Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-07-03

issued. --
Srpposrp MURDER Saturday evening 5
Gazette were published the particulars, as TAR
as then known, of a supposed murder the night
before, After the Gazette went TO press, the
body of the missing man, Sias johnson, COL
ored having been found al inquest was held
unon If bv Coroner Samuel Beach, at the toun-
drv wharf, but in the absence of witnesses
the Jury was adjourned until So clock that night,
when it rcasscmbled at the Mayors Office, and
after the examination of ID. Wilton Altchr-
son, VIM. Petty, Eli Petty, James Wilson,
James Punch. Henry A. Simmons, John n.
Nghtingill and James H. Beach, white, and
VIM. Bloxham, and Thos Shelton, colored, at II
o'clock, rendered the following verdict: The
deceased came to his death ON the night Of the
3uth of June by drowning in the riverPotomac,
from fright. threats and violence used by Jas.
Robert Jefferson and James NOVEL; i'll forcing
him overheard from the schooner -Four Boys
being instgated to do so by Capt James Nc
kracken, who had had Il previous difficulty
with the deceased, ia accordance with the teS-
timony before us. 80
during the examination Jas Punch testified
in reference to Il difficulty on the vessel between
Can't, McCrackcn and the deceased prior to the
drowning, during which the Captain was struck
over the eve with stick by deceased, when the
two clinched and fisticuif ellsued, the colored
man getting tie better Of it. After this Nc
(,rackcn, Jefferson Novel;, witness and sever
n others met ut Coleman 5 restaurant, where
they all took drink. and from thence went to
p,tit'S. where more liquor was drunk, and where
the LruiSc ON McCMckcn's forehead being
noticed, he was asked as to the cause, and ac-
,.usrd Of being no man to allow himself to be
81 used By a negro One of the party here
,,I let $ 90 and give him (deccaSed) Il whal-
me-" to which McCrackcn replied, no, |
h,y. riycn him enough" NOVEL; and Jet1cr
s,n said they would 90 anyhow. The party lett
Potts saloon and went down the street III the
direction of the ship yard where some one whom
they met said that boat had gone to the YES
sci and taken johnson oft, and was coming up
the river, to land at Duke street dock, upon
which McCrackcn and q man named Wilson,
who was with him, turned and went In that dl-
rccton. Witness and Nightingale went to the
beach with jefferson and Novel;. and assisted
in showing off Il boat, but declined to accompany
them out to the vessel; no one else went out;
Jefferson and NOVEL; said they were going to
scare deceased: saw johnson Jump from the
stern of the vessel and heard him halloo
murder" witness and Nightingale got into Il
boat and went to his assistance, but it was too
late: did not hear any one threaten deceased or
order him to Jump overheard; knew that de-
ceased had been chased overheard by Jefferson
and Nightingale, but for Il time thong ut he had
wadcd ashore there was no one on the vessel
but Johnson; on their way down the street some
one in the crowd for there was quite number
ACCOMPANYING them, said they intended whal-
Ing deceased on Il corner, rs they were gong
down to the river some one said that they would
kill the id s----n of 4 BIB.
J. \. Nightingale testified as to the drinking
at Coleman 5 and Petit by the crowd, among
whom were McCrackcn, Wilson, Jefferson and
Nowcl the two last mentioned were talking OF
whining deceased; saw deceased jump over
board and heard him cry ''oh, Lord and MUIR
der" Jefferson and NOVEL; then got in their
boat and left the vessel as fast as possible; did
not hear any threat to kill deceased; heard de-
ceased struck and saw him run around the
vessel.
H. \. Simmons WAS on u vessel anchored
near that on which deceased was, playing an
ACCORDION, and his attention was attracted by Il
cry when he saw 4 man jump overheard, feet
foremost; some one then ran and got into L
boat and showed the stern in the direction that
the man had Jumped over so that he might
catch hold, but the man was too far gone; heard
Il crybut could not say what it was.
The testimony of the other witnesses was not
material.
Drs. French and Powell had been previously
examined. They testified that the body OF the
deceased bore no marks OF violence, and that he
came to his death by drowning.
During the examination of the witnesses the
evidence of Captain James Wilson was contro-
vcrtcd so directly that 4 warrant was issued tor
his arrest, on the charge Of perjury, but as he
had left the city, it could not be executed
As already stated Jefferson and McCrack ken
were arrested Friday nj ht. Early Saturday
morning Capt. Webster of the City Police, OBJ
tanned information that NOVEL; had gone in the
direction of Occoquan, and mounting policeman
VIM. Muin and ready-man +. NJ. Walker,
started them down the telegraph road In pur-
suit of him. They came up with him near
Colchester arrested and handcuttcd him, made
him mount behind one of them, brought him
back here and delivered him at the Jail without
any resistance. lie was brought before the
Mayor this morning, but waving an eXamlna-
ton was rccommittcd for further examination.
ne following account VI luc dllall IL given
bv John \. Nightingale. The deceased was 4
young and powerful colored man named Silas
johnson, who had been shipped by Captain
McCmcken on his last trip down the river to
Machodock Creek, King George county, lir-
ginia On Friday morning Capt. McCracken
had employed another coored man, from Wash
ington, rs hand on his vessel. Friday even
ing the Captain and the two colorcd men being
aboard of the vessel, the Captain and the de-
ceased had difficulty, during which the for,
NOR was struck on the head with u stick of
wood After the fight, the Captain and the
man from Washington came ashore in the YES
sells only boat, leaving deceased aboard The
Washington man went off that night and never
has come back, and the Captain went to the
restaurants of McsSrs. Coleman and Petty,
where he treated every body present, and about
nine 0 clock, in company with quite a large
party, started down Union street Tor his vessel,
but when he reached the corner Of Wolf street
II. Il 81