The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-03-27
LOCAL WIS.

LOCA IN II w %
CRIMINAL couRrThe trial of Doddridge c. Lee for the
murder of David Hume continued yesterday, the fol-
lowing jury having been empaneed Thomas b. Brown,
George w Spencer Michael r. Coombs Elijah Edmonds-
ton George w. Bray, Thomas Riggles VIM. A. Kennedy,
Thomas r. Brghtwel Reuben Brown, Edmund +. Brown,
Samuel S. holland, and VIM e. Myers.
The following witnesses for the government called
and sworn Solomon q. Ieaton, s. A. Storrow, H. O. Pot
ter Joseph r. Rawlings, Jas Walker, Lafayette Brown,
| Robert Geddes, and Thomas j. Miller.
Mr. Bradley opened for government stating briefly the
law applicable 10 the case and the evidence which the
the definition OF murder and mansaughter and OF the
term "mace" concerning which be said two agreed.
Mr.. Bradley narrated the circumstances Of the collision
between prisoner and deceased at the evee They should
show that at that time gentleman of character son OF
Bishop Potter Of Pennsylvania told the prisoner that be
mistaken in the character of Mr. Humehat the lat
ter was gentleman of high standing in Alexandria
The occurrences at the Pension Office morning
touched upon and Mr. Bradley sad they expected to show
clearly that the prisoner had prepared himself with deadly
weapon for the occasion If proved that he had prepared
himself without warning deceased and provoked quarrel
with him and shot him dead, his crime murder
Mr. Chiffon replied for The defence Pursuing the course
OF Mr. Bradley, he applied himself first to the law of the
case and next to the facts They believed their side
that without shadow of doubt they could relieve their
client of the charge against him.
| He entered upon the question whether the prisoner at
the bar in danger of serious bodily harm at the time
be fred the pistols II be was in such danger the law usti
fed him in killing his assalant He maintained that when
arises where mans life is put in danger by
upjustabe assault he is justi6abe in taking the life
of the person attacking him. and malice is out Of the ques
ton He proceeded to state facts which he claimed
unquesonable That deceased went to the Of the
prisoner the place to which he beongedat his desk
Deceased abused Lee which the latter did not reply by
offensive words to reterate his belief in the charge
On turning he was struck with heavy blows and the
time he fred the pistol the bludgeon appraised
his head for another blow.
No words Justify one in violence upon another the
law repeats this aud again and if man. under
the guidance of his passions takes the law into his own
j hands, be does SO at the risk Of his own life
Mr. proceeded to narrate the facts OF the
destood by the defence He claimed that the pistol
prisoners own and that had been in his house for
months that deceased went down the the
ing after the affair at the levee and purchased heavy
hickory stick; that he went to the Pension Office with
Walker that Mr.. Heaton, felowclerk in conversation
with Lee prior 10 the arrival of deceased gave his be-
lief that Hume did really pick his ees) pocket and that
he showed indications Of guilt; that directly upon this
\ conversation Mr. Hume introduced to the by
Mr. Cole who supposed Hume to be acquaintance OF
4 Lee's. ]
4 Mr.. Chiffon went on TO narrate what TRANSFERRED and
claimed that they should be able to show that Mr. Hume
he able the prisoner at the bar scky man. weighing
i only 100 pounds at the time the pistol was fired
Mr. G. proceeded to read from the law as laid down by
this court in the Herbert upon "justabe homicide
aud from the law upon "malce" laid down by the
court in the Sims (GeorgetOwn case and concluding
expressed his confident belief that the jury would find
4 difficulty in bringing in verdict of aequitta.
DIR. S. A. Storrow, sworn Examined the wound upon
deceased the direction Of the wound indicated that the
track of the ball downward and slightly inward This
evidence ELECTED upon the coroner's inquest.
Solomon g. Heaton called TO the stand: Was at the
Presidents the evening of the 2Th in passing from the
reception room he up behind Mr.. Lee who stood
facing gentleman whom witness did not know they APP
peared have met there Lee look up in this gentle
mans face and say "Sr you have taken my pocketbo
at the same time taking hold of the appes Of Humes coat
with his left hand and sad that he "Shoud let him
till he gave up; deceased did not reply Immediately
and seemed very much amazed and astonished his first
reply was aWhy do you of taking your pocket
haak u1ip0- Won mt hau1 in my
pocket and take 1t ont from under my coat Hume In
quired who Lee was Lee gave his name and referred
to witness gentleman who knew him; witness replied
that he knew Mr. Le Lee insisted that deceased had picked
his pocket and called for assistance Hume began mani
fest excitement put his hand Lees shoulder and
said, Come go with me, and let's have this matter
settled = witness passed and nothing of the
occurrence that night; about o'clock morning
Lee at his room in the Pension Office Hume entered the
room about five minutes after, accompanied by another
gentleman there in the Mr.. Lee, Mr. Miller, Mr.
Brown Mr. Geddes Mr.. Thomas, also messenger boy Of
the Office by the of William; Mr. Lee standing
at his desk the west side of the the door at which
Hume entered at the southeast of the after
they entered Mr. Lee advanced very where they
STOOD does not know that anything said by either
party until Mr. Lee approached them Mr. Hume inquired
Of Lee recognised him the gentleman he charged the
night before with picking his pocket? Lee replied that he
did recognise him distinctly Mr. Hume said that he though,
little strange that such charge should be made against
him. and went to explain to Mr. Lee the positions they
had respectively occupied while standing in the crowd at the
Presidents and said If he had been the most expert pick
pocket in the world would have been impossible for him
to have done it, he asked Mr.. Lee be still of the
opinion that be took his pocket-book Lee replied that he
saw Humss hand coming from the direction Of his pocket
Lee turned around and appealed TO witness able
roborae what he had said witness replied he had
the part Hume whereby he could corroborae the
charge be could only coroborae the fact that Lee made
! the charge
Hume on to say that he was years Of age and
had probably given away money every year than
Mr. Lee worth, aud at the time turned around
and appealed to Mr. Walker 10 the truth of what he
said Did not hear Walker make any reply. Lee said
this doubtless correct as he poor man he said
further that If Hume As years old he years
his senior and he said that not the "place settle
the difficulty" Hume replied that he did not there
with the intention of having any difficulty with him He
asked If Lee still held to his charge Lee said that he did
Hume said Immediately, HYou id scoundrel, do you
charge with picking your pocket n and at the same
time struck him with his Lee turned to the left and
walked of, his back being towards Hume Lee was in
bent position Lee had his hat at the time he first
struck After tire first blow witness noticed that the hat
was off, Hume struck Lee many two three blows
Immediately afterwards witness heard the report Of ps
| tol Hume exclaimed, "0h my God, am dead man p
and at the time fell forward He lived perhaps ten
minutes after he shot.
Gross Witness, entering Lees in the
morning, asked Lee II anything further had trauspred
| the levee after witness left there
The counsel for government here objected 10 the intro
duction OF this evidence The counsel for
the defence coatcnded for its adm,ssiby the ground
that IL tended 10 explain the conduct Of the defendant
his state of mind at the time showing that he acting
upon honest conviction OF the truth of the CHARGE and
that the witness had encouraged and sustained him in
belief
Mr. Bradley replied, reasserting the nadmissibity Of
the evidence either rebutng the charge of malice
part Of the defendant or as going to dscredt the testimony