January 25, 1912-Pawnee Courier-Guthrie, Oklahoma-Unless a plea can be established on circumstantial evidence Saturday may be regarded as having been a disastrous day for the defense in the cause of the state versus Ben cravens or Charles Maust.

Once the defense partially showed its hand, it is believed.

Dr. W. T. Courtright who had been called by Cravens to attend his wounds in the Kansas penitentiary, was questioned as to the position of these scares.

The defense's counsel, evidently believing that it was the purpose of the prosecution to have the scars shown to the jury, raised an objection and had the jury sent from the room for a time until lit was explained that the prosecution had been misunderstood. It developed that Attorney Jennings, counsel for the prisoner, will fight to the last ditch to keep from having the prisoner display his person to the jury for locating the scars, claiming that he could not be compelled to do so for the reason that it would be making a defendant give evidence against himself.

The last witness called Saturday was Bert Welty, who was with Cravens at the time of the murder of Alvin Bateman at Red Rock, who was captured and is now serving a life sentence for participation in the crime. He positively identified the prisoner as Ben Cravens.

The defense attempted to discredit his testimony on the theory that the witness was testifying for the purpose of helping him secure a parole.

At the conclusion of his testimony, which included a detailed account of the crime from start to finish, court adjourned until Monday morning, and counsel for the defense pleading illness. It was 4:40 o'clock when the testimony ended. A score of the more important witnesses for the prosecution had been heard. Without exception they testified that the prisoner at the bar was the man they had known from ten to twenty years ago as Ben Cravens.

Mrs. Ora Welty, mother of Bert Welty, an outlaw, who is now serving time in the penitentiary for complicity in the crime with Ben Cravens, was placed on the witness stand and positively identified the prisoner at bar as Ben Crede Cravens.

"I had good reason to remember that man," she said, "for he is the one who took my boy away with him. Bert kissed me goodbye when he left and the next time I saw him he was in jail here after the Red Rock robber."

Mrs. Welty, who now lives at El Reno, was shaken with emotion while testifying, especially when referring to her wayward son. She related how Cravens came to her home near Kiel, in Kingfisher county, in January, 1901, giving his name as Wilson, saying that the was a farmer from near Mulhall; that his horse was lame and he desired to remain overnight, and did not leave for a week helping Bert Welty with the work on the farm. One morning Cravens asked her if Bert might accompany him to the Chapman ranch. She objected, but Cravens insisted and said he would take good care of the boy and would not harm him for the world. "I don't know just what caused it to come into my mind," she told the jury, "but I remarked to him, 'for all I know you are Ben Cravens. He appeared greatly amused but described Cravens as a man of entirely different appearance from himself.

Mrs. Welty's testimony could not be shaken. She admitted, in response to questions from Attorney Jennings for the defense, that her boy had served time for horse stealing. She said Cravens' eyes were blue. Several men, who testified during the day to having known Cravens, were of different opinions as to the color of the noted outlaw's eyes.

Mrs. Myra Hackney of El Reno, a daughter of Mrs. Welty, also testified in behalf of the state. She identified the prisoner as Cravens and corroborated largely her mother's story of Cravens visit to the Welty farm and of her brother leaving with him ostensibly to visit the Chapman ranch in Blaine County.

Bert Welty, who had been brought into the court room when the case opened Saturday morning, left when the court ordered a separation of witnesses. He was wearing the Oregon boot.

Fred Smith, a cousin of the Weltys, on the stand identified Maust as Ben Cravens. He said Cravens and Bert came to his place and helped in digging a well, but related that after Cravens, who was going under the name of Wilson, worked awhile, he came out tired, and remarked; "That's too d-d hard work for me. If you fellows come with me to Hennessey tonight, we'll get enough money to dig several wells."

General Canton of the state militia, who knew Cravens at Pawhuska and Elgin and who identified him at Blackwell when Cravens was shot, in reply to a direct question from Attorney Al Jennings, said: "There is no doubt in my mind but that the prisoner is Ben Cravens."

John Dossett, a Lawton policeman, admitted being in the federal jail in Guthrie in the early nineties and said Cravens was in jail at the same time on a couple of minor charges. He also knew Cravens when both were on a cattle ranch near Cedar Vale, Kansas. He knew Cravens well and positively identified Maust as Cravens.

J. H. Bartley of Norman, for whom cravens at one time worked for two years, asked to identify Cravens, replied: "I can't do it better than by pointing at the man," and he pointed at Maust.

J. W. Miller of Oklahoma City also identified him as did Ira Stout of Cushing.

A. O. Lund, who in 1896 at Blackwell, shot Cravens, is here and will later take the stand.

BEN CRAVENS TO PEN FOR LIFE
"I DON'T GIVE A D------," THE PRISONER REMARKED BUT FEARED NOOSE
End of Criminal Career of "Social Leper, Desperate Outlaw, Menace to Good"