Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1872-06-07
MURDER TRIALS.
Case of Charles Newman.

Case of Charles Newman.
The trial of Charles Newman for the killing
of the colored boy, William Contee, jr., in
April last, was terminated on the 3oth ult., as
stated last week. He has since been sentenced
to the Penitentiary for five years.
The only person who saw the killing, except
the wife of Newman, was Frank Contee, a
younger brother of William, apparently about
IL or 13 years of age. His testimony was
therefore mainly relied upon by the Prosecut-
ing Attorney to prove the guilt of the prisoner.
If his testimony could have been relied upon
as entirely correct, there can be no doubt that
the judgment and sentence of the Court would
have been different: We learn from Frank S
testimony that on the evening of the 18th of
April last, while hunting up cows, he met his
brother on horseback going to Newman's
house to get some meal in return for some bor-
rowed by Newman from his mother. Frank
was induced to accompany William on condi-
ton that he would let him ride the horse; this
arrangement was readily assented to and Will
liam walked, the distance being short-proba-
bly, not over half mile-from Contees house
to Newman's. When the two boys got there
! it seems that Newman was in most pleasant
mood and very polite salutations were ex-
changed by him and William. But as soon as
the object of the visit was made known New
man flew into 9 passion and used most pro-
fame language towards William, adding-''If
Oh III
At this point we quote the testimony of the
boy: ''He then reached his hand right be-
hind him, grabbed up the gun and then shot
him. As soon as he shot him he pitched the
gun back in the room and caught him in his
arms" Newman was standing in the door
way during the exchange of words and when
he shot. Frank remained on the horse all the
time near the parties, until the gun went off /;
he then jumped down and "ran up there
Newman and his victim were standing very
near to each other. Frank states that when
the threat was made to shoot, William moved
towards him, at the corner of the house, and
was looking towards him when shot. 1t was
brought out on the cross examination that
some i'll feeling existed between Newman and
Contee's mother, in regard to a trunk which
he undertook to repair and refused to deliver
until paid for. The trunk it appears was new
er repaired
John T. Cotton, Esq, Justice of the Peace,
at Aliens Fresh, stated in his testimony that
Newman came to his store at o'clock on the
night of the 18th of April, the day of the kill
ing, and wanted to see him. