Daily News Batavia, Genesee County, New York State April 1-1898 Preparing the Papers William E. WEBSTER has commenced work upon the brief to be submitted to the Court of Appeals on the appeal from the conviction of Howard C. BENHAM on charge of murdering his wife, Florence T. BENHAM. When the work will be finished he is unable to say. The brief will be an exhaustive one and much time will necessarily be spent and great care taken in its preparation. Mr. WEBSTER is supposed to have it in readiness in a reasonable length of time, no period being specified. The brief will first be submitted to District-Attorney Le SEUR, who is given time to prepare one presenting the prosecution's side of the case, so it is likely to be two or three months before the case reaches the Court of Appeals. + Probably a Crank. An Englishman who gave the name of John BLANCK, said he was 46 years old and had a wife and four children in Philadelphia, struck town yesterday morning and went to the factory of the Baker Gun company in search of work. He was well dressed, smoked good cigars and claimed to be worth considerable money. The company had no work for him and sent him to John H. BLAKE, the rifle manufacturer. Mr. BLAKE asked the man how he came to visit Batavia and he replied that he had a letter of introduction from a mutual friend to Mr. RYAN, President of the Bank of Genesee. He made a critical examination of Mr. BLAKE's gun and showed a good general knowledge of rifles, but fell down when it came to details. He said that he had visited the Brooklyn Navy Yard and claimed to be a friend of General MILES and General SCHOFIELD. Mr. BLAKE conceived the idea an agent of the Spanish Government in search of information that might be of use to that government. Mr. BLAKE hired him for $18 a week. This morning the stranger showed up at the factory early and was greatly excited over the prospect of war. His desire for work had vanished and he discussed guns no longer. He said he was going on to Washington at once and left the factory. + His Boat Capsized. East Pembroke-Fred EICK, who works for John DENNISON, had a narrow escape from drowning on Wednesday afternoon. MR. DENNISON's farm is on the north side of the creek and when members of his family desire to come to the village they cross the stream in a boat. EICK had been to the village and was returning. When his boat was near the north bank it capsized and he fell into the water, which is quite deep at that point. The current was strong and he was being carried down stream, but Mr. DENNISON happened to see him and hurried to his assistance and succeeded in rescuing him. The boat was carried down stream and was found near the Paper mill. + Mrs. CLAPSADDLE's Funeral Changed. The time for the funeral of Mrs. Fred J. CLAPSADDLE has been changed. It will be held tomorrow instead of Sunday at 10:30 a.m. from the house at West Bethany and at 2 p.m. from the M.E. church at Stafford. + Special Announcement. Wanted, 5,000 tons of sugar beets by the Binghamton Beet Sugar company, for which a flat price of $5 per ton will be paid for properly topped beets delivered on board the cars at their factory at Binghamton. Seed will be furnished by the company and deducted from the first shipment of beets. Further particulars will be furnished by Charles A. KIBBE, office No. 13, Bank street, Batavia. Money to loan on real estate security. + Millinery opening tomorrow at Hewitt's. You are invited. + Pretty and inexpensive gifts for Easter at the P.E.C. Easter sale. + Today's Briefs From the Wires. Saratoga.-Two inches of snow fell at North Creek, Warren county, yesterday. New York.-Steve BRODIE arrived in this city today. The story of his death was a carefully arranged hoax. Elmira.-Miss Eleanor ROBINSON, daughter of the late Governor Lucius ROBINSON, died here yesterday afternoon. Poughkeepsie.-Arnant CANNON, a prominent architect, went to the Masonic Temple yesterday, and committed suicide by shooting himself. New York.-The 'World' says that Mrs. William C. WHITNEY, who was injured by a fall from a horse at Aiken, S.C., several weeks ago, is in a serious condition. + For Sale Cheap. Two nearly new, six foot show cases. + Clark Takes the Stand. The prosecution finished yesterday in the CLARK murder case in Buffalo and the defense had nearly all of its evidence in before a recess was taken. The defendant himself went upon the stand. He is a big good-natured looking fellow, who hasn't the least appearance of a murderer, and as he told his story in a straightforward, convincing manner, it was plain that he made a favorable impression upon the jury. He was still on the stand when a recess was taken until today. Justice SPRING decided to admit as evidence the written statement made by CLARK to the police immediately after his arrest. In this statement CLARK said that on the evening before the murder he expostulated with Kittie HOUSEMAN for having so much to do with Thomas CLANCY. He went to bed about midnight. About 3:30 a.m. the woman awakened him, began to call him names and slapped his face. He got up and struck her several times with a broomstick. She fell to the floor and died in a few minutes. The statement closed with the following words: "I killed Kittie HOUSEMAN." The evidence of a few police officers was taken and the prosecution rested. Mr. ABBOTT, attorney for CLARK, stated in opening for the defense that it was expected to prove that the woman attacked CLARK with a frying pan and then he struck her. In falling she struck a chair and the injury thus received caused her death. A grocer testified to having seen the woman slap CLARK's face because he would not pay for groceries she had bought for other men. CLARK cried when she struck him. A number of men for whom CLARK had worked testified that he was peaceable, industrious and honest. CLARK himself testified that he was 41 years old, was born in Seneca county and had served eight years in the United States Army. He went to Buffalo in 1892 and met the HOUSEMAN woman a year later. He took her to live with him at her request. He gave her money frequently and she would get drunk and buy liquor for other men, especially for CLANCY, for whom she left CLARK several times. At times she was very violent and threw flatirons and a knife at CLARK. She also hit him with his dinner bell. CLANCY was constantly following the woman up. CLARK said he put up with it because he loved the woman and intended to marry her. That was as far as his testimony went yesterday. + Death of Miss Catherine Hagan. Miss Catherine HAGAN, a former resident of Batavia, died yesterday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas WALKER of Attica, aged 71 years. She was born in Ireland and had lived in this country 45 years. She is survived only by nephews and nieces. The funeral will be held from the Catholic church in Attica at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and the interment will be in St. Joseph's cemetery in this village. + To Reopen Tomorrow. A.T. BOYD, successor to E.W. CLARK & Co., will reopen the dry goods store which has been closed for a week, tomorrow morning. The store has been restocked with a large variety of choice goods, and the reputation gained for excellence of merchandise and fair dealing will be fully maintained. + A Well-Known Batavian Man. Harry C. BUXTON of No. 21 Otis street, a manufacturer of various kinds of ironing boards and extension ladders, is again able to attend to business. Mr. BUXTON states that he has been suffering from general debility, nervous dyspepsia and constipation and owes his speedy restoration to perfect health to "The Cactus Blood Tonic." To introduce this grand medicine the agents at 116 State street are selling large $1 bottles for 25 cents for a limited time only. + District Attorney Protested The examination of Talmage L. GOODENOW, landlord of the National hotel, charged with having his barroom blinds closed on Sunday, March 20th, was resumed in Police court yesterday afternoon. The attorneys again engaged in word battles, and finally District Attorney Le SEUR addressed the Court and insisted that he was being treated in a discourteous and unprofessional manner. Mr. WEBSTER then ceased making disagreeable comments. The defendant and his bartender, James F. READ, both testified that the shutters of the barroom were open on the morning of March 20th,, having been left so the night before. GOODENOW's wife and son corroborated them. William KELSEY was at the Central depot about 9 o'clock that morning and noticed that the blinds were open. Patrick WELCH, a young man, who was also at the depot, stated that he walked up to the hotel and looked through a barroom window. He said he wanted to get a beer. The examination will be resumed this afternoon. + submitted by Linda C. Schmidt submitted by Linda C. Schmidt