Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-06-22

Cross Examined 6y Defence.
parties were looking east and ives
relatively; Yerger standing next t
curbstOne, and Crane next the build
ing; both parties seemed to be ex
cited from some cause.
BIZ the COlgf.-The nature 0f the
excitement seemed to be that they
were having fuss; have witnessed
! several street fights; do not think the
excitement on the part of the pri-
soner was greater than on occasions
of ordinary street fights; the bank is
forty or fifty steps from the corner Of
State and Capital streets; after Yerger
turned Crane around, Ierger took
him by the shoulder or collar, and his
right hand seemed to be over Cranes
left arm; that was the position they
were in when they closed; the knife
was raised and that was the last
saw; up to the time of closing to the
time the knife was raised; Crane
/ struck Yerger with his cane, when
Z Yerger seized hold of him with his
Z left hand-it was then l saw the knife
raised, and went back in the office;
/ from q remark l heard Mr.. Crane
make 7 thought he wanted to get off;
! Yerger drew the knifa with the right
/ hand.
The witness having heard the testi-
| mOny read he wished to make a cor
/ rectiOn where he was asked question
/ in relation TO the excitement at differ
ent parts of the fuss, as there seemed
| to be a contradiction; which cOrrec-
/ ton was recorded.
Vim. J. BT'OWR ST., Merchant,
( .StrOJJl-I witnessed a difficulty near
my store, during the present month !;
last Tuesday the Sth, between a
quarter and half past one O'Clock; |
was standing in my store door, when
/ a gentleman who afterwards proved
| to be Col. Crane, passed by, going up
the street, and Col. Yerger and an
/ other gentleman was conYerSing some
/ fourteen or fifteen feet from where l
| stOOd-On Col. Crane approaching the
gentleman spoke to Col. Nerger and
left. Nerger spoke TO Crane, stating
that he wanted to see him-that he
had taken advantage of him during
his absence, or words to that effect,
Crane denied having done so, think
he told him he was simply diScharg-
ing his duty. Yerger was much eX-
cited and told him he had denounced
him and did so again-then Col.
Crane told him he was drunk and
wanted nothing to do with him, and
st.lrted to leave, whether Ierger
caught hold of his arm or spoke to
him l do not know but he (Crane, J
stopped; about this time Crane was
holding up his hands and talking to
Nerger who told him not to put his
hand in his face; other conversation
occurred, and being myself excited
could not say what it was; Crane
started again when Yerger reached
out his hand and / cannot tell
whether he pushed or pulled him;
Crane threw up the right arm
when Verge caught it with his
left. Mr.. Yerger had his right
hand in his bosom at this time; Yer
ger seemed to make an effort to draw
his hand from his bosom and | step
ped back into my store and saw no.
thing of 1t until they appeared at the
north side of my door, they holding
one another, they scufhed over the
other side of the door, and Crane
seemed to be inclined to fall; about
this time John X. Nerger came in
and said, Let's separate them" and
ran up, and, think, took hold of Mr..
Yerger's arm; 1eTger then became
disengaged from Col. Crane, whether
bv the act of John X. Merger or not /
cannot saw; holding his knife in his
hand, he stepped back, remQking,
"Wh4t did YOU strike me fOr?' and
threw the knife between the legs of
Col. Crane upon the door sill; the
knife was covered with blood when
he threw it on the sill; do not know
what became of the ARite; cannot say
that | would know me knife again, it
was so covered with blood, and ] saw
it so hastily; think Col. Crane lived
not more two minutes after the par
tice got to my store; he was dead in a
very short time; first saw the knife in
Nerger's hand as he became dis
engaged from Crane; Col. Nerger.
seemed TO be very much excited, Col.
Crane very cool and inclined to leave,
when in their conversation; cannot
say what was the nature of the eX-
citement, whether from passion or
what else, Crane told him he was
drinking or drunki the bans{ Il direct
ly South Of my store, adjoining. The
parties were fourteen or fifteen feet
nom my door to the northeast when
the conversation commenced; the
scuale commenced about nineteen feet
from my doGF-Crane standing near
est to my building, YergeF on the
outside; / did not see any blows
struck by the parties except Crane
threw up his right arm, either to dis
engage himself or TO catch hold OF
Yerger, cannot say which; before this
as Crane started OFF YeTgeT aither
pulled or pushed Crane, and Crane
caught him with the left hand; Crane
was going north when Herger first
spoke.
Cr0Ss-e.ralniied 6g deteHSe.-He was
going toward Capitol street; do not
think he had passed Yerger, but stop
ped as he got nearly opposite him
(Yerger); the party who was With
Merger, | think spoke to Mr.. Crane
cannot say who the gentleman was
that was with Mr.. Yerger when he
met Col. Crane; do not know where
Col. Crane resided when the difficulty
occurred; Col. Yerger lived on State
street north Of the place where the
difficulty occurred.
BU the CO,6t.-I have known Mr..
YerYer some tweaty or twenty-five
years. ] cannot say that the excite
ment was greater than usually occurs
when men are very angry; (the wit
ness added when about to leave the
stand) John X. Yerger remarked to
me: Well, Brown, you see l have
done all / could to separate them;" as
Crane lay upon the floor.
q. j. Beck, Merchant, SjcOJ7a-I
know the prisoner, f. NJ. Yerger; do
not know Crane personally, was told
that it was him some time before the
occurrence of this affair between Yer.
ger and Crane; witnessed the occur
renee; happened to go TO the bank
as usual at that time of the day, to
make deposits and get change; on en-
tering the bank my attention. was
called to the excited conversation be-
tween Crane; saw Crane pointing his
finger in the face of Yerger, which ne
(Yerger) struck off; saying, " don't
put your finger in my face" l cannot
quote precisely the words; Crane then
put up his finger and told Yerger
- Won are a man / have no regard for