Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-11-23

/ bout it-PeTkinS said he was nj going 10 say atJ
| thing about it till he knew Hemp and Wilson
were safe. Afterwards said he would tell wher
I he got to Stanton but on being assured OF pro
lection told DIR. Churchman and others. SntE
did nat hear what he said. Perkins believed Ina
Smith was really arrested. 1t was understood be
fore they left Staunton that Smith and Perkins
were to be arrested at Greenvle or Midway:
j. b. FINEs.-Lives in WaynesbOro'. Nlli-
son came down ON the stage several days after the
murder-took or drinks at the bar and was
pretty drunk-talked about the murder OF Coie-
man-Sad he and Hemp I'rayer might be sus
pecteI-they were in front OF the house the h'gh'
of the murder about o'clock-said he was going
over the mountain tor money
BENJAMIN CRAwFoID.-Acted as Coroner at
! the INQUEST The jury came to the conclusion
that Coleman was killed with hammer 4
question as to the ownership of the HAMMER foRRd
in the house aruse-must persons who were ac-
quaiuted with Coleman's tools thought ii did not
belong to hint was given to ThOs. Butler to
keep that anybody might see it. Butler and
Prayer came to Crawford's store some 3 or a days
observation-disclosures said he knew the hammer
that he had used it at Peck's mill on his wagon-
that Foutz (the miller) and Joe Reynolds would
know it, Crawford asked him who owned the
hammer. He hesitated i little and said he thought
it was Livick's. lie remarked that he thought
the murder was committed Thursday night and
the house robbed Friday night, and went on to
tel about Liyick'si being at his house Thursday
night and to speak of his suspicious conduct. He
expressed great anxiety to find cut the murderer,
saying the reward woeid help poor man. The
reason he gave for thinking the house was robbed
Friday night was, that he was up late that night
and heard rumpus from Peers dogs in that d-
rection The nexttime Mr.. Crawford saw Crayer
was Monday night (betore the arrest.) Smith
and Perkins came to his store and inquired for
Wilson After they left, Crawford went out and
sat on the bench with Mr.. Trout Trayer came
along-appeared to be greatly excited-moving
about-aftera little while asked Crawford, polite
ly, to speak with him. They went round the
corner. and Trayer asked him if he knew man
named Dyer and what was his character. Craw
ford replied that he knew him and that his char
acter was rood. Trayer seemed exceedingly rest
less and uneasy, aud asked Crawford if he had
seen Wilson. He said he had not, and Trayer
then said he believed Dyer had Wilson at Wood
wards playing cards. Crawford expressed some
doubts about it, but Trayer persisted, said Will
son had 5000 CT $l300-that his wife had seen
his pocket. book and he had seen some oflhe Taon-
ey. Crawford remarked that Wilson could not
have pot it honestly Trayer said "God only
Knows" He then said his wife had some susp-
cion of Wilson and did not want him to come to
the house again-tkat on Sunday night he was
rolling and tumbling over the floor. and that she
really did suspect him for killing Billy Coleman.
1rayer said he was doing his best to find out the
murderer, and that the $500 would be an object
to a poor man. lie then referred to Livck again.
During the conversation, Dyer and Wilson came
along-Trayer immediately seized Wilson and
after scuffle and i private talk with him, got
him to 90 off down street with him.
DAVID FoUrz.-Did not know the hammer,
and never lent it to Trayer.
JosEPH REYNoLDs.-Never saw the hammer
till Mr.. McCue and Mr.. Crawford showed 1t to
him.
JAS. I. A. TRoTrER-Had conversation with
Traver the night before he was arrested. Met
him near the Va Hotel. Trayer came up and
said to him ''have you made any money by kill
ing people ~ and immediately said ''you are ma
king money at staging" Some conversation en-
sued about Coleman. Trayer stated that he
thought he could find out who killed him. Irot-
ter asked him who he suspected-he said he could
put his hand on the very man, and If he had sus-
pected the Saturday night after it was found out,
he could have got the bloody shlrt-that the man
did mt live far out of town and had been working
in town. Trotter insisted on his telling him who
il was. and after some hesitation he said Mike LII
wick and John Peer assisted. TrOtter asked him
why ne suspected them-he said the house was
robbed on Friday night, aud at II or O'Clock
that night he heard them talking in low tone
together at Peers house-he recognised both
voices Mr.. Trotter related further conversation
lie suspected Trayer the dag of the inquest
thought his conduct and Appearance were shsplci-
GUS
A. II. FIsnER-Trayer had talked in his store
about the murder-said Lyck was at his house
on Thursday night with his sleeves rolled up
told about hearing the whistle or ''whisp' and
seeing Peers dog-that he slept with Wilson and
Perkins that night and had 10 90 out about o.
clock. He said he had killed chicken the Sun
day morning the murder was found out, and if peo-
rle had seen the blood on him they might have
suspected him.
JOHN H. NEwcoMB.-Eiad conversation with
Trayer the morning of the inquest. Trayer told
| hin Coleman was beaten on the head and stabbed
in the side, he thinks. The day of the arrest
Trayer told him he had an idea who did it,
man came to his house sc. The day WillsoT
came back, he told Newcomb he understood HI
! (W.) was suspected. and he was now here ant
could be tried. Newcomb had worked witt
Trayer good deal-never saw him have such
! hammer. He had had conversation with him a
bout Coleman--Trayef thought he had money
had heard him speak about Phelps-ihis was lon!
before the murder, as also the talk about Coleman
money. He had heard other persons talk abou
Coleman's money.
PETER EcKLE-lIad conversation wit
Trayer shortly after the murder, who told him h
had examined the body carefully and that Cole
man was not stabbed THAT lick on the side Q
his head had knocked him down-that it was don
by rlght-handed man-he thought he knew W h
did it, &c.
WILLIAM SMiTH.-Heard Trayer tell about
negro that was at Coleman's shop frequently abou
6edstead, whose wife was very uneasy, &c.
CALEB CRoNE.-Had several conversation
with Trayer In one Of them, he said, som
folks say il is old jenny Moores hammer, but h
never had Moore's hammer Crone was a littl
astonished at the remark, and Il. might have see
it-he then said, "sure as you're born John Pee
Bill Hawk and Mike Lvck killed Billy Cole
maan He saw Trayer in Jail several times, an
he earnestly protested his innocence.
JOHN S. PARENT.-Had some conversation wit
. Trayer the day Coleman was found He sal
that persons thought butchers were generally hare
hearted, but he didn't think there was butcht
in Staunton that would do an act of that kind.
NJ. c. HlRMAN.-Trayer told him before h
arrest that he had some of old John Moore's tool
but no hammer. and that Moore's mark was somt
thinr like the letter n. After the arrest. Trayc
+ insisted that he bad said Moore used that mar
for rafters, and if he had any other he didn't kno
H.
j. A. HARMAN.-Was present at the secou
conversation between Nj. e. III. and Trayer, an
confirmed the statement of the former. Tray,
had worked for him, and he heard him frequentl
speak of a murderer and robber named Phelp
whose life he had and whom he seemed to admin