The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-05-23
Corresp 'udence Of the Dispatch.
TRIAL OF A SON FOR THE MURDER OF
HIS FATHER
RoxpoRo,, n. .C. Nav Ia,h 1ssa

HIS FATHER.
RoxBoRo', N. c., May 18th, 1855.
The trial OF Joseph Williams for the murder of
his father, Frank Williams, In the county of Cas-.
vel, ssme time since. has just been concluded Ia
THU place. 1t has seldom happened that auv trial
has excited as much interest as this Ia the couu
ties adjoining. The case was one OF rare charac.
ter; and lie examination WAS twelve months ago
moved rom the county La which the offence was
committed, to Person. In which it was decided
Tue superior Court commenced lis session here on
Monday last, Judge Dick pre.iding The case OF
Williams was liked for Wednesday, but q very
large crowd attended every day, on the first day Of
most insoherable and on ihe second day, during
the argument OF the case one of the jurors tainted
but upon being taken to the air. with free use OF
water and ether restorstives, he was revived
The case was conducted on the pert of the State
0y lhomas knffn, Esq Solicitor, and Edwin G.
keade, Esq; tor the prisoner, by Messre Samuel p
Hill, John Kerr, James T. Morehead, Montfort
McGehu and Charles P. Wiastrad. Ii is seldom
that 10 any case there is greater array of talent
and legal ability : - :
There seemed to be no disposition ON either side
60 nave the case continued, a. the prisoner had
already been In Jail many months About IL
O'CLOCK, on wednesday morning, the prisoner was
broughtin, followed by large crowd from the
jan, eager ITO catch glimpse Of the countenance
There was not so much difficulty as had been
anticipated in getting jury and soon the exarni.
nation OF witnesses commenced but ss your cors
respondent did not take notes. he can only give the
II seemed that Frank Williams man of CON-
siderable wealth and his son Joseph, the accused.
lived together upon very dsagreeable terms for
many years before the murder of the former -
Ihey were the only white persons living on the
premises, and they were both very communicative
"a to the condition Of their relations The father
abused the son for his worthlessness and the son
expressing the bitterest hatred Of his father
Ths circumstances of the murder NAV be re-.
memoered by the readers of the Dispatch WI.
lians was In the habit of visiting woman of had
character, whom he had settled upon corner of
bis land. The way to her house led through 4
denss Forest and It was along this path th at he was
killed. The murder was committsd ON Wedpes-
day evening" about night fall, aud on Friday the
prisoner went to the house of neishbor, William
Lyon, and told him that the old man had been mis-.
sing for several days Lyon said that something
was wrong, aud that search must be made They
then started, and by the proposition of Joseph
Williams, Lyon 10 look along the path leading
from the house OF Williams. sr to that of his pa
ranour, whilst the son went by a blacksmifh's
shop to get some things, and would meet Lyon at
place designated; but instead of stopping at the
place agreed, he went on home and had to be sent
for when the neiehbors assembled in answer to
Lyons call When Lyon gave the slarm upon
finding the body, witness stated that J. Williams
was within hearing, but rode by in gallop.
tappeared after the murder that Joseph had the
keys and pocketsbook which his father aIwavs car.
ried with him. and that on Thursday (the next day)
some person rode from the direction of the house
to the turn OF the path, from which the body Nigh.
be seen, and then went back and the track CORES.
ponded by measurement with that of the prison-
ers horse
When the accused was examined he gave false
statements as to the possession of gun and pistol
neither OF which could be found, but both il was
proved, he had q short time before the murder
Tne evening of the assassination many persons
heard a gun fire Ia thst direction, and one woman
testified to hearing the voice of the prisoner In
those woods soon after the report of the gun.
1no thomo oinAo
| life were proved by several witnesses but the
most important one, Jordan l.. Motley a cousin OF
the prisoner, and with whom he had been verv
communicative, gave the most material testimony.
He was intimate with the father and son. and gave
Instances related to him. by the latter of their
quarrels and fghts He stated thag on one occa-
sion Joseph told him that he drew his knife, and
that If the old man had come to him he would have
stuck II 10 his id old heart
He related much of his abuse of his father. and
| that he was In the habit of complaining that his
father would aid other people and would not aid
his children that the property came by his mother
and that he meant to have his part. He repeatedly
threatened that unless the old quit visiting that
woman he would kill them both, and said a short
time before the deed in speaking to Motley of this
that h's father was his "meat, and that he aoOuld
drop him some of these times his path rith his
biscuit and bottle Of milk" (These articles Will
lisms was in the habit of carrying to this prosti
tute.)
Immediately after Joseph Williams found that
anxiety to see Motley and when they had an inter.
view in regard 10 what Motley knew to confirm
the suspicious, Motley told him that he ought not
to have done this, as he knew that he IN ) had
warned him against 1t. To this the prisoner re-
piled. "Yes Jord |, know you did, and ought
not to- have done 1t, but no white man saw me
do 1t, If you do not tell what you know they caut
hurt me-" Motley told him. that he would not VOL
unteer any Information against him, but, If called
upon he must tell the truth Joseph Williams inn-
portuned him to profess to know nothing; but he
could not exact such promise.
This was the substance of the evidence for fhe
State, and the prisoner introduced no witness,
thus getting the closing speech At the conclusion
OF the testimony the case for the State was open
ed by Mr. Rufhn In very strong and logical ar
gument. He was followed on the other side bv
Messrs. Hill and Kerr, and to those who know
these gentlemen, it Is hardly necessary to say
that they did every thing that skil and ability
could suggest They both made terrible assault
upon the principal witness for the prosecution,
Motley, and eudeavored to dscredit him with the
jury.
Next came Mr.. Reads for the prosecution. and
we must say We have seldom heard such an ar
gument at the bar of any court of justice 1t was
| a calm, digniied, and lucid investigation of the
whole case. There seemed TO be no point in the
chain of evidence tbs he forgot, and there was a
completeness aboutit that rendered it model le.
gal eloquence.
The case was closed for the prisoner by Hon.
J. 7. Morehead He opened by moving the court
to exclude from the jury, the evidence of Jordan
.. mOuoy, On tn6 ground tnat he occupied before
the court the same attitude a. If they had the re-
cord OF court showing that he hai been convicted
OF perjury. Theground of this was that upon the
crosse xaminaton, Motley stated that his evidence
was fuller on this occasion than 1t had ever been
before, except to the counsel for the State and
that he did not tell the Grand Jury everything that
he had stated In Court. The oath he took reauir-
ed him to tell "the truth, the whole truth and no.
thing but the TRUTH" and inasmuch as by his own
confession, he omitted to state part OF what he
| knew, he bad therefore been guilty of perjury,
and was an incompetent Witness although he may
have answered all the questions the Grand Jury
put to him.
Mr.. Morehead argued this question at some
length, but Judge Dick overruled the motion, and
| said that whilst the omission by witness on
former occasion to state part OF his evidence did
| not render him incompetent, yet the jury might
consider whether 1t affected bis credioiiity. He
said the maxim, Falsum In uno; falsum In emni.
bus, was confined to the In hand. and did not
| extend to false statements made at other times.
Mr. Morehead then went on to argue the case be-
fore the jury at considerable lenghh and with his
accustomed ability. The case was given to the
| jury about o'clock on Thursday night, and they
were out In ell about two hours, when they return
| ed verdict against the prisoner of guilty"
On Friday morning motion was made for
| new trial and finally an appeal was taken to the
| Supreme Court which viii sit la August upon the