The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-04-28
TRIAL OF JETER PHILLIPS.
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The hall of the House of Delegates soi
Virginia, memorable as the scene of the
labors of.the late bogus State Convention,
presented very different appearance yes
terday from that worn during the last few
months. The chair, SO long filed by the
| notorious Underwood, was now graced by
Judge Christians wen-known form. Mr.
Secretary Rye was superseded ay Mfr. Tenn
pie Ellet, the gentlemanly clerk Of che Cir.
cult Court Of Henrico. Colonel Young,
Commonwealth's Attorney, occupied the
place Of the Convention stenographer; at
| the desks, instead of the molly assemblage
of negroes and mean whites, were noticed q
crowd Of eager spectators and impatient
witnesses, whilst the chair Of the Gorilla,
Bayne, was, occupied by prisoner on trial
for murder. guarded on either side by an
officer Of the law. From the crowd in at
tendance, it is fair to presume that the In
terest manifested on the previous examine
tions and trials Of Jeter Phillips has expe-
rienced no abatement, although through tbs
medium of the local press the evidence hae
been spread broadcast over the land, until
there is scarcely o man, woman, OF child
in the Commonwealth who has not heard Of
the Drinkers Farm Murder
At half-past II o'clock the case Of the
Commonwealth Us. Phillips was called.
The Commonwealth was announced ready
to proceed. - -. &. Z
The list Of witnesses for the Common
wealth and defence was called, and the fol-
lowing found present for the Commonwealth
l.. G. Gardner, 7. L. Pleasants, WE. Knox,
William Hicks, B. F. Pitts, R. M, Pitts,
Marcellus Hicks, George W. Turner, Ste
phen Peasants, Betsy Peasants, Dr.. Jas.
Bolton, Dr.. W. F. Farrar, DR.. John Knox,
R. g. Cabell, Fl. W. Davis, Mrs. Jeter,
P. j. McWhirt, Joseph Drinker, Albert
Turner, George Drinker, R. R. Peasants,
E. 81. Hicks, C. Frayser, s. B. Hicks, Ce-
leste Frayser, J. w. Cole, Anne P. Wright,
H. M. Patton, Milly Christian, John Red
ford, Robert Goodman, DR.. Thomas B. Dor
set, George Turner, Indiana Turner, George
V. Case. !.
Absent.-George A. Barksdale, Susan J.
Williams, DR.. W. A. Baynham, E. R.
! Meanley, Catherine Brown, and J. Tenn
pleman.
Present for the defence: William Dow
den, Fleming Cristian, Josiah Pruett, J. E.
B. Jude, Jacob Ford, J. M. Batterman
Fleming Ford, Thomas Gordon, Miles Du-
vol, George Turner, and George W. Turner
Absent.-R. Priddy, C. B.. Marlborough
Mary Crawford, Sarah Anderson, and
Samuel Whipple.
After the witnesses had been called
Messrs. Crump and Guigon, counsel for the
prisoner, expressed desire to consult with
their client, and an officer was therefore
dispatched for him. In about an hour
Phillips was brought in handcuffed, and
took his old seat. His general appearance
has altered but little, although he may be a
trife paler, the result no less of recent
spell Of sickness than of long and close con-
fnement in the county jail. he was dressed
in suit Of black, with faded gray shawl
thrown loosely about his shoulders. His
| entrance into the courtroom was the signal
for general rising of the spectators, who
| were desirous Of catching glimpse Of the
notorious prisoner. Phillips was unmoved
| by this demonstration, but gazed stolidly
on the scene, occasionally nodding to q
familiar face or exchanging a word or two
with those who were nearest him.
After consultation of about fifteen mi
| nutes, Mr.. Guigon said he desired to submit
| motion for his client. He called the at
tention of the court to the fact that several
of the witnesses had not answered to their
names, and that one of them, Mr.. Temple
man, whose evidence is considered of i'm
portance both to the Commonwealth and to
| the defence, is out Of the State. He there
! fore thought that it would be impossible togo
on with the trial just now, and suggested that
| it come off at special term-say in June.
The Court said that to hold special term
at the time designated would be impractica-
bic, as the regular duties of the Judge would
not be finished until late in July.
sMr. Young said that as far as he was per-
| sonally concerned, owing to his own i'll
health, he should prefer continuance; but
as it was impossible to hold special term,
he felt it his duty to oppose q proposition
to postpone the trial until next fall. Mr..
Templeman, the principal witness absent.
| was, as stated by the prisoners counsel
| out of the State, but might be brought here
at once if means were furnished to defray
his expenses. II, however, he did not come
he reminded the court that his evidence
had been taken down by several reporters
as given on previous occasion, and could
| now be introduced in that form.
A question was then raised as to whether
Mr.. Templeman had been recognized as 8
witness both for the Commonwealth and the
| accused; the prisoners counsel urging thai
he had been SO recognized. Mr. Elicit (tht
clerk) decided the matter by stating thai
Mr.. Templeman had only been recognized
| as witness for the prosecution.
Judge Crump argued in favor of Mr.
Guigon's motion. He said that Templemar
was to prove fact for the accused which
could be proved by no other witness, and hi
therefore thought his presence essential to
full hearing of the cause.
After some further discussion, the Judg'
| said that he would take the motion unde.
consideration, and announce the decision
this morning at IL o'clock. Rules were
taken against the absent witnesses, returna
BILE at the same hour.
The case will therefore come up again q
ii o'clock this morning.
1t may be well to remind the reader tina
Mr.. Templeman is. o witness for the Com
monwealth who testified in regard to pis
Itol said to have been borrowed by Phillips
a day or two previous to the murder. On
the former trial he was recalled by the de
fence to establish certain points in theil
testimony.
Mr.. II. M. Patton, an important witness
| for the Commonwealth, whose attendance
could not be secured in October, owing 7
his absence from the State, is now present
and answered to his name yesterday.