Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-10-18

M,pr,,p OF WILLIAM CH1LDRFss-Ths case was
commenced yesterday. At an early hour the
Cont room YVES crowded to its fullest capacity by
a throng Of anxious and interested spectators.
Considerable difficulty was founi i'll getting
Jury Twerty-t~o CHI llenges were given ON the
part OF he prisoner, TIE number permitted beng
twenty-thrle.
AT the request Of the Solicitor, Judge Person
emp2nneled the jury.
All the witnesses, both oH the part OF the State
and the defence, were sworn ard then removed
beyond hearing OF the Court; after which, the 10
ljcitor John L Holmes, E-q., though evidently
suffering from ind. sporition, proceeded IN sol
emu aud impressive manner to charge the jury
and detail what The State expected t. prove.
Henry L. Perrin, .l4o fist witness on the part
Of the State tie Coroner who he'd the inquest
over The body Of Chi!dress, was called ana placed
upon the stand. This witness testified that hs
he'd an inquest over the body OF lhiLdress about
the last OF March, 1903. Tno body was found I'M
der the water in Smiths Creek, with the face
1oyvnwards and the feet up. 1t was taken out ana
found to be terribly m2ngtel. There were many
cuts on the lead and body. About ten feet from
the edge Il the water there were signs OF scut-
He and blood. Tie body was taken to Camp
Lamb, and there identified where also the in
the records to the Superior Court CLERK.
The Solicitor here stated that the records were
lost ana begged here to Introduce 3lr Il. A.
Barg superior Court Clerk, whose testlm ny
miekt throw some light on the subject. PermlS-
sion being granted, MIR Bagg was sworn and tes-
tilted that he had made diligent search for the re-
co, d aid was unable to find it. 1t was supposed
to have been lost, though he had no positive
knowledge that such the case, as he was not
Clerk al the time Some questions then followed
relative 10 the trans portation # the records to
Lumberton, Robson county, previous to the
evacuation CT the city by the Confederate forces.
The defence urged that both the Clerk at the
time ana the person charged with the transpor-
tation OF the records sloald be prodlcad The
Witness when he took charge Of them found them
in box in the Registers Office, portion also III
the basement OF the City Hail Hon. Hugh
WaddeI fer The defence urged that before parol
evidence could be given III regard to the loss OF
the papers. the contents OF the records must Do
ascertained by positive evidence. Ih9 Court set
tied the question Icy decidins; the papers were
lost.
! EEr Perrin. on being recalled, stated that he
had before the jury. at the Coronels inveslga-
! ton, the British protection papers of William
Chiidress He was not pre- AIRED to say what were
their contents Had the English seal upon them.
Did not positively know what British protection
papers were had never seen any before Or since.
The question was raised as to the competency of
this portion OF the ties smony. The Court decided
| THAI the State may snow that before the papers
were brought before the jury the deceased was
in possession of them, Witness then proceeded
! to state that DR.. VIM. j. Love was called in. In
reply to questions Of counsel for defence-found
! the BODY about half mile from Camp Lamb. 1t
| was found on Tuesday 3lst of March, 1903 Could
not we'll describe the wounds on the body. Re
examined-Was Coroner in the year 1868. Sum-
moned jury and went to the landing on Smiths
Geek, where he boGy was found. and there saw
evidences OF struggling IN sandy ground. Took
the body up. TLer5 We're several wounds on the
head. The Doctors action WAS part OF the YER
dicj. Do not know the number Of wounds there
were On the body. The verdict contained the fact
h4t the decease came to his death at the hands
OF Parker and another to the best of my recoliec'
ton. Verdict was rendered and pal ers returned
t. Deputy Clerk # the Superior Court kept i
from March to near October. Cannot say wha
became Of it. DO not know where Mary Macum
Der lived.
This evidence was all ruled out by the Court
except the tact that the verdict was returned.
Michael Barry was called and sworn, and testi
fed that he knew William Childress, and last say
him alive about the last Of March first Of Aprl
1868. Chidress had worked at the Wilmington
and Weldon Railroad shops, and had boarded witt
. witness from Wednesday OF one week to the SUI
day morning following. Chdress was very reg
} ular in his habits. Had taken breakfast at wit
ness house on the Sunday morning alluded to
!, and soon after departed on little business mis-
E sion. Childress had d gold watch and chain whic
he had previous to his boarding with wit ess lei
with neiShbor, named Hartman, for sd e. Chi
s dress had asked what kid Of a man Hartma
e was and witness told him that the sooner he &c
f his watch the peter it would be for him. III
watch was then placed in witness possession an
remained in his hands from Thursday morning t
Friday afternoon. In addition to the watch, Ch1
{ dress had some greenback money. to best of wi
g ness belief amounting to 500, ali in $40 bill
f Witness knew the watch and chain were of golt
q and examined it enough to recognize it as tn
same watch which exhibited at the Coroner
= inquest. Chdress also had British protection pa
l pers which kept him out of the war and whic
J, witness had seen. He knew what the
/ were, and thinks the name Of Childress was upo
q them. Had memorandum book also. Could III
swear that the one he saw i'll possession Of tt
Coroner was the same. Witness last saw Childres
% alive on Sunday morning 1t was then he aeke
for pen and paper to write letter to his wife, bl
e subsequently said never mind it, and left witue
SEES house by himself. message was brought
y, short time afterwards by Runciman, who said /
j., came from Childress and got bottle of liquor.
-" This was about 10 O'Clock Sunday morning. Wi
u meas afterwards saw Chldress' dead body at Can
y Lamb. The condition Of the body was bad.
n had upon it some II or 10 wounds-over the e.
4 was cash. Witness had wa he'd ard dressed Il
- body. assisted by another person. The body W
) badly SCARED under the ribs and gashed on Il
~ arms. Did not examine the pockets Of the clothe
IS and do not know who did. Witness found Meth
r watch, money papers. watch was hand
q him by Coroner Perrin. Witness thought it VI
- Childres6' watch.
Examined by counsel for defence:
[ said that Runciman came to my house
~ Sunday morning in the name of Chidress, al
got bottle of liquor. Did not see Childress ali
u again. When next saw him he was dead. tt
l. was On Tuesday morning. Several wounds We
Or On the body. Did not the contents of the poe
a cts taken out. The inquest which held ov
he Nv two 6ayS iurv vva