| bringing them around to his point Of
| view without their hardly realizing
| that they were thus being led.
All doubts as to the identity of the
cord found, Friday, by Governor Plais-