The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-07-01
ELEVENTH DAY.
WEDNESDAY, June %, 1869.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN X. YERGER.

| am uncle to the accused, and have known
| him from his earliest infancy was in Jack
/ son on the day of the death of Col. Crane,
| and saw the accused that day. | lodge at
| his house he returned from Memphis at i
I o'clock. on the morning of the Sth ; he sent
/ for me at O'Clock went to see him; saw
/ him again about half-past nine O'Clock. and
again at the time of the alteration between
l him and Col. Crane; when | saw him at )
/ o'clock he appeared to be a good deal excl
ted, and spoke of the indignity offered his
| family during his absence, by Col. Crane.
I He asked me TO send him a carriage; at this
interview he told me that he had telegraph
/ ed Col. Crane not to advertise the piano
the next time that | saw him was about Q
/ O'clock, at the store door of Ash 81 Lemly t:
/ ! passed him by, merely asking how did he
7 feel, probably asked him to come to my OF
/ flee; l remained in my Office all the morn
| ing. till near one O'Clock, when walked up
! to TaylOr's corner and returned: directly
on my return l met Col. Crane; remained
1 in my office about 10 minutes and again re-
4 turned to the corner; on my return l saw
/ Mr.. Yerger and DR.. Cabaniss coming up the
| street together; L did not see Col. Crane
then. a few moments afterwards Col. Crane
/ followed behind them; as he was about to
pass them DIR. Cabaniss and the prisoner
separated; the prisoner said something,
was too far of to hear what it was ; he then
| said, I despatched you from Memphis some
! few words epsred, got closer TO them. near
the millinery store where | stood till the
| fight commenced; ! was not close enough
to hear distinctly what was said; Col. Crane
struck Mr. 1erger with cane, he had in
| his hand; they then clinched. rs / thought,
and fought their way into Browns store.
| ran down and hallowed and said, gentle
men, for Gods sake, stop this thing. | ran
up and pulled my nephew from off Colonel
! Crane and looked round for the Doctor. L
said to DIR, Cabaniss, for Gods sake come
here. He felt his pulse, and said, he is a
dead man, or he will be soon. l turned
and said, Edward, &C home. He then threw
down the knife and L picked iT up and fol-
lowed him; it was very bloody, and got
very bloody myself in pulling him off.
walked with him to Spengler's corner, and
said, go home. went into the barber-shop,
washed my hands. | then went to my Of
flee and put the knife away. Afterwards.
saw Judge Harris. and mentioned to him
that had the knife; also to Mr.. Fulton An
derson. only washed my hands and put
the knife away that it might be had when
wanted. l then codcluded to 60 home, ard
went up to Edward Yergers house some
persons passed me, walking very rapidly,
and | remarked that thought they We're
going up to arrest Edward. When got to
the house, they had him under arrest. The
first man met was Col. Mckee; he picked
up paper and handed it to me, and asked
what did it mean; it was a challenge;
said It must have fallen out of Edwards
pocket. They arrested him and took him
off. l changed my clothes and returned TO
town, and teIegraphed his mother the facts
4 short time afterward, Mr.. Isler came to
me and got the knife.
CROSS EXAMINED.
Ny impression is that prisoner had not slept
any after his arrival at 10 o'clock: he didn't
look as if he had. The interview was in his own
chamber: he was in his undress lying on his bed
have been stopping at his house at night
for the past fifteen or eighteen months. l have
noticed what indicated excitement of the brain
displayed in his immediate family. About
four months ago went home about or
clock IN The evening, as usual, and found
him very much excited about something. / do
not know what ii was. His wife sent for me-
and said he was greatly excited about some
matter; and remarked to her Coruelia said
/, he is crazy; has he been drinking? She
said yes. Said |, he is perfectly craxy. He
sent for her and something. / saw there was
something preying upon his mind; that some
thing had disturbed him, and the family were
evidently alarmed. told Cornelia not TO be
uneasy, that was there. About or o'clock.
perhaps q little earlier, he became so out
rageous; he pulled out knife, and attempt
ed TO wrest il from him. but did not succeed
in doing so. l was fearful he would infiict
some serious wound upon himself or some one
else, and went out and spoke TO Col. Taylor
and asked him to come in, for saw that he
was in Predigieus excitement. There was
some one with Mr.. Taylor. They came in and
watched awhile, while / went down town
hunting for an officer. / got Mr. Eehol's horse
In the mean time sent some one for an officer
/ met officer Dobson and some one else an their
of a perfect maniac. When they got there he
was little quiet. He, however, ran away and
was gone for an hour or So After his return
his brother George came In As he was coming
in, he, the prisoner, made lunge at him with
the knife. George seeing there was danger,
/ picked upa chair and knocked him down.
| sat up with him the greater part Of the night
| and ssnt for adoeteri sfter long time We got