Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-09-07
TRIAL OF THE LYLEs MuRDERERs.
They Confess the Crime-Verdict of Guilty
Of Murder in the First Degree r. 2 ndered-
They are Supposed to be Concerned in the
lexington Murder.
Especial Correspondence of the Star.

lexington Murder.
Especial Correspondence of the Star
UPPER MARLBOROUGH, PRINCE GEORGE
COUNTY, Md, Sept. 6, 1s66.-Editor Star. The
trial of VIM. Platter, VIM. H. Jones, Thomas
Davis and Henry Luckctt, indicted-with Hen
~ Richards, alas Nimrod Richards, who has
not yet been apprehended-for the murder of
Col VIM. Lyles, of ARburn, near Piscata way,
Nd, on the night of the lith of july last, was
resumed this morning, when the following tes-
umony was taken:
Ann Lee. colored from Alexandria, testified
that Richards gave her some of the spoons,
and Other articles
John E. Turtop, sheriff. testified that the pris-
oners had made four statements, each acknowl-
edging that they were equally guilty, and each
made statement to the States Attorney, Mr..
Belt
Mr.. Belt Uu, sworn, and corroborated Mr..
TuTton's ties ssavny
George =. Marshall testified that Lyles' resi-
dence was about three q uarters of a mile from
any other house.
The prosecution here closed, and the defense
having no witnesses present the case was
Rued 10 the jury, Mr. Belt, States Attorney.
commencing, arguing briefly that the State had
made out clear case OF murder.
| Mr.. Roberts for the defense followed, con-
tending that sooner or later 1t will be made ap-
parent that these men were instgated by a
| white man. and that their being on trial was
they would probably have been working con-
tentedly on a farm. 1t was impossible for
such men as these to enter on such expe-
ditlon as is charged, unless urged on by some
unprincipled white mana follower of SUM-
ner, Stevens, John W Forney, and of the
| lesser lights, who hang around the Freedmen's
| Bureau. In conclusion, he contended that ac-
cordlng TO the testimony they could not find
them guilty of murder in the first degree
Mr.. Magruder followed on the same side,
citing numerous authorities TO show that only
| the one who strikes the blow which causes
death can be convicted of murder although
the others may be convicted OF being accesso-
ries: and under the law, he contended, they
could notbe convicted of murder in the first
degree.
Mr.. Belt closed the case briefly, reciung the
circumstances of the case developed by the
evidence, and while admitting that formerly
the law was Mr. Magruder stated. for ages
1t had been ruled that all taking part in such
guilty with the person who actually fred the
shot. They, themselves, acknowledged that
they are equally guilty. He claimed for the
stare verdict OF murder in the first degree
The jury retired about one o'clock, and re-
turned in less than ten minutes, when in
answer 10 the inquiry Of the clerk, Mr. Sass.
Ger, as to their verdict, they ans wered through
their foreman, ''Guilty Of murder in the first
degree"
The prisoners were seated against a board
screen. and one Of them, Platter. showed con-
siderable emotion trembling 10 such degree
as 10 shake the screen vislbly. Jones, at the
other end OF the screen, perspired very freely
as the verdict was being rendered, but the
other two, Luckett and Davis, showed no
emotion whatever. As soon as the verdict was
rendered, they were ordered to the custody of
the Sheriff, when they were taken to their
quarters up stairs and chained to the floor
The following Is the confession made by the
prisoners: II, William Platter, being one of the
parties W ho have been arrested and accused of
being concerned in the murder OF William
Lyles, do make the following statement to wit:
Tha. at the time OF and Prior to said murder
between Fairfax and Royal streets, at the end
OF the Foundry lot That on Saturday, the
18th day of July, 1866, got into a boat at AL
exandria with Henry Richards and Thomas
Davis who are jointly accused with me, and
that we proceeded in said boat to place called
Johnson's Spring on the Bend: at that place
William Henry Jones, and Henry Luckett got
on board. We then proceeded TO the farm of
Mr.. VIM. Lyles. on Piscataway Creek. Arriy-
ing there we hauled the boat on shore and pro
ceeded on foot TO Mr.. Lyles' residence On
reaching the residence Knocked at the door
and asked Mr. Lyles whether he wished to hire
any hands He told us TO go TO quarters near
by and he would answer Us in the morning
We did not go TO the quarters but laid down ali
nve OF US, on the grass, near the dwelling house.
having agreed on the word "Rush," to be
given by said Richards, that we would ali
start up and burst In the door of the house, for
the purpose OF efecting our intentions. There
We're three pistols in the party which were
held by the said Richards said Luckett and
myself Before the actual assault 1 gave INV
pistol tosaid Jones. At about twelve O'Clock
midnight the said Richards gave the word
'Rush,'' whereupon all i've of US started up
and precipitated ourselves against the door OF
the dwelling, which was immediately bursted
in; whereupon three or four shots were fired
by some OF the party, one of which resulted in
the immediate death Of the said William lyles
/ am not able to identify whose shot was the
fatal one. We were all five in q common con-
spiracy. l am equally guilty with the others,
but no more guilty than any one of the other
four. and Henry Richards was the leader of the
party l am satisfied that henry Richards
fired one Of the shots. All the others were
aiding and abetting.
"WM. This mark Platter.
|Witness:-HENRY Brooks"
On the reverse of this paper is the follow.
ing" We. Thomas Davis, Henry Luckett and
VIM Henry Jones, do hereby state freely and
voluntarily that tine within and aforegoing
statement, made by William Platter, accused
with US of the murder Of the late VIM. Lyles is
true far as the same concerns us respec-
lively. We severally admit and confess our
participation in said homicide as detailed In
the aforesaid statement Of said Platter Each
of the five parties concerned was equally guilty
with all the others, and no one Of us more
guilty than the rest.
THOMAS [hIs Y mark DAVIS,
HENRY This Y mark LUCKETr,
VIM. HENRY his X mark JONES
Wltness-HENRY BROOKS.
SBER1EF's OFFICE, UPPRR MARLBOROUGH
Prince Georges County, Md.-This 3lst day of
August, 1866 '....
Yesterday, there We're several officers and
others present from your city, two OF whom,
Lieut. Johnson, OF the police, and Mr.. A. r.
Allen, who has been acting as independent de.
tective, identified Platter and Jones as answer
ing IN every particular TO that OF two of the
parties they had been in search of, as being
concerned in the murder at Eckington farm,
near your city, some months since. 1t is gem
orally believed that they were concerned in
other crimes, among others the robbery of the
houfe OF Capt. Posey, in Charles county, when
be was rolled up in the bed clothes and held
there while they ransacked the house, and the
roboery OF the house Of the Misses Palmer,
near Broad Breek Church, in this county,
when two OF the party stood over the bed Of
the ladies, threatening TO shoot them if they
moved.
ltis expected that during this term, William
Jones, colored, who is charged with the com
mission OF rape on the person Of Mrs. Ander-
son few weeks since near Silver Hill, will be
tried. and should he be convicted, will doubt
less be hung. In this case five men impris-
oned here now Will suffer the extreme penal
~ ofthe law this fall. g.
~ Representative Pike, of Calais, Me-. has
forwarded $500 TO Mayor Stevens, OF Portland,
Ter the relief OF the sufferers by the nre. In
an accompanying note he says at is part
OF the extra compensation that Congress SO
iooiishly voted its members after left.''
SIn Sandusky. a beautiful and wealthy