Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-22
LOCAL..
Trial of William III. .saaHC% s>bE taaG
Murder Of Robert GOstin-'E'isc EPSti-
mOny i'm the EaSe-A Brief ~ Hn0i,SiS.
AP.

Murder Of Robert s0Sssn-5isc ETStI-
mOny i'm the Gasc-A Isrief Synopsis.
[kc.. [&c.
The Superior Court was yesterday en-
gagged in the trial of lIr. ". II. James for
tie murder of NJ .Robt. Costin.in September
last lis Honor, Judge Russell presiding.
Mr. Solicitor Richardson rcprcScItG the
State Hons. George Davis and O. Z.
Meares, and \. +. London, ESQ, appearing
for the prisoner.
\ special venire Of one hundred had been
summoned from whom the jury was select
ed as follows:
Jno. A. Everitt, j. l.. Barlow, b. p.
Pridgen, G.. A. Hammer, ID. Pi@ott, \. J.
Hill, Jr., II. II. Grant, ". I. Daniel Wilkes
Morris, Geo. Sloan, II. 5. Waldron. K. T.
PaddisOn.
WM. WITHERS was the first witness in
trOduced in behalf OF the State, who teSti-
fled that he met .ja1ncs ;Itd I"atin lthc l.
ceased) at IIaar's Saloon, and attCr-taking
a drink together, they started ''Up on the
hill" On the way they had drink to-
gether and Costin asked James and Witty
to meet him at Annie Hills in half an hour
and he would go down to Eilers, and get
some money. They separated and James
and. Witty went on. After some time the
three met and Costin complained that they
hadn't met him as to agreement. Witty
then went with another friend, leaving
James and COStin together. When Wit
ness returned he found James near Annie
Hills, who said to witness, "lill, I've
been grossly inSulted by Bob COstin, and l
can lick him. Witness told him to 90 home
but after leaving them, COstin came out !;
soon James came back, placed his hand on
witness shoulder and almost Immediately
struck COStin, who fell to the ground.
Witness grasped James, but loOsed his hold
and James ran away. Knife was idcnti-
fed.
DR.. j. f. KING testified to the position
of the wound, and to the fact that the place
stricken was the only spot on the head
likely to be hit, W here the kniIc could have
penetrated the brain in that manner.
SAMUEL Blossom sWOTe that in he night
he came down Castle Street to Fourth and
turned to the right. When in front Of Miss
May Davis, he met Mr.. Witty and james,
talking. He went on Il few steps and met
Mr.. COstin, who asked him to go and get
drink. He declined, and they both went
back to where Witty and C0stin We're, and
James stepped up and struck Costin with
a knife, i'll his head. james said hello,
Blossom, and then hello Bob. Costin said
nothing, and then james up and struck
him with knife. Mr. Witty grabbed him.
and when he released him lie ran away.
We got COstin to the light, and found the
knife in his head. Declared that he never
had stated that James was a detective, and
somebody would break his head.
Messrs. J. a. Willard, &. ID. Myers, NJ.
p. TAYLOR, W. l.. Smith and J. G.. Mann
testified III regard to Mr.. Blossoms char
acter.
LEWIS NIXON testified d that he made the
arrest; that he asked James if he was the
man who stabbed COstin, and he said he
was.
Here the prosecution closed.
p. III. DINON, r. ii. GRANT, Jr., and w.
ii. ORR, were introduced by defense to
show that Blossom had made threats
against James on the Sunday night pre-
viOus to the occurrence.
JOEL FARRow identified the knife.
JOsEPHENE TURNER testified to conyer-
sations overheard, where Costin made
threats against James.
r. l.. SELLARS-SaW COStin take Witty
out of Harris saloon for few moments,
before Witty took James away.
EMMA ROBERTS testified that she knew
Robert COstin and James both by sight;
they came into Annie Hills and quarrelled.
CoStin called James = ID son OF a
b-h" James said, q Bob, didn't do any
thing of the Sort She went for police
man, and when she came back she stood
on the piazza and saw Blossom strike
James and COStin advance on him. James
stepped back, saying Bob, Bob, and when
they got near the trees, where L couldn't
see them, COStin fell
On the cross examination, when an at
tempt was made to show up the calling OF
this unfortunate soiled one, in order to
break down her testimony, her feelings
Overpowered her and she burst into a pas
siOnate flood of tears.
EFFIE DEANS also heard the cOnversa-
ton ard corrobOrrated the former evi-
dence.
RICHARD MCLAURIN testified to having
seen Mr.. James assaulted that night and
knocked down.
j. G. SCOTT arrested the person, and
. remembered the spot on his forehead where