Page 185

Q

Have you seen all of Mr. Adkin’s family?

A

No, he had his boy.

Q

Do you know how many boys he has?

A

No, sir.

Q

How many daughters?

A

No, sir.

Q

Do you know what his family consists of?

A

No, sir, I ‘aint acquainted with him at all only by sight.

Q

Had you ever seen him before that day?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

How many times?

A

I don’t know.

Q

Did you ever see him once before?

A

Yes, sir I guess I did.

Q

Did you ever see him twice before?

A

Well he comes through there peddling, I saw him, that is all there is to it.

Q

He usually stops when he goes by?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

He usually buys whatever rags you have or iron?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

Did you ever sell him any?

A

If we have, yes, sir.

Q

Have you ever sold him any?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

What did it consist of that you sold him?

A

I don’t know, some old iron and rags I guess.

Q

Is there anyone else that ever comes along there buying rags and

Page 186

Q

Iron?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

Who?

A

I don’t know.

Q

You don’t know any other man?

A

I guess I don’t know any besides him.

Q

How far does Mr. Adkin live from where you do?

A

I guess about eight miles.

Q

That is the first time that you had seen him that year, isn’t it?

A

I don’t know about that.

Q

Did you say it was or wasn’t?

A

I can’t tell.

Q

To your best judgment?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

That was the first day you seen him that year?

A

Well I cannot say that you know because he could be there two or three months before but I would not remember, I didn’t notice that, I take no pains about that.

Q

He has been there with his son before that to your place?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

The same boy that you saw this day?

A

I guess it is the same small boy, yes, sir.

Q

He was along there just a few weeks before, wasn’t he?

A

That I don’t know.

Q

You would not say he was not?

A

No, I cannot say anything about that.

Q

Nor you would not say he wasn’t there he next week?

A

No.

Page 187

Q

With the same boy?

A

No.

Q

And on the same mission?

A

No.

Q

Did you holler at him when you saw him and ask him if he wanted to take a ride?

A

No, sir.

Q

You were driving right along and just glanced around and saw it was a stranger and went on?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

You have seen other strangers about the same place?

A

No.

Q

Have you ever seen other strangers go through that country?

A

Oh yes, sir.

Q

Now you say this stranger that you saw had a black slouch hat on?

A

That is what I think.

Q

That is your best opinion?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

Now during April 1906 most of the people that live around where you do wear black slouch hats don’t they?

A

Yes, sir, lots of farmers wear caps at that time of year.

Q

Do any of them wear derbys around there?

A

Once in a while one I guess.

Q

But they usually wear a black slouch hat?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

And usually wear blue jean pants too when they work on farms don’t they?

A

Some of them, not all.

Page 188

Q

Do you wear them when you work on the farm?

A

Yes, sir, sometimes.

Q

And all your neighbors do?

A

Sometimes, I guess they have got pants besides.

Q

I am not speaking of going to church, I am speaking of working on the farm?

A

Well there is all kinds of pants.

Q

How close is the closest neighbor from your house?

A

Oh about a half a mile, about that.

Q

Does he wear a black slouch hat?

A

My neighbor?

Q

Yes.

A

Yes, I guess so.

Q

Does he wear blue jean pants when he worked on the farm?

A

I don’t know, I don’t take no pains about that.

Q

You never noticed whether he wore black or blue?

A

No, too busy to think much about that.

Q

You have met other strangers before and never noticed whether they had blue or black pants on, haven’t you?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

You have met strangers around there before you say?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

Can you tell how they were dressed?

A

No, not always, sometimes if I want to know something about it.

Q

In this case you wanted to know about it?

A

Yes, I kind of think of on account of he was a stranger, and the make-up of his clothes, I could not make out if it was one of my neighbors.

Page 189

Q

You said you had seen strangers look like this man before, did you not?

A

Yes sir.

Q

Dressed like this man before, haven’t you?

A

Maybe.

Q

And wore a black slouch hat?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

And blue jean pants?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

And short coat?

A

Yes, sir.

Q

You would not testify here positively that that coat that he had on was an overcoat would you?

A

No, sir.

Q

It was just an ordinary short black coat?

A

Yes, sir.  I ‘aint very sure in that opinion.

Q

Whether he had a coat n or not?

A

Oh yes.

Q

You are sure he had a coat on?

A

Oh yes, sir.

Q

It was a short coat?

A

I think it was a short coat, yes, sir.

Q

Could you tell what he wore on his feet from where you were?

A

No.

Q

Did he have his coat buttoned up?

A

I think not.

Q

Could you see whether he had a vest on or not?

A

I don’t know, I can’t tell.

Q

Now you say that was a short coat - - a coat about as long as the