Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-21
TESTIMONY CONCLUDED
 IN CASE OF SMITH VS. TRACY
Defendant Makes Complete Denial of Theft of Skunks and Foxes-CIaims PeIts Came From Maine.

The case of Robert G. Smith vs. Ralph S. Tracy, begun in the superior court Tuesday, was continued We'd nesday afternoon when court came in after a naturalization session at Willi- mantle.
 The plaintiff is seeking to recover for fox and skunk skins alleged to have been stolen from his fur farm in East KiIlingly by the defendant.
 Michael GrimshaW was the first witness. He was a deputy sheriff of KillingIy last year and tald of going to the Tracy home when the search was made and corroberated previous wit nesses as to the finding of the skins. He said he was i'll at the time and did not take a very active part in the search.
 Walter Warren of Attawaugan, who has known Tracy all his life and has Worked for him, said Tracy owned a gray Ford automobile that rattled and leaked a little.
 Amide Laparle of Attawaugan testi- fled that he saw an auto go by his house at half past four the morning of the robbery. He was up with his sick wife ad was looking out of the win dow. It was a grey car and he knew it was Tracy's. There were two men in it but he could not tell who they were.
 ne Seafcn al fracyS
 Frank A. Whipple of Killingly, member of the theft detecting society told about the search at Tracy's He and it ratt1ed and leaked oil. He met Tracy ten days before the robbery and he had eight skunk skins in the back of his car. He said the blood from them would not be as fresh as what he saw in the car at the Tracy nI1 "a nf 10 23rd.
 Edgar A Wheaton of Ballouville, heard an automobile go by in the early morning hours but did not see it.
 John Labelle of Ballouville also heard the early morning machine
 James E. Morin. who had worked at the fur farm, told of conditions there on the morning after the robbery substantially as told by witnesses, Tuesday.
 Albert L. Mills of Hampton 25 years a fur buyer and Albert H. Shippee of East Killingly in the business an equal number of years, said wild belts could be distinguished from ranch belts. Shippee admitted on cross eXamina- ton that he had been "stung'' once in picking out belts.
 Damaging Testimony. Henry Chase offered some damaging testimony when he said that the morning of the robbery he heard an auto and was within twenty-five feet of it as it passed him. It was a grey machine. He heard Tracy's voice as he said Keep still there's Henry" He knew Tracy well as he went to school with him. He smelled the odor of skunk as the machine passed. You wanted to convict thief if you could, didn't your" asked Lawyer Torrey. "No Sir" answered the wit ness
 Defendant Dnies Everything. Ralph S. Tracy, the defendant took the stand as the first witness for the defense. He denied that he stole an- imals, denied that he was in the high way that night, denied that he was out of the house after eight o'clock and didn't know that plaintiff had a fur farm.
 He said the dirt on the shovel had been there some time and the blood came from skunks dug at East Put nam. Thei eight skunks he had in the auto on the 18th had blood on them and he had carried a quarter of pork in the machine. The skunk skins were hanging where he usually had them. He kept them in