The New Orleans crescent., 1868-02-15

evidence, COncluQeO 10 cdl dt TesiutnCe Vi
Capt. Blonck in Algiers, where h. found him
enjoying perfect health. No clue has yet been
found concerning the identity Of the drowned man
or the cause OF his death.
FREs-A FIRE broke out yesterday, about
noon, in a house on Baronne street, near Girod,
but was soon extnguished. Cause-a detective
fue.
Another fire occurred in a stable on Fourth
street. between Apnunciation and Laurel streets,
but was also extiuguished before causing any
serious damage. No alarm given in either case.
FIRST DISTRICT CoURT-Judge Holoe-Feb. IL.
case of more than common interest was on
tisl 10 day. John Bateman, William Douglas
and Henry Richards, three very young men, re-
ported TO be of good standing 10 the Third Dis
tIict, where they were either born or raised. were
put upon their Trial for msnsaughter, charged by
the Indictment 10 have been committed by them
in killing Hector Atbinor, cOlOred youth, about
nineteen years of age, on ShrOve Tuesday last,
the day generally known here as Nardi Gras.
There W an unusual crowd IN the courthouse,
of both rsces, during the dsy-a larger number
Of persons than has been attracted by any of the
capital cases that have been tried during the
present term, and It was evident that the case had
evoked feeling beyond that ordinarily elected
by homicide in which popular passions or popu-
ar pre- ejuoices are not enlisted.
Tie young men in the ordeal through which
they we're passing exhibited no emotion, save
that CcCasiUuuiiy they cAvhenesd between the n
selves, or with their counsel glance UT ex-
preston signifying surprise or astonshment as
sun.e Of the Witnesses msde statements directly
ana positively incupstDg them. Their demeanOr
throughout was calm, self-possessed and de-
cO'ous.
District Attorney Luzenberg represented the
State, ard the prisoners we're defended by Judge
Abel and Mr.. Henry {. CastelanOs. The jurors
ca led were so closely examined on both sides, and
go much circumspectiOn shown in the selection,
that Tearly three hours were consumed in forming
panel, which, when formed, consisted Of the fol-
loving gentlemen:
Iot, F.S.rl, UsrrvC,ok Jsnss Ke1v
Gsh o a.. L. y:le < Tioio1aS James McGainnss
P shSotdeT, Jacob a,bs, ). c. stevenson.
The usual course in such trials is first 10 hear
the evidence Of the surgeon who made the post
obit examination, but DR.. BsyOn, who made the
exam inaOn in this case, as city physician OF the
Second and Third Districts, not being present at
the moment. the district attorney proceeded with
the other Witnesses.
Throwing out tie irrelavent testimony, itis-for
the purpose OF being more clearly and concisely
lepOrled-put in narrative form, as follows:
e. +. AUjnOr, q negro, SirOrH-( The witness
gave his evidence in French, aud it was translated
| by Mr. TTepsguler, the clerk OF the e9urt.) The
| deceased was my son. On the 9th OF March last,
| there wss mardi gras procession Of maskers in
the Third District, composed of cOlOred persons.
| My son, myself and TheOpbile SanOn were follow
ing the procession. As the procession was moving
| on Spain street toward the river, between Craps
| and Cssacslvo streets, q cOOred man passed Us
walking fast up to the procession. BE acted as ii
! be Was getting away from somebody. Directly
| white man cane along. My sou stepped about
| six feet ahead. / told SanOn to get out OF the
| way and let the white man pass. he
| turned. Then three white men came
along rolling up their sleeves and say
ing, eve want to kill a niger to-day"
| douglas, the prisoner, was one OF the party. he
! put his fist in the face of Sanon, but did not
! strike him. Douglas then went toward my son
| and struck him with his fist. My son turned
round to see who struck him, and then Douglas
| struck him again, and they grappled. The tive
| Al, stov, and rot nd ham
| They scufled into the middle of the street.
