The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-22

and the prisoners having been brought in the trial VIVA
resumed. The twelfth juror, George W. Bohror. was
sworn and the indictment against the prisoners was read
by the clerk.
Mr. Cross thon opened the by brief address to
the jury ON the part Of the government in which he
stated the law applicable to tho case sld detailed the
facts which the prosecution expected to prove liz CON
cludcd his remarks by urging the july examine all the
evidence carefully and impartiay and to schasge the
duty which dcvolved upon thon carcly be tho result
what IL might
Mr.. NoRRIs followed the part of the defendants
and set forth the grounds upon which he expected TO
prove their entire Innocence Of tho crime Of murder With
which they were charged He admitted that q wanton
murder had been committed upon the person Of Btoors
but he conended that the pepetrator that crime was
William johnson, of the witnesses upon whom the
government relied to sten the crime upon the prisoner
ut tho bar.
The prosecution then called
Dr. DuAxvt, who testified that on the night OF the
murder he called 10 examine the body Of Soops
From the character of the wound it necessarily fatal
tie bleeding could feel pulse whatever, although
the body was yet warm The wound WINS between the
second and third ribs tho right side thinks the bull
let passed through the pora did not probe the wound
for want Of suitable Instruments
WILLIAM Jonssox sworn--Ho testified that on Satur-
day night, the Sd Of April about nine o'clock George
Johnson, Augustus Heisslcr Thomas Brown, Edward
Needs, and himself started from tho Northern Liberty
market house and went to the Of n and Four
tcenth streets lac shooting took place at John Nu-
gents barber shop on the Of New York avenue
and Ninth street, where X street crosses Hosslcr
ueorse Johnson, ana Bro~l went into Nugents shop,
and raid they were going to stay there oil night. Nu-
gent was colorcd man he absent at tho time
Needs and witness sat down on the steps fronting street.
ana saw Marceus otoops and man named Manyetto
coming dow 9th street when they reached the barber
shop, Stops spoke to Witness who went out to him
while they standing at the tall ing together
Needs joined them ana He'ssier came out OF the shop
Needs was standng behind them az they were convers
hg- nc'Sier went up 10 mahyette ana knocked him
thenst Inv fha ,fc
Then Scoops s. red to run, and Heisser drew pistol
anu shot I'm wh'e ne was rurrlng St0Ops had only
run TWO or three ieet ne Immediately fell when he was
snot ucogo johnson came out OF the shop right after
iiesscr ana was on the spot when the shooting took
place when Stoops GENE up to witness, he said
HALO. Swyper, Is that your and witness replied
mat WIS. when Stoops was shot, no was IN
front OF witness Needs was behind witness, and
hlahycue was by tie SIDE OF Stoops, on the south
oil nm witness was facing towards 10th street. looking
west wasabout half foot or foot from Stoops at that
tune did not have his hand on Soops nor did Stoops
daye his bend on witness that IL witnesss opinion but
ne not positive about II did not hear Hesscr say
anythmg 70 otoop or Stoops TO him. when Stoops was
shot they all ran the rest ran towards 10th street. and
Brown anu Witness ran dowa to the corner OF 9th and
street Had known Stoops two or three years.
Tins witness was not cross examined
FREDERICK MASYKIIE sworn.--Was With Stoops at the
u'ne nc was shot About ocIcck that night Stoops
came 70 witness AZ ms boarding house. ana asked witness
to go with him down the street; witness did So and
they went down to the Of 9th street and New York
avenue several persons were sitting there and
one spoke did not take notice who spoke OF what
SAID rs witness was talking with Soops at the time ;
witness walked ON few steps, and not seeing Stoops by
his side he looked and saw Stoops with another man.
who had his lett hand ON Stoops shoulders witness i'm
medatey walked back and took hold Of Soops and told
him to come away At that moment Stoops ex-
Claimed "Oh you swypcrs, don XIII me !! As Stoops
spoke, witness was knocked down. and Stoops was in
stanty shot Witness heard the report Of tho pistol
ne fell Upon rising from the ground, Sleeps lying
about three iect OIL apparently fcess and the other
parties ram witness ran Also Witness intended to
turn to the SPOT but was advised not to go there lest he
should DO kiilcd too Neither OF tho men with StOops
could have been the one who struck witness, asAhey
were all III front and could not have approached without
witness seeing them Witness recognised Swycr John
son the next day as the one who was standing in front
OF Stoops at the tme with his hand on Stoopss shout
der WITNESS here described the position by placing
iour gentleman IN similar position IN respect TO each
other
G oss examined Was called to the guard-house next
day to if witness could identity any of the persons
present on this OCCASION and only identified VIM. john
son. btoos did not attempt to before witness
knocked dowl. The BARRIERS shop had Q door on 9th
street. and another door on New York avenue. Cannot
say whether the language was "Oh swyper or "Oh
swypcB, but 1t was one or the other. Did not see
pistol in any ones hand there Witness IS blind of
the right eye, and II any had out of the door
9Th street witness would not have been cly to
him. Witness was not more than two feet from William
Johnson when he was knocked dowl Witness
struck the right check bone and knocked off the pave
ment into the gutter Could not state who fred the ps
tol, but witness could give his IN who fed it, found
cd upon the position OF the parties.