The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-06-22
THE DRINKERS FARM MURDER
TRIAL BEFORE JUSTICE NETTLEs.
HE EVIDENCE FOR PROSECUTION CLOSED
A Thimble and n Lock OF Hair.
THE CASE CONTINUED TO-DAY.

certainly no QlmlnutlOn OF the cr0Wd OF
| spectators, and a number Of females be-
sides the witnesses were present. A son
of General Grant, who came into the room
in company with several ladies, received
some attention from the officers Of the
court. The ladies were shown seats in
the ante-room, and young Mr.. Grant took
chair beside the examining justice.
Mrs. Jeter was first recalled, and cross
examined by Mr.. Spalding. She testified
that the hat on the corpse Of the murdered
woman greatly resembled one which be-
longed to Jennie Edwards. thought that
it was the body of Jennie Edwards, but
had some doubts about it. If she had
never come to light should certainly have
believed that it was her. She was once
neighbor Of mine, and I was acquainted
with her.
Further examination Of witnesses was
delayed for half an hour by the tardiness
Of Mr.. Johnson, principal counsel for the
prisoner, who had been detained at home
by the severe illness Of little daughter.
Constable John W. Cole was next sworn,
and testified: | had in my possession a
dark sacque, hoop skirt, a calico dress,
and other articles, taken from the body of
the deceased, which were delivered to
Captain Callahan on an order from the
Mayor of the city. | have attempted to
recover them, but have been unable to get
any but the gloves and hat.
Detective Tyler testified that while some
repairs were being made at the police
headquarters negro boy took the clothing
taken from the corpse found on Drinkers
farm and sold them for old rags. lie had
made diligent search, but has not been
able to find them. The man to whom they
were sold acknowledges that he bought
them.
Constable Cole recalled: The articles
which were brought in court day or two
ago were taken from the body. When |
arrested Mr.. Phillips / found him at Mr..
Turner's, and told him that arrested him
for the murder Of his wife. He said :,
You astonish me. / never had wife,"
He was walking through a clover-ficld
when arrested him. found his trunk in
the basement Of Mr.. Turner's house. Mr..
Phillips showed us the room. We found his
trunk locked, but he gave us the key, and
Mr.. Knox unlocked it. We found in it all
the ladies' apparel produced in court on
Wednesday except that taken from the
corpse.
Cross. examined: have taken some in
terest in the case, but no more than an
officer should. | went on last Sunday
morning and told Phillips that was about
to summon witnesses for the Common
wealth, and would summon bis also if he
would give me list. went in again with
Mr.. Knox, but had no conversation with
him. Knox showed him a letter. visited
him again, with Justice Wade and Mr.. and
Miss Pitts, as was reported in the papers.
! did not give the account Of that inter
view to the reporter Of the Dispatch nor
to the representative of the EnQutrer.
Mr.. Johnson stated that the prisoner had
been directed by his counsel not to answer
any questions propoundcd by outsiders,
and for this reason in the interview he
had referred them to his counsel.
Cross S-eXaminatiOn resumed: told the
prisoner that Mr.. and Miss Pitts believed
him to be the murderer of their sister, and
that if he could produce his wife he would
be relieved of his difficulty. ] remember
Mr.. Johnson's demonstrating with me for
going in the cell of his client, asking me
what right | had to do so. went in
friendly way to see the prisoner, to tell
him that | would summon any witness that
he wished to be present at the trial.
Mr.. Johnson became very much excited
during the interrogation Of this witness,
and questions were showered so rapidly
that the witness was slightly confused.
The counsel seemed to be under the i'm
preston that the prisoner had been the
victim Of relentless persecution.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Spalding: first
saw the body when it was exhumed by
Knox and myself. | delivered the shoes,
gloves, a hoop skirt, a dark gray sacque,
and calico dress, to the Chief of Police.
These articles were delivered to me by
Mr.. Turner. thought at first that identi
fed the woman by her nose, which resem-
bled, as some thought, Jennie Edwards's.
believed that it was Jennie Edwards for
time, because number Of persons identi-
fed her, but thought it was strange that
her mother did not. / believed that the
vest in Phillips's trunk was like the sacque
taken from the dead body. l doubted
whether the body was that Of Jennie Ed
wards. Mr.. Knox was with me when the
Orleans. He put his hand on the accused,
and / showed him the warrant. We both
told him that he was arrested for the mur-
der Of his wife.
Mr.. Thomas Didn't Knox say, "Cole,
this is the man that / Sa,r murder his
wife," as he put his hand on the shoulder
of the accused.
Witness: don't think he said those
words. l believe he said, "This is the
man that murdered his wife," don't
recollect our exact words. Knox did say,
"Ill be damned if you don't wish you
had wife before you get through"
Questioned by Mr.. johnson: About an
hour after thSwourt adjourned on Tues
day went with Mr.. and Miss Pitts to the
prisoners cell. Mr.. Pitts desired to see
if he could. identify the prisoner as the
man who married his sister. The trunk
was examined before the witnesses on the
same afternoon, at Justice Wade's sug-
geStion.
Knox and myself dug up the body, with
the assistance of two colored men. don't
kno,o who the person was, and could not
swear of my own knowledge that murder
had been committed. The witness then
gave detailed account Of his visit to
Norfolk in February, when it was sup
posed that Jennie Edwards had been mur-
dered. He was subjected to most search
ing cross-examination by each Of the pri-
soner's counsel, but sustained it well.
George V. Case, deputy sheriff, deposed: {:
l have in my possession brass thimble
which l understand was taken from the
body of the deceased. / did not take it
myself.
~ u IL lL.t
thimble was taken from the pocket Of a
caooua IN ha hndu of tho murdared wp-