The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-09-20
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
TRIAL OF WILLIAM B. PORTER, FOR
MURDER.
lREPoRTED FoR THE DISPATCH.
Louisa Circuit Court -Rich'd H. Field, Judge.
Commonwealth, rs. HIM. b. Porter charged Nth the
MURDER Of Richard Williams
EVIDENCE CONTINUED Il

Commonwealth. RS. Rm B. Porter, charged Nth sht
murder Of Richard Williams.
EVIDENCE cosTINuED.
James ITilliams.-In the plantation of Mr.
Porter in August or September last, when he
saw said Porter with a gun. He seemed to
be looking for some one or something, as il
desirous to shoot. Witness stopped, and
Porter came on until he got up to the public
road along which witness was passing
Witness then approached, and asked him
what he was going TO shoot. Prisoner an
swered: man-old Dick Williams, who had
been pestering about his premises, and he
meant to kill him. Witness went on little
way, and saw Williams going away from
Porter's plantation, and said: there is your
man-and prisoner said: if he don't keep
away from my premises will kill him;
Cross-erGmined by Detence.-Has known
Porter a good many years had the reputa-
ton of being kind and generous man and
ready to do favers, even TO his own injury
Did not believe that Porter would have shot
Williams, if he had been in ten steps of him,
and thought he had the gun only to scare
him. Was present when Williams was put
in the grave. Porter was there and seemed a
good deal agitated-more so than any one
else; so much confused and embarrassed was
Porter, that witness called the attention of
others to it. Suspicion of Porter was in the
mind of good many persons on Monday
morning He was arrested ON Tuesday even
ing. Williams wassburied on Monday even
ing.
John Binns-Received message by ne
gro to come to Porter's. When he got there,
Porter was on the house building a chimney.
When he and Terry got to Porter's house,
Porter waved his hand ON the side of the
house, where Williams was. Williams had
then started. Witness and Terry started at
ter him. overlook him about mile the other
side of Porter's house. Porter threw a brick
at Williams as he was going off, and heard
him speak good deal about Williams poster
ing him and coming about his premises
Witness and Terry followed after Williams
and overlook him about mile from Porter's,
and gave him whipping. They saw Porter
again that evening at Smiths. He was not
present when they whipped Williams. He
asked them if they had caught him and they
told him yes, that they had given him slight
brushing. Porter replied that is too good to
be true.
Cross-eromined.-Wil was in >Por-
ter's yard on horseback. Did not hear him
cursing and swearing. Did not hear him say
any thing. Don't recollect whether Porter
ever asked him TO whip Williams or not
Witness whipped him because Williams had
been talking about him. Don't think that
Mrs. Williams ever requested him to whip
Williams, but can't say whether or not he
was ever requested to do so either by Porter
or her. Don't think he ever was-when pri-
soner waved his hand, witness thought that
was what he wanted-namely, that he and
Terry should whip him-but can't say that
either he or Mrs. Williams ever asked him to
whip Williams.
(Irorfoo Y,ar,a, yVapf W. co.~o
witness, (Binns) being sent for by Porter, as
the negro said, who came for him. He and
Binns found Williams in Porter's yard ours
ing and swearing and kicking up fuss
Heard him before they got in hundred yards
of the house. Porter was UP on chimney
he was building. Did not see him wave his
hand towards Williams, but when Williams
went around the house and garden, as they
came up, Porter threw two stones at him, but
did net strike him. Porter had, sometime be-
fore this, asked him to come to his house
when Williams came there and help him to
catch him, or run him off the plantation. On
the occasion referred to, witness and Binns
followed Williams when he rode away from
POrter's. Caught him about mile off and
whipped him-but not seriously. He did not
resist, but cursed and swore and begged
Porter not then present. They saw him gain
that evening-t0ld him what they had done,
and he said it was too good to be true. Wit
ness did not whip Williams for Porter, or Mrs.
Williams. or anybody else-but whipped him
on his own account only. He had threatened
to whip witness, and witness thought he
would give him some. -...
Itulaam Bellamy.-On Ragland's sale day,
in October, 1852, stayed all night at Porter's.
Heard him say if Williams came there he
would kill him-that Williams was trying to
have negro of his taken up, and before the
negro should be whipped on Dick Williams
evidence he would die. He said he had Of
fered his negroes five dollars if they would
show him Williams. 1t was said that if Will
liams came there Sally Perry would shoot
him. Some one said she did not know how
to load gun, and it was said the gun was
loaded
Cross -er0mine3.-Witness was not much
acquainted with Porter. Had been at his
house only once before, and then a shsrt
time only, on business. Way he came to be
there this time he asked Porter to let him 90
from the sale and stay all night at his house,
as he had no where else to stay, and Por-
ter told him he might do so. There were pre-
sent at the conversation referred to, Porter 5
brOthers-in-law John Perry and VIM. Perry,
and Porter mother-and hH wife was some
times in and out of the room. Mrs Williams
was there, but in another house Thought
the conversation was a confidential family
conversation, although he, stranger, was
present. They were talking about the terri
bic treatment of Williams towards his wife,
which made Unnecessary for her to leave him
Did not ask Porter to let him stay all night
for nothing, but offered to pay next morning
Porter declined to make any charge
Elijah Batier.-Was passing through Por-
ter's i'll October 1881, and before getting to
public road, saw Porter with gun pointing
about as if he intended to shoot Asked what
he meant. He said he was going to shoot
Dick Williams. Witness said he wished he
had known what he was at, he would have
scared him off himself. Witness did not sup
pose, from what he saw and heard, that Por-
ter was in earnest, or that he had any idea OF
shooting anybody. John Binns was with
Porter Didn see Williams at all
Cross s-egamined.-Thought Porter's whole
OBJECT was to scare Williams off. Had no
idea that he really wanted to shoot him. Has
known Porter well for many years; he is a
klnd, benevolent, peaceable and mild man
often injuring himself to serve Others. Heis
not the sort OF man who could have malice
against any body.
Hailiam Lorfag.-Heard Porter say son
the Thursday before Williams was found in
the river, that he would not be surprised ii
murder was committed in that neighborhood
III less than a fortnight This was at the
house of Mr.. James Vest. Mrs. Vest said,
well, Dir. Porter, If any body is killed shall
suspect you. He laughed