Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-09-16
LOCAL NEWS.

TEE FATAL STABBING OF CORPORAL VIII
the murder of Corporal George Williams, and
John ID. McClelland, soldier, charged with
being an accessory to the same, were arraigned
Ss at 9s
was large, and much interest was nantes ed
il the examination. Mr.. Il. Davis, ap-
peared for the defence, and the examination
commenced.
Edwin Bentley, assistant surgeon, U. s. A.,
sworn.-1 attended George Williams after he
brought in between II and o'clock on Thurs
day night and Friday morning 18th and 18th
instant. Upon examination I found HIM
pain, having previously had him laid upon
The bed. The wound was between the
seventh and eighth ribs, on theleft side, pass
wards and inward Through the opening the
food passed out, and L run my fingers in, get.
ting the stomach and sewing it up, after wards
replacing 1t. The injury was very serious
one, and L believed il to be fatal after the drst
examination. There were two other stabs
upon his person which did not regard as Sc
nous. He died between IL and 1 O'Clock: on
Saturday last, about thirty six hours after
the stabbing. The :wounc must have been
made with q knife of some size. do not
think it could have been done with a small
knife; but think it would req uire q blade
three inches In length to make such a wound.
The knife was here shown witness, which
had been found upon the prisoner, which he
thought might have inflicted the wound. but
he thoHght 1t more likely that it was made by
Witness continusd-I think the wounds
produced Williams death the wound in the
stomach, mean. 1t was most extensive
one, going through the chest ere it entered the
stomach. The wound could have been made
when lying down or standing mp; it could
have been inflicted by drunken man, as long
party that inflicted the wound was IN front of
the deceased. All these wounds were on the
left side. The other two were one on the
shoulder. blade, ana the other uLder the arm,
a OF
plunged quarely in. The deceased was un.
conscious 10 the last. l did not hear him say
and Eldridge had always been friendly.
George Kinds, steward Of tho hos pital, sworn.
l am steward OF the hospital, and was ac-
GuAnted with George Williams. 1 brought
hun into the hospital. / was woke up by DIM
lei Scott. who told me there was a man stab
bed. i got up and went out, and assisted to
pavement in front of DR.. McCoy's l had
some conversation With him. He said he asked
McClelland TO drink. and they got to sparring
S the counter. He thought that McClelland
was putting in TOO many airs, and he struck
him hard. Judge by our conversation that
the two had been sparring friendly together,
Eldridge rushed in and stabbed Williams. He
died at 1880 p. m. on Saturday. ..-
Hr. John Rutherford, sworn.-About twenty
minutes TO IL, on Thursday night, Eldridge
and MeClelland came into my house; they got
TO sparring together but told them wanted
to close up, and then they stopped. A few
III,
As he came in, McClelland put his hands up,
struck at him playfully, and they exchanged
blows. l ran between them but they passed
blows over me. 1t all common ced In playfal
manner. When McClelland and Williams
we're together, near the bagateile table, Ell
dridge run up and struck Williams three
times, as hard as he could strike, with
knife. saw the blade on the third time. He
struck him on the left side. l sung out, .Oh!
my God. he has knfe'' Eldridge had never
been struck In the house. There was no prov
ocation between the two (Eldridge and Will
lams) that saw. l did not try to separate
them: After the stabbine I sung ont for the
police. gave Williams water when he Law
upon the floor, but it run out of the wound
GIdridge is the man that conn itted the muir.
der, as sure as there is God. Eldrldee run
out after he had stabbed Williams, going out
the back door McClelland was under the bed.
DGnlet Scott sworn.-I went into Ruthertord's
on Thursday night, to get something to eat
with my friends. AS was coming out met
Williams going in. / saw him and MeCIel-
land spar, but thought it was all in fun 1
heard fall, and Scanlon, one Of my friends,
came running in and said that Williams was
stabbed Williams was brought out leaning
On somebody, and he sat in the door step and
said that s-n Of a b-h has stabbed me- l
assisted, with others, in getting him to the
hospital. 1 saw man running down the
street shortly after the stabbiRg, but did not
know whe II was. The prisoner did not have
asblack eye when he was in Rutherford's.
1hftdel Scanton was sworn and testified sub
stanually the same as David Scott. Though,
there was no i'll feeling between the parties.
There was provocaiion given BY Williams
Tor ElOrdge 70 strike him. Thought that Ed
ridge was not drunk, though he had been
drinking.
Le1Cis ~ .Bdtemdn was next sworn aud testi.
fed TO the effect, that EIdridge confessed to
him that he had stabbed Williams, but had
done SO because he had been attacked. He ex-
pressed no regret e the TRANSACTION. After
wards l went TO camp and found there Off GERS
III pursuit of the man who stabbed Williams
Went with Off GERS to Fighting Alley, where
Eldridge was arrested.
At the conclusion OF the examination. the &C.
Cused were fully committed for court