The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-11-18

tiers were enldTBeu db many al Il
times. The jury eyinced much In
terest in the handwriting books.
Teacher Haring led his pupils thru
the technique Of comparison, each
juror taking in the information in
his own particular manner
FRIDAYS SESSIONS
Questioned signatures were again
the topic at the opening of court
Friday morning with John Nreeland
Haring on the stand Attorney Pat
tangall waged war, early, against the
handwriting expert of 30 years ex-
perience. He asked OF Mr.. Hafng
if men OF equal experience had dis
agreed with him and witness replied
Yes and no.
A laugh was raised when Mr.. Pat
tangall would have borrowed the pen
and ink of the court stenographer 10
make material for traeings for Mr.
Haring and was promptly refused
Methods of tracings as suggested by
Mr. Haring were attacked by Mr. Pat
tangall. The direct examination of
Mr. Haring by County Attorney Ed
ward f. Merrill was completed at 10
o'clock. Then Mr.. Pattangall took
up his cross examination.
AFTERNOON SESSION
Attorney Pattangall made it known
that there was nothing further he
wished to ask Mr.. Haring, the hand
writing expert for the State, at that
time.
DR. Frank ~ Whittier of Bowdoin
college, medical expert for the State
was recalled to the stand, having
previously testified at length Wednes-
day of this week.
The trousers of Burke were first
handed to DR.. Whittier, the bullet
holes were described Tests had been
made to determine at what distance
the revolver was held that made the
hole.
A SCORE FOR THE DEFENSE
A feature OF the testimony by DR..
Whittier in connection with the gun
shot wounds in the leg of John a,
Burke was the cross examination by
Attorney Pattangall who succeeded
in having the testimony entirely dis
regarded relative to the distance
which in his opinion the gun was held
when the shot which entered Burke
leg was fired, on the grounds that the
witness in making his examinations
had based the same upon the assump-
ton that the barrel of the weapon
was of the ordinary length. There
was nothing admittedly showing in the
testimony whether the weapon was
long or short.
DR.. Whittier in direct examination
stated that in his opinion the bullet
wound in Burke's leg was caused by {
SO caliber. Under average conditions
witness could distinguish between
wounds made by 3S and 80 cali
Der. 80 would have to be held furth
err away than 80 at an average. HI
believed that the wound in question
was caused by weapon held at dis
lance of not over - inches from th'
leg: assuming that the weapon wa
80 caliber it must have been helt
two or three inches nearer the leg
AS already stated under cross eXamin
alton. the testimony just referred Il
was disregarded as the result of At
torney Pattangall's cross examination
A JOKE ON COUNTY ATTORNEY
Judge Wilson declared recess
which proved to be of longer dura
ton than usual. Members of thu
bar, medical experts and newspaper
correspondents had for the most par
filed back to their stations and Coun
ty Attorney Merrill called Sheriff
Mooers to the stand. MIR. Mooers
failed to comply with the county at
torneys request however until Judg'
Wilson had assumed the bench TIL,
sheriff testified that he recalled ;
complaint having been made and war
rant sworn out for the arrest of Mel
son w BARLEY by Burke on Octobe
10Th.
BULMER AGAIN A WITNESS
John Bulmer who assisted Johl
, Burke when he was recalled an
questioned by Attorney Pattangal
relative to the two signatures Whicl
he was asked to furnish earlier in tn
trial. The signatures were made Il
the presence of Bulmer on May l.
1919 to a contract signed by the twI
men. Witness stated that he knew
of two Ford cars in the Jackman sec
ton. one belonging to Frost William
and the other to Amos Grafftc Whicl
carried tires on the left side. II wa
feature earlier in the hearing tina
H." Ella c.r Supposed to have j 81
used by Burke and BARLEY the nigh
Of the murder was dstincuishahle
because il carried the two tires on TN
left. Mr.. Bulmcr is a garage MAJ
and his testimony indicated that the
above arrangement on Ford cars Wa
not unusual in his section
The states evidence was complet-
ed Friday night.
i ATTORNEY LEIGH MAKES STRONG
OPENING
Attorney Thomas Leigh opened the
case for the defense Saturday morn
ing occupying the time from approx
mately 90 until 1 o'clock.
He contended that Nelson BARLEY
was not killed at approximately S:4a
o'clock on the evening of Oct. Is, 1918
as alleged by the State. but in real
ity at some time after 9:15. Who
killed him. when and why, the defense
does not know 1t is under no OBJ
legation to find out. 1t does contend
| that Judging by testimony OF the