The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-24
WEDNEsDAY MORNING. JUNE "a, 1868.

jury were entirely ignorant Of the topog-
raphy of the country, and as it was i'm
portant that they should know it in order
tounderstand a great dealo the testimony
that would be presented, heasked the Court
to allow the jury to mako personal e1ami-
nation of the premises.
The Court directed the examination Of
the. witness to proceea until the regular
hour for recess.
a diagram of the locality was then shown
to witness, and he was asked to explain it
to the jury, but was unable to do SO. He
then described the locality as nearly as pos
sible, and stated that the country in the
vicinity was generally cleared out, but in
places the underbrush is sufficient to afford
concea1ment. The body was found about ten
yards from by-road on which witness was
walking, and about a hundred from regular
thoroughfare. She had on a dark calico
dress Of purple color and dark gray
sacque, gaiter boots, and country knit stock
ings. On the boots was very little clay,
showing that she could not have walked
very far, as the roads were very muddy.
Her hair was cut short, from which the
inference was at first drawn that she was q
young girl; was afterwards convinced to
the contrary. The spot on which she lay
was damper than the adjacent soil. The
nose was slightly mashed. Could not say
there was blood under her body. Where
her breast rested there was wet mark,
but could not say it was blood. Saw in the
road near where the body lay o track of q
buggy, and in two places woman's track.
Supposed they were the tracks of the de-
ceased. Found on the day before the body
was found, at the intersection of the tho
roughfare and the by-road already men
toned, walking stick, which / at first was
inclined to think was q hoop-pole. 1t
proved to be walking-cane.
The witness was then subjected to rigor-
GUS cross oss-examination, and reiterated his
first statements. He did not remain with
the body, but went and informed the.neigh-
bors, and returned in half an hour with
some of them. Saw the tracks in the road
after he had returned to the body. Did
not compare the tracks with the size of the
shoes found on the body. Found the walk
ing-stick near the place where the body was
lying. Had seen the prisoner on one or
two occasions before the body was found.
Know nothing personally of his occupation
or pursuits. When the body was found no
gloves were on the hands pair was found
in the pocket. Onthe Monday preceding there
had been very heavy rain; Tuesday was
cloudy Wednesday clear; and on Thurs
day ut o'clock P. M. the body was found.
Did not think the body had been there long,
as the clothes weredry, and the paper lining
in the bonnet had not been wet Or soiled.
The woman's tracks seen in the road were
evidently those of person who could
see her way and was picking her steps
cautiously through the mud.
The court then took q recess until s
o'clock.
At S P. M. the court assembled, and
Joseph Drinkers examination was resumed.
A good deal of testimony was had rs to the
topography of the country, and witness ex-
planned the position Of certain wells and
ice ponds in the immediate vicinity.
DR.. w. F. Farrar testified to being pre-
sent at the coroner's inquest upon the bo.ly,
and made post mortem examination.
Found that pistol ball had penetrated the
scalp of the head near the left temple !;
found bruises upon the throat and various
parts of the body, and concluded death was
caused by asphyxia. Thought the body had
been there several days from its appear
ance. Saw that in the left hand o quantity
of grass and dried leaves were clutched.
Concluded from the course Of small stream
of blood which had trickled down from the
wound on the head over the bridge Of the
nose that the shot was fired while the body
was lying on the ground. Saw q hand
kerchief which was penetrated by
ball in two places, and also dis
covered marks Of powder on it. Ex-
amined the clothing; found it slightly
damp. Found mud on only one Of the
CATERS, and saw what seemed to be corre-
spending track near the spot in the mud.
The clothes were apparently arranged after
the body had fallen.
(The clothing was then described, the de-
scription corresponding in all respects with
that given by Mr.. Drinker, with the excep-
ton Of hoop-skirt, which this witness said
she had on. The diagram Of the vicinity
was also explained
The body was thin and emaciated, and
appeared to be person Of very delicate
constitution.
Cross-examined by Judge Crump: Ex-
pressed the opinion to the coroner's jury
that the deceased had come to her death
within two or three days preceding by yio-
lence. Applied no scientific tests to aseer-
tain at what period death had ensued, but
concluded, while making ineisions with the
knife, that death had taken place recently.
Found the clothes in such condition that
the conclusion was irresistible that they
had not been thoroughly saturated with
rain. The stockings were dry. DO not
think the body had been exposed to much
rain. The clothing was neat and clean
slightly damp about the waist not soiled
or rumpled as though by travel. The
weather for the preceding eight or ten days
had been very wet and inclement. Con-
slider it impossible that the body could have
remained there for that length Of time.
The blood upon the face was in con-
tinuous line from the wound, showing
that no rain had fallen upon it. The
print of O female foot was in the road lead
ing from Drinkers house. Did not COM
pare it with the shoe. The wound was
made by o very small ball, and produced
no fracture of the bone. In one or two
places on the body distinguished the marks
Of contusions made by the hand. Think
the collar-bone Of the right shoulder was
fractured. There were also bruises on the
abdomen and on the outer part of the thighs
Was satisfied at the time of the examlna'
ton that no oattempt at an outrage had been
made upon her person. Thought that the
bruises on the various parts of her body
were made by some blunt instrument, suct
as stick. Saw nothing on the dress OF
hoops to indicate that blows had been ad
ministered while the clothing was in it
proper position.
At the conclusion Of Dr.. Farrar's testi