The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-05
THE CASE OF JACK wRENN.
HIS TRIAL FOR MURDER.

The case of the Commonwealth Us. Jack
Wrenn, charged with the murder of Pey-
| ton Jones, was further heard in Judge
| Burnham's court yesterday.
The ecross-examination of Ella Smith Vas
resumed. Had never seen the deceased
| before the night he was shot,. Margaret
| asked him to 60 up to her. .aupt's, on Cover
nor street, with her, justEbefore Wrenn ac
costed him. Jones had been standing
Sam Bryant's door to Keep people from run .
ming in the house. Witness did not 90 to
the corner of Seventeenth nnd Grace streets
with Jones. Sam lives on Grace street, and
live in his kitchen. Nobody but Marga-
ret Smith and [ were standing with Peyton
Jones when Wrenn came up. Did not say
at Mayors court that Georgeanna Brown was
| there. Nobody but Wrenn said anything
TO Jones while we stood there. After tie
shooting l went down the alley to my
| house, and Margaret went up Virginia
| street, thence down Franklin street. Am
| sure she didn't 60 toward Broad street. |
saw her run past Riley's shoemaker shop.
Peyton was lying with his head on the pave
mcnt and his feet in the street, and Marga-
ret's dress brushed his head as she
ran past. Margaret is no kin to me, but
we live together. [ have been examined
before by Mr.. Bundy. Get my living hon
estly, but don't work. Don't steal. Never
knew Wrenn before that night. Didn't
know his name until afterward. Described
him to uncle Sam Bryant, and he said it
must be Jack Wrenn.
r. D. Mitchell sworn Am justice Of
the peace. Went out to the hospital one
night, by request of Captain Putnam, of
the police, to take the deposition Of the de-
ceased. We told him he was about to die,
and wished his dying statement.
The deposition was here submitted by
Mr.. Bundy as evidence.
getty OF RICHMOND, STATE OF VIRGINIA., }
"September q, 1868.
81, Peyton Jones, do solemnly swear, in
the presence of Almighty God, in making
this, my dying statement, that on the llth .
day of August, 1868, l left the farm Of :
Franklin Stearns, on the River road, on or
about four miles from the city Of Rich
mond, State of Virginia, and proceeded to
the office of Franklin Stearns, on Fifteenth
street between Main and Cary streets, in
said city, arriving at said office on or about
o'clock A. NJ. | went there to get some
money. staid there about one and a half
hours. spent the rest of the day in walk
ing around the city. Toward evening I
walked round to the Old Market. There
my attention was attracted by large crowd
Of persons and the burning Of tar
barrels where the rooster was up on the
pole. | walked around the side Of the
house, and set down about two squares from
the meeting. l saw two white men walk
ing up the street, and when they saw me
one Of them made towards the cars and the
other came up to me, and drew back and
struck me with pistol on the nose. know
it was pistol, for saw it in his hand. 1
jumped up and run, and looked sideways to
see if he was following me, when he shot
me, and fell and hollored. think would
know the man who shot me If I was to see
him. I had no difficulty with any one. /
reckon my age is about twenty-seyen years.
l was born in Nottoway county, Va. 81;
Subscribed and sworn to before me.
"R. d. MITCHELL,
81. P. for city Of Richmond.
'tAnd in the presence Of Daniel Stevens,
Patrick O'Brien."
Witness continued: Jones was lying in
bed, and appeared to be in great pain
showed signs Of physical exhaustion.
Captain W. w. Putnam sworn: Had
seen Peyton Jones on his dying bed. Wit
messed the deposition. Mr.. Mitchell, Mr..
Stevens, and Mr.. 0'Brien, were also pre-
sent. The deposition was taken on the Cd
ef September. The deceased acknowledged
it as his dying declaration. ~ -.
The evidence for the Commonwealth was
here announced concluded, and the defence
introduced their witnesses.
Daniel Wrenn sworn Heard the testi-
mony Of Ella Smith and Margaret Brown
in Mayors court. They then stated that
they met Georgeanna Brown that evening,
and that she was on her way to get some
ice also, that they saw her several other
times that night, and that she was withth
when Jones was shot.
John Pizzini sworn Reported the pro-
ceedings Of the police court for the Whis,.
and heard the testimony Of Ella and Mar
garet Smith in this case. Both said that
Georgeanna Brown was with them when they
were standing at the corner Of Grace and
Virginia streets. Was positive Of the fast.
and SO reported it. Georgeanna said thstf
either Of these girls said che was with them
| that night she swore to a lie.
William Jones, being sworn, testified "a
tho same effect. The Smith girls beth sid
z