The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-02-25


CRIMINAL CouRT-Chisf Justice Cerffer-The
case Of Jane. Beckett, charged with the murder
Of Gabriel Thornton on Fourteenth street on
OF the court, the last Juror being sworn and the
Jury cmpanneled. Mr.. Carrinstou appeared for
MI. Csrrinston opened the case BY q statement
of the circumstances attending the homicide, In
substance the same a. then published IN this
home from church up Fourteenth street, and
when near the avenue a bright colored man
tween Thornton and the stranger when Thorn
ton kicked at the stranger, the latter replying
by a stab in Thornton,s left breast, which caused
murder was an admitted fact, the only question
for the jury was whether Beckett was the man
who Committed the murder. The evidence would
Dr. A. T. King. Witness was called to Thorn
toms residence and found q wound In the left
breast, which produced death :.
Maria Henderson tcoiored) testified that she
was coming home from church, on the arm OF
they reached a short distance from the corner Of
Fourteenth street and the Avenue, the deceased
accidentally jostled bright colored man who
c wso mas struck Ike Deceased With his UNI
brelia, and deceased kicked him; whcreupon the
thing from his pocket and strike deceased, who
fell e the ground. Witne:: saw the face &c o. shs
bright colorcd man distinctly, and she Identified
W. II. Lee testified that he was standing. with
his hack, on Fourteenth street, near Wiliards
% 10 ON WItnes for chew
of tobacco and obtained 1t. Beckett then crossed
the Avenue, down fourteent,h street towards
heard cry OF murder, as II coming from woman
a short distance down Fourteenth street wit
ness saw a crowd running In the direction OF the
cry, but did not himself go thither.
Ammon Brown picked up knife Ct the coruef
| the morning after the homicide. He found the
knife on the corner near Mr.. Joyce's coach shop;
witness does not know the names OF ths Streets
spencer smith; Witness came up Fourteenth
street on the night Of the homicide with Tiny
Galloway and Anna I Tones They were a about boz,
dcrson, who were upon the opposite side OF the
| street Witness saw the rencontrc and the stab,
q hSs AND Soos as the
Robert Duaey; Witness saw the rencoutre;
saw the assaiant Of the dece ased strike and runj
street south to the corner Of Fifteenth street.
| This man was OF the same colon but witness
thinks shorter than the prisoner.
r. Boyd: Witness was the companion OF Dui.
fey, saw the meeting q deceased and his ssssi;
the man who stabbed, but could not catch him.
Anna Jones, another colored girl, who was In
short distance In the rear OF them, testified that
she saw the rencontrc, and saw bright colored
man Of the same tint and stature as the prisoner
| stab tho deceased near the corner of Fourteenth
street as described BY previous witness. The
other parties present were Tiny Galloway and
Tiny galloway saw the s,abblns, and testified
| that It was done by = man OF the color and size
Of the prisoner but she was not able to positively
man stabbed he.rsn towards the canal.
| Charles Leech, tMetropolitan policeman.) Wit
ness received the knife from Ammon Brown. He
| also arrested the prisoner at 0 o'clock In the
morning after the murder, who, at the time Of his
arrest, Was in bed With woman named k i,,s
p pI"a At ,ss. Time h.d cut The cut
with Z similar cut on the sleeve Of the coat
IChP Ms;on psliSe s, T. .Ssn
Barrett arose heItarted 70 put on q pair Of black
pants. and told witness thsy were the same ne
the bloodied coat on the wall, and barrett then
| said It did not belong TO him. After carrying
Barrett to the stntion-house, he went back aittr
| ness examined the wound on Bsrretts wrist, and
found II a clear cut about an Inch long. Barrett
dog the night before near the monument:
| Gen. Terry announced the main facts upon
which the defence would rely, and called his
Mary Payne Witness is the mother of Beck
EFT, and has lived In Washington % years. Beck
EFT was her son before she had husband. Beck
EFT has no white blood in him.
Officer Nelson. Searched the house In which
GSna and ST nc sst h Ks
Wells drugstore, near the corner OF Fourteenth
street and Pennsylvania avenue. Was there
Henderson then said that the man who stabbed
him was bright yellow man, nearly white. He
would not be positive as to which OF the girls
L. l. Price testified that a colored girl told
him that a white man had stabbed the deceased.
The night WAS quite dark: Witness could not
speak positively as to the character Of the lights
In that neighborhood.
John Bell. Witness has known prisoner six
teen or seventeen years. Witness WI near when
the blow was struck that killed the deceased;
heard sery Of murder; then man passed swiftly
by, pursued by two soldiers: Witness could not
tell whether .this party was Beckett or white
man. Witness helpedto carry Thornton's body
Maria Henderson then said that she could not
tell whether the man who struck Thornton was
a white or eolored man; she thought he was a
Twas offered to show that witness told Beckett
Of the charge.
Judge Cartier said; The question Is whether
the fact that the prisoner remained within the
bsiliwick where the crime was committed, A. !,
the crime, shall be admitted in evidence as tend
Ing to provo his Innocence. As flight was cyl;
70 9% Of sn
. But the law does not allow a prisoner to manu-.
acture proofs Of hs Innocence after ne crime
NIT the conversations Of the prisoner to be given
in evidence, yet the defence might show that the
prisoner was advised he was suspected OF the
VI witness told Beckett that W. H. Lee had said
he gave him (Beckettl chew of tobacco short
I
Kate King The prisoner was at witness house
when a church In the neighborhood "let OUT
Prisoner wore black pants that day. The day
| before the homicide the prisoner came In with
his wrist bleeding and she tied 1t up. 1t was
between 0 and I o'clock that he came in. He
had on black pants when he came. Witness saw
that coat (coat shown at the station. house
Beckett ad that coat hanging on the wall Of the
rooms he said tbelonged to another fellow; After
Beckett had been taken to the statlon-house,
witness told Patience White to give the GOAT to
Phil. Lancaster II IL belonged to him. Soon
after, and while the coat was down stairs, the
| police cnme after 1t.
, Eliza Worthington. Witness lived at Kate
Kings at the time of the homicide. Witness
was in Kate Kings room on the afternoon before
, the homicide. Barrett was there, witness did
) not see any baudage or blood on his wrist al
:. that time. Goat shown) Witness does moi
: know WHO that coat belongs to; 1t belongs &c
some Of the fellows about there.
Before the conclusion OF the case the cour
adjourned until this morning.
THE POINT oP Rocks RAILRoAD.-The Rock
I willie Sentinel says;
Y After = session OF two weeks, during which
: large amount Of business was disposed Of TIL
Circuit Court for this county adjourned on Mon
day afternoon last.
/, On the cases in which objections had been dlet
to tho ratification OF the inquisiton returned b.
, the Jury of cond alton for the right OF way TO-
Ia