The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-05-19
CBt 4aiIg 9onrnal,
[From the Cincinnati Commercial, May 1871
THE AFFRAY IN COVINGTON.
before the authorities
of COVing ton.
THIRD

a
!. There were but very few in attendance yes
terday morning-the excitement is evidently
dying away !; with the exceptions of the
Turner'S and their friends, and few legal gen.
; tlemen the court room was comparatively de-
serted. The roll was called and all the de-
3 PENDANTS held to bail answered to their names,
and took their seats inside the bar.
Attorney Fisk proposed that the Court,
with the defendants, visit Messrs. Harvey and
Butts, for the purpose of giving those officers
a chance to identify those engaged in the me-
lee, if they were able to do so. The phys-
clans were in attendance, and stated such a
course in their opinion, would not be attended
with danger to the wounded men. This prop
osition was objected to on the part of the de-
: Tense by Mr.. Webster, who stated that it
would not be showing the prisoners a fair
chance, as the state of the patients would for
BID a crosse examination on the part of the de-
fendants-there was nothing in the books or
code authorizing such procedure One of
the physicians stated that Mr.. Harvey had
said he did not know single man. Mr.. Fisk
said there were a number of precedents for
such course and he was astonished the at
torneys for the defense objected to it.
Edward H. Phelps and A. D. Madeira were
admitted as assistant counsel for the prosecu-
ton on behalf of the friends of the wounded
officers.
l Judge Stallo, the leading counsel for the
4 defense, who had been absent at the commen-
cement Of the Court, here came in, and announ-
ced that he was quite unwell, and would have
to trust the manag cement of the case to his
colleagues, but he would remain as long as he
possibly could. He certainly objected to an
examination of the defendants before the
I wounded men unless a general examination
took place
The motion was sustained. The prisoners
were then taken first to the residence of Mr.
4 Harvey, where the Court preceded them with
DR.. Pretlow in attendance.
| DEFENDANTS BEFORE OFFICER HARVEY
i They were brought in three at a time, and
the officer lying in his bed, after being sworn,
and advised by his physician not to be excited
looked at them each attentively. He remarked
when the first trio were brought in, that they
had changed their clothing. In the second
trio he identified one by the name Of Geigle as
one who was at him. judged SO from the ap-
pearance of the man. After one or two other
sets had been introduced, without Mr.. Harvey
being able to identify any of the men, he mani
tested considerable exhaustion, when it was
concluded to defer the Identification and pro-
ceed to the house of Mr.. Butts.
During the examination by Harvey of those
who were brought before him, he appeared in
e the best of spir. is, and made frequent remarks
> such as the following:
II consider them all equally guilty; those
e who didn't strike me, wanted to get at me.'
"Boys, amt you sorry you didn't kill me-?
No reply was made
One of the defendants had scar on his
cheek, and Harvey noticed it, and remarked
that he shouldn't wonder if he had given him
that.
Some one remarked he was getting tired,
5 when his wife, who was sitting on the foot of
+ his bed, remarked:
r "Give him pistol, as each one enters, and
: he'll not get tired'' She then buried her
face in the bed clothing, and was evidently in
tears.
The Court and officers with the defendants,
then proceeded to the residence of Mr. Butts,
on Sixth street, three doors below Madison.
THE DEFENDANTS BEFORE OFFICER BUTTS.
: The Turner's were brought in three at
time, and presented before officer Butts, who
was reposing on couch in the middle of the
room. He appeared to be doing quite well,
and his physician, DR.. Evans, said that his
symptoms thus far were all favorable-though
there was as yet no pulsation at his wrist.
T He didn't appear to be the least excited and
remarked after the first or second trio entered,
: "They are good looking set of men, feel no
malice against any of them myself, but no
brave man would jump on another when there
: were forty on him'
j In the first trio who came in he said he
e thought one man by the name of Meyer was
one of those in the crowd around him; but
= couldn't tell what he did; in the seventh trio
he remarked that a man by the name of Strau-
: binger looked like the one who had shot him,
but would not say he was the man. Twenty
i eight in all were taken before Mr.. Butts, but
! he was not able to identify any others.
1t was then proposed on the part on Mr..
Fisk, to take evidence Of Mr.. Butts, which
not being opposed on the part Of the defense,
the testimony was then proceeded with.
4 TESTIMONY OF OFFICER BUTTS.
Q Mr. Butts testifed-I first received infor-
nation at the river that my services would be
needed on Monday afternoon, between four
. and five O'Clock Mr.. Warnock came after me;
: said the Turner's were fighting, and they had
nearly killed little boy; went up on Scott;
z a man blythe name of Fred showed me man
who had beaten the boy l arrested him he
didn't have the Turner's clothes on others
: were shown to me afterward, by the Odd Eel
r lows Hall went up to one of the men and
told him | was an officer they all rushed in
); on me ; [ told the man not to pull back they
crowded around me pretty fast; told them
was an officer others told them so too, and to
give up the man peaceably they replied, Got
tam the officer, let the man go - Harvey then
d came in; they still crowded around; struck
at me with their rapiers snapped pistol
}. at one of them, and then went to help Har-
vey, who they were also striking at; as I turn
ed some one leyeled his gun and shot me |
5 was on Fourth street between the door of Odd
Fellows Hall and the corner (deScrihed the