! rushed into the crowd and said, do not want
any one 10 strike my son." The eOlored people all
| ran Off but | remained 10 protect my son. Doug
| les held my son by the arms, standing behind
| him, and Bateman struck him with stick in front.
My son made a motion as if he wanted to go to
the opposite banquette. He got TO it and there
lie fell. l saw the blood coming from him.
He had then received the wound which cut
bis heart in two. The party who had attacked
him all fed instantly. A young girl named Laura
saw the whole of it. ! do not know wh) Stable d
him. The only words heard in the crowd were !:
Kill the Digger-k the niger" | was 80
much engaged in trying to defend my son that
do rot know who uttered these words. did not
see Richards when my son was surrounded, but |
pursued Richards when l saw him running from
The spot, and he got into barber shop. | lost
sight of the rest. / would not be let into the bar
heT's shop. policeman came up aud arrested
me but upon my telling him that my son was
stabbed. and the man who had done II was IN the
shop, he let me go. Ny son was then dead. He
made but two or three steps, when he fell corpse
On the bsnquette.
Cross. eIdnined-There were thirty or forty
colored persons IN the procession OF maskers.
They had no arms, no sticks. The quarrel COM
meBced al the grocery at the corner of CasacalvO
sfeet. Some one hallooed skill that nigger."
do not know who the co ored man was that was
being pursued. The only one recognized in the
party of three white nen was Douglas. tried
TO defend my son with stick. had revolver,
but cid not draw it, nor did show it, until my
son was dead. There was large crowd on the
( street at the time, and many SUCKS were used.
| The witness was interrOgated at length IN regl
to his testimony before Recorder Letten, in this
case, which was taken in writing, and after
making objections to the correctness OF the tran-
script, he at last said 1t was correct According
10 the transcript, the witness sWorc before Re
corder Letlen that be had not seen Bateman on
tue day ot The hOmicide.]
| Judge Abel a-ked the witness il there were
not noise and turbulence; if families had not
| been iusuited repeatedly on the line OF the pro-
cessiOn. The witness answered IN the negative.
The procession, he said, moved quietly and
pesceably, with music at It's lead, and he aud the
others who followed it were also peaceable.
DR.. BGgOa SlrOTp-The inquest was held at the
police station of the Third District, on the mOrn-
ing Of the 9th Ct March. The wound was ia the
left breast; had been inflicted by some pointed
and sharp instrument, vertically against the pal
nOIary artery. The ventricle Of the heart was
cut and the third rib on the left side cut. The
wound Was fatal. / saw no other wound, HOl
Mes Iltf6 huy COuluslou On iuo DouJs iut
wound externally was about two inches long; il
was about three and half TO four inches deep
ard internally Was about one inch long.
Laura Forester SiCOTn-(A cOlored girl
seemingly fourteen OF fifteen years of age, who
testified in FIeDch.) ! was following the mask
! eIs was on the opposite side of Spain street
from that The procession was on when the dis
turbaBce occurred. The three prisoners ant
several others had sticks. They began by beatiu.
a nan who was not in the procession, aad wheI
they got through with him, commenced beating
| Hector, (the deceased) Douglass held him be
/ | hind Rchs d. struck him 10 front. aud Batemsl
: | stabbed him. / saw him do it. Hector Was thel
, | IN the middle Of the street, be could do nothing
| as soon a. the stab was given all the prisoner
ran off, Before they stabbed him they were beat
! Iug him with sticks. After he was stabbed n
, | came towards ne, where was standing, on tn
Z cuI bstone, aud fell at my feet. | am as certsi
that these, (the prisoners, all OF whom were re
qured to stand up) are the men as that l shal
die some day.
Judce Howe asked the witness to point out Tn
| individual who had done the stabbing. She point
| ed to Richards, and designated Bsteman as th
, person who had struck him in the face with
, stick and Douglas ss the party who had 2inione'
I