Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-06-16
Trial OF the sampson County Prisoners
Evidence for the DeFence-A Juror Sick
-mis-TriaI-A Packed Jury-Amda.
Wit Submitted by Counsel for
DeFenGants-TrIaI Removed


Wit Submitted by Counsel flor
Defend ants-TrtaI Removed
to Brunsw:ck County.
The trial of Hardy Royal. Hanson
Royal and Raiford Hunnicutt, from Samp.
son county, charged with assault and bat
terry and forcible trespass, was continued
on Friday night, to late hour, but, ow.
ing to the sudden illness of one of the
! jurors, mistrial was declared. Having
published the evidence for the prosecution
in Yesterdays paper. we here give sum-
mary Of that elected for the defence.
Everett Turner testified that he lived in
Sampson county is the brother in-law of
Hanson Hunnicutt; Hunnicutt was with
him on the evening of the last Saturday in
March went home with him between
sunset and dark at Clinton met again af-
ter supper and talked a few minutes he
csked him to go down town i; didn't GO
with him and he left. He returned about
9 o'clock and stayed with witness until IL,
when he left with his mother. Clinton is
about 8 miles from where the assault is
alleged to have been committed.
Mrs. Hunnicutt testified that she was
the mother of Hanson Hunnicutt. Had
heard Of the difficulty of March 25th.-
Hanson WIS with her at Clinton that
night; eat his suppP. and went down town
and then came back and stayed at her
house; they both went down to Turner's
house and sat until 9 and 10 O'Clock. At
II he went to bed. Witnesses daughter
in-law, Susan Hunnicutt, and her nephew,
we're stopping with her that night. The
next morning he was there. There are
rooms in the house; Hanson slept in the
large room, near the fire. He was there
before sunrise.
Mrs. Susan Hunnicutt testified tn at she
was married to Hanson Hunnicutt's broth
er; was at Clinton the Saturday night be-
fore the alleged outrage. Hanson was at
his mothers all the evening, except when
they went down the street; saw him that
night after IL o'clock. Witness STAYED
that night at Mrs. HIS house. Hanson slept
IN the parlor; it was the big room in the
house.
Miss Bette Hunnicutt testified that she
had heard of the time when this outrage
wa committed. Hanson Hunnicutt was
at his mothers house in Clinton. He came
there Saturday about 3 p. m. and spent
the night; be went down street after sup
per, and returned from Turner's about 10 |
or II o'clock; he slept in the hall that
night; sat up in the room where he was Iy-
ing Labout an hour; it was about IL |
o'clock; saw him tho next morning before |
sunrise. Father, mother. sister, brother,
widow Hunnicutt and her son were in the |
house.
VIM. A. Hun nicutt, testified. Hanson
is his uncle; had heard of the
outrage the night it is said to have been
committed; was at Clinton that night;
stayed at his grand mothers house and
slept IN the parlor room; slept in the same
bed with his uncle that night; went to ped
about IL O'Clock; took off his clio hes as did
ais uncle was with him; Witnesses
lncle, two aunts. mother, grand moth
'r and grand father slept there
hat night; it is about miles to
where these negroes live from Clinton;
lis uncle walked to Clinton that evening;
hey got up about sunr1se.-On cross
stated that his uncle didn't
wake him up; didn't see any mask; went ,
o bed at II and woke up an hour before
lay; mother. grandmother and two aunts
we're in the room when they went to bed.
James Draughon testified that he lived ]
lear Clinton; had heard of the alleged
utrage about three days afterwards: on
he night of the outrage Lewis HunnicuttI
7as near witness house; he was very
runk; it was about O'Clock; he was 90
ng towards his house; he was working at
mill belonging to brother of witnesses:
ad worked until about O'Clock of Satur-
ay, when be got too drunk to work; hel
light.
John 81. Jones testified that he had been
wing In Sampson for the last 6 months
hat ne came from Texas had heard Of
LEGGED outrage of March 25th didn't
now whether he saw Mr.. Lewis Hunni-
mt on that day or not saw him frequent- {
7 during March, but is not certain that he II
adseen him on the 25th SAW him very |,