Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-08-17

delegatcs to a convention to be held i'll this city
on "Wednesday October I, 1871 to nominate
candidates for the State Senate.
The meeting then adjourned.
CORPORATION CoURT- J"dge +. w. Lc,ce
ng-C0NTlNuNTloN or YESTERDAY $
PnocrEDlyGs- Frost ) administrator W. the
Frostburg Coal Company ct a.; IN rtiancery ;
argument concluded; decision reserved.
Smith ct al vs.. VIM. y. Der kelley; III rhalI
.erv, leave TO plead and answer III 6p lays.
George Ste,,rnaele and GeorgH Chapman
were licensed to keep ortlnarless.
To. DAYS PROCEEDINGS. All account OF
Kobl Bell against the Corporation WAS allowed
and ordered 70 be certified
Fisher ". Gray. in chancery. demurrer t."
bill anlrejoinder.
The case Of the Commonwealth W. James
K, Jefferson and James NOVEL; was next takan
up, Smoot for the Commonwealth, and Stuart
for the prisoners These parties are charged
with the murder Of one Silas Johnson colored.
in that they did, on the 30th day of last June,
by throwing him from of the deck of Capt. Nc
Gracken's schooner into the waters of the Poto
mac river cause his death by drowning. The pris-
npcrs were brought into Court at lOi o'clock,
aul having elected to be tried separately. It
vas agreed that jefferson case be disposed Of
first; thereupon Stuart for defence demurrcd TO
the Indictment which demurrer, after argu-
ment, was overruled. Jefferson was then ar,,
raignel but before pleading, his counsc! moved
that the case be removed to the Circuit Court
tor the city. The motion being denied, the ac
cused plead mot guilty"
Lewis f. Skidmorc, Il. VI. Prettyman, W.
+. Atwell, W. L. Pad gett, B. F. Penn, Peter
w. Simpson, Henry Callan, Owen Nugeut, j.
f. F. Carln, James B. Steiner, Steven MI
burn aud r. H. Ficklin were then impannelled
aud sworn as Il Jury to pass between the COM
monwealth OF Virginia and the prisoner at the
bar.
After statements by the respective counsel OF
che law of the case, and the facts which they
expected to prove, the taking of the testimony
was proceeded with, and the prosecution called
:.s its first witness,
DR.. French, who testified substantially rs
follows: Is physician; was called on In June
to examine the body of Silas johnson; was at
coroners' inquest and examined the body; there
was no doubt about the fact that johnson came
TO his death by drowning there was cut on
his lip internally, and bruises on arm; cut on
the lip was apparently caused by blow given
4 few hours before the drowning; saw the body
about IS or % hours after the drowning; saw
no bruises on his head, nor anywhere else on
his person except where mentioned; the symp-
toms of drowning were dilation Of the iris, and
iroth in his windpipe, &c.; he was alive when
thrown into the water.
DR.. Powell testified Was present with DR..
French at the inquest; corrobOrated what he
stated, and had nothing to add
John Nightingale testified Knows j. Il. JEFF
iersop; knew Silas Johnson; on 30th Of June
witness lived the in First Ward; saw Jefer-
son on the night Of June 30th at Capt Petty $
restaurant between s and 90 Clock NOVEL; was
with him. so was McCracken and number of
others; all took = drink, and then went out on
the pavement; Jefferson, NOVEL;, McCracken
and others started down Union street; witness
followed them; at corner Wolfe street some
body said boat had left McCracken' schooner;
witness went toward the schooner which was
lying between the ship yards in the channel;
NOVEL; and Jefferson got in yawl boat and
went to McCrackeu's vessel, and shortly after
witness heard the cry of murder and some Que
running around the deck of McCracken s yes
sel; heard splash and gurgling cry OF "Oh
Lord" when the man johnson went overheard
somebody got in the yawl and swung it around
toward the drowning man; the yawl then lett
the schooner and went to Hunter shipyar
man was in it; witness went to see Jefferson
alier the negroes had arrested him; neither
NOVEL; nor Jefferson belonged onthe schooner;
Johnsou's body WAS recovered; don { know how
deep water Was there; the schooner was not
aground; johnson Was about five feet in height;
witness himself was knocked down by the col.
ored people on the shore: two or three hundred
colored people were there Hourlsh,nS knives,
Tazors aud pistols
Capt. Eli Petty was then called and WAS CIV
Ing in his evidence when this report closet
RETURNED. MIR. Douglas Forrest, formerly
OF the law partnership Of Packard 4 Forrest,
has returned to this country, after An eX-
tended tour in Europe and the Holy Land;
greatly improved in health, and much pleased
with his observations and experiences, abroad.
having been ordained as deacon OF Grace /.
f. Church, and desiring to complete his Stll-
dies for the ministry, he will attend the Fps
sopal Theolosical Seminary 10 Virginia during
the coming session. He was In this city TINS
morning.
TUE WEATHER.-The tbermonleteIr, at noon,
to-day in the shade, stood at ST.. lhere was
more air stirring this morning than there was
yesterday NJ orning. Altogether, the weather
is more moderate
CoLoRED ExcuRsIoN.-A large eolored ex-
cursion party from Culpeper Court House. ar
rived here this morning. They spent the day
IN Washington and this city.
APpo1NTMENr.--Itis reported that James
A. Stoutenburgh Of this city has Teen appointed
a time keeper at the Washington navy yard