Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-10-18
The Court then took a recess until % o'clock,

when il again assembled.
Cason Cartiohn, sworn.-I never saw VIM. Chli-
dress until one Sunday about the last OF March,
1863. He then hired house from my brother. l
believe the body was found on the Monday o.
Tuesday following. After renting the house from
nv brother Childress went to house about Two
blocks Off, called the Mitchell house. 'e asked II
any women staid there. told him yes, put hot
to GO but he did go and saw him. Ia'Ker anu
Runcman were in the house. sa" then so
there about an hour before. This was ABOUT TWO
O'Clock on Sunday. Parker and hunciman a1ter-
wards came to my brothers for liquor which
they did not get. They then went of but came
back to the Micht Il House again. little after
O'Clock saw Parker, Runciman and Chidress, ana
another man, think it was Dunn, walk out OF the
house towards the woods. [ had seen Chlldress
have single case watch and chain that 'ay. No
ticed that tie cham had gold slide. exam
ed the Glide closely. Il smooth slide. L did
not see it after the body was found. Chiidress
had some greenbacks and Confederate money. L
did not see his body after it was found. He spoke
for bed to sleep in the house he had rented from
nv brother that night but did not come back.
Alex Boom sworn-I knew William Chlldress
| in 1853. I last saw him about the 29th OF March
of that year, on Sunday 1 saw him at Dick Cart
| ionn's. know that he had on his gOlh Watch
aud some grecnback money-abOut $1C0. was
with him about II O'Clock on Sunday, and left HIM
at Dick Cartjohn's While there he offered to
| trade the watch with me- e1aminedlt caretnhy.
1t was patent leverEnglish watch, single case and
| had a guard chain with a slide. examined WITH
suoh particularly that recognized 1t afterwards
when | saw it again on the day the body was lden-
| tifed-on Wednesday in the Sheritf7s office. did
not go to the prison The watch was shown
! me by the Sheriff after the inquest was one OF
the persons who identified the body. l swear
positively that the watch shown me by the Sheriff
was the same watch Childress had. Cbiidress had
shown me no British protection papers.
| Examined by counsel for the defence.
There WAS particular mark on the watch--a
little piece broken out Of the crystal swear to
the identity OF the watch Chldress worked in
the same shop with me- and I had seen the watch
Re-examined--I was abie TO identify the watch.
by the mark on the crystal Have seen good
many watches III my life. Think 1 am good
Judge Of watch. Not only did recognize 1t ~
the crystal bat also from the fact that it was three
hole jeweled.
DR., D. NJ Buie, sworn.--I was i'll this city in
the latter part of March. 1868. / was Provost
Marshal under the Con: ederate States at that
time There was in the place about that
time during which some parties were arrested
Parker and Runciman were among this number.
They were confined i'll the guard house. This was
in the early part Of the week. Runclman was re-
ported badly wounded, and for this reason was
turned out for treatment by physician. Parker
was detained until the next morning. There Wsa
no charge against Him, but he was detained and
confined in the military prison, being liable to
military service. The next morning after his con-
Il al
Parker, which refused. The Sheriff then asked
me to let him see Parker as ne was charged with
the murder of Childress. went into the prison
with the Sheriff. and Parker brought before
u.s. l then cautioned Parker to be on Lis guard
that there was a serious charge against him, and
to say nothing he could not substantate. The
Sheriff then wished to know, 1 acting ques
toner, what money he had. Parker showed his
pocket book. There in it a small amount o.
Confederate money and some specie. He wat
> asked about a watch ami said he had none. 4
large knife was then SD Jwn, and the prisoner
asked il it was his. He said it was. 1t wa:
t an ordi nary bowie knife, and the scablard being
pulled off there were signs of blood on it,
Prisoner was then asked how came the blood
there and replied he knew not. The Sheriff thel
caught hold of his coat and asEed what is this
pointing to spots of blood. Prisoner said he die
Y not know how it came there. then ordered tina
j. nothing should be conveyed out Of the prison.
n Just then prisoner from the other side Of tn
h prison cried 1t he had Parker's watch. I tool
, the watch and asked Parker if it not his, an
: receiving reply negative, took it an
said if this is not your watch, will keep it. Par
ker afterwards said it was his watch and that h.
. had brought it from Virginia. He gave as hi
h on for his first denial that he had been calle
f. on and the watch demanded by officer from
! Virginia the evening before and he fearfr
n that i, was some plan to get his watch. the
# went out Of the prison and gave the watch
. Sheriff Vann. / also gave him the knife. Hav
4 never cen them since. The a'ch had bronz
q face and steel bands
/ Examined by counsel for defence The arres
t. of Parker and Runciman took place before IN
s. conversation with the Sheriff. 1 could not sa
l. positively that the spots on Parkers coat WEI
e blood.
s jeff. Smith sworn-I knew William Childress
l. March 1868 He had been here about six days bt
h fore lie was killed ] know that he had gol
" watch. I saw it on Sunday morning before tn
N Tuesday on which the BODY was found. 1
ot again Sunday night in a chop, corner SeVent
&c and Chestnut streets. Parker had it and was pu
Sc ting it in his pocket as [ entered next it
ID the eheTtf's hands. 1t was the cause OF my ha7
1t ing Parker arrested. Parker and Runciman wei
s. together in the shop. They were both apparent
a wet. 1t had rained that evening. The
le clothes looked dirty and soed. ! the watC
brought out Of the military prison by the Sheriff
it. did not then examine it, but had seen it SUI
Up day morning and I saw it in the Court House a
It forwards, and had no doubt that it the waite
ye which belonged to Childress. I saw marks c
ne it. But had previously examined it, and wf
as going to trade with Chidress for it. did not Sc
he Parker have knife in the store that night.
IS, know Childress had about $3.50 in greenbacks ar
er 81. 500 in Confederate money. Saw him last ju
ed after breakfast Sunday morning. did not Sc
as any British protection papers.
Examined by counsel for the defence-I am ce
tain that the watch that Of Ch.4dress. 1t WI
m all open face gold watch. The crystal was broke
nd in the Court House. There no fragment o.
va before. could not say it was the same watt
,is Parker had that night There may ha'
re been some slight fragment out of the cryst
k which did not see.
er Lizzie Macumber sworn--I saw Childress at n
notbar,s house near the railroad on the extren