The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-04-17
LATEST MAIL NEWS
TRIAL OF JAMES A. GRAHAM,
Charged scstk the Mayder Of I'm. II. Spider
IN tie Comfy Court Of ITythe, aprsi Oh.
EVIDENCE OF CHItF WITNESS,

EVIDENCE OF CHItF WITNESS.
Counsel for DGtHdaRt.--B. RusH FLofp
and ISAAC J. LsrTwIcH.
FogsAe mmoRfrcaitk.--kogERT G. KENr
and BEVERLY Il. JOHNSON.
CoRna1a r. 7'tgg, scitaess on behalf of
the Commonwealth, being duly sworn. saws
arrived at Wytheville on the evening of
last Saturday week, / think about dusk.
which was the 3lst March last. | had bean
ia town for some little time, perhaps an hour
or two-had walk ed up street from the hotel
believe TO the barber shop; on my return
to Col. Boyds bar room, had been In there
but y short time after my return when Mr..
Spiiler came III to see me; l think it was be.
tween eight or nine o clock at night; do NOT
know that observed the hour After the
usual SITUATIONS between Mr.. Spiller and
myself, both being glad to see each other. we
took seat behind the stove, the stove being
nearly opposite the front window, and about
midway the room; l took my seat lust nj the
end of q long table, which sits in the corner
put there. believe, for the purpose of nut.
ting newspapers ON. Mr.. Spiller took a seat
onm my left: Mr.. Terry was seated on Mr., Spill.
iers left Mr.. Cox was seated on the left of
Mr.. Terry, near the door which enters from
the dining room; Mr.. Charles L. Crockett
was seated at the end of the stove. accord.
log to my recollection. nearly fronting me.
Mr. Tsliaferro was sitting very near me. but
do no. recollect now the precise place In ths
room: | am sure there were other gentlemen
in the room, but who they were am not able
TO recall We had been sitting there for a
few minutes, when observed Mr.. Graham
the prisoner, come in; | think he came i'm
from the front door, he took a seat near the
stove, next the counter and near the lamp
which hangs in the room; how long Mr. Ora.
ham sat there am unable to say, was We Y
busily engaged, and very agreeably engaged
10 conversation with MIR. Spiller, and did
not observe him when he moved from his
chair; the next thing / saw of Mr. Graham
afterwards, he was upon his feet near the
place as / suppose where he had been sitting,
with his pistol levelled in the direction Of
MIR. Spiller and myself; l had scarcely and
had not more than time to observe that il was
Graham, and he had pistol IN his hand be.
fore he fred, and almost Immediately after.
ward he fred again; saw him fire the two
first barrels distinctly. The first ball that
was fired, according to my best recollection,
it may have been the second, but think it
was the first fire, entered my coat upon the
lapel upon the left breast, penetrating the
coat, my veSt-which is q pretty thickly
lined velvet vest my shirt and ny flannel.
striking the skin on the left breast rather
above the nipple, and breaking the skin
about the size of the ball, imagins; knew
was shot before l rose from my chair; from
the conclusion, as | suppose occasioned by
the report of the pistol the lights were ex.
tinguished; don't know that there were any
lights except the lamp; whether the lights
were extinguished upon the first or second
fire, cannot be positive; l think however,
not until the second; from the fact that saw
Mr.. Graham fire the second pistol from the
light | knew the man from the light around
Cd r
know who. We had better get out of here
who it was l don't know, but the remark is
distinctly impressed upon my mind was
not at that time certain that could get out:
felt the ball strike my person, and thought
of course, it had gone into my body; being
in vital point, l did not know whether /
would be able to get out, or if l did, that |
would be able to stand very long after get
ting out. Those of us there seemed to rise
at the moment, and started, or at least Mr..
Spiller and myselfrose pretty much together,
and started towards the front door-Mr Spil
Ter was a little advance of me--and from the
time we left our chsirs, until we reached the
door, there We're two or three shots fired,
which l did not see, but heard on getting
out of the door. Mr.. Spiller had stepped off
the step, at the door, and started in the
direction of home; he made but few
steps, four or five probably, until he fell.
About that time was nearly opposite to him. and
within few feet of him. said l. Spiller, are you
shot for ! am: do not recolect any reply
waich he made to me at the moment, for almost
instantly, observed Graham upon the pavement
near The step OF the door, with his pistol presented
10 the direction In which we were-I jumped back
Instantly. and rather down the street from where
MIR. Spiller was lying, and Graham fired-whether
AT me or Spiller, | could not tell. As soon as he
bred, he seemed to observe Spier lying upon the
pavement; and he walked quickly up within
some three four, or five feet, can't be certain to
distance, but within a very few feet; Spiler
seemed to belying rather on his right side, wi h
his back TO the wall of the house. resting, think,
upon his right hand and arm, and his left hand a
little raised, rather La an imploring way, / should
say Graham fired upon him in that condition.
thought | saw Spiller at that fire sink upon the
payement-he Immediately stepped nearer to him,
placed his pistol to his head and fired again.
cannot say that saw Mr.. Graham at the moment
he lett, but he was soon out of my sight; at that
moment saw nobody that remember near to us,
except Spiiler and Graham; the alarm was raised,
aud great number of persons soon assembled; but
don't remember seeing any one upon the ground
until the act was perpetrated and MIR. Graham gone.
have stated did not see him at the precise mos
ment he left, but it was so short time could
hardly fix 1t until he was out of my sight. At that
particular moment, | might have drawn my eyes
from sight so terrible as il seemed to be; at the
time the last shot WAS fred witness thinks he was
about twenty feet from the parties; did not feel
Ia condition to render assistance. 1 thought /
was killed myself, and had 30 weapon of any sort
except pen.knife; the time between the firing OF
the last shot, or first and last outside of the house.
was very shsrt; could not have been but few Sec
oods- Mr.. Spiler was taken up from the place
where he was lying by some three or four gentle-
men, don't know who, / think Dr. Halter was
one, and carried across the street to DR.. Ewing's
ONCE that is the last have ever seen of Spiller
may state here do not recollect that Mr. Chas.
Crockett was In the room at the time the firing
commenced, nor have distinct recollection that
Mr. Taliaferro was there, though my best impres-
sion 10 that he was. | am confident that Terry and
Cox were there. There were sone little incidents
occurred ont of doors. but do not know that they
have anything to do with the case. After | knew
that Spilier was murdered, my first impulse was
TO get some one to go down and break the matter
20 his family, and In that effort was drawn some
little distance from where he was lying ON the pave
ment. ! was afraid to go myself, for was still al.
prehensve might fall at any moment | men
toned 1t TO some three or four gentlemen and last
~ TO Mr. Hanson, who seemed jus, to have come
up and started 10 that direction, and supposed he
had gone TO give the information.
On being intsrrogsted, witness says, the CONVEX
sstioh that he and Mr.. Spiller were engaged 10 al
tns sme Of the first fire In bar-room was altogether
pleasant one short time before "a 6rin hut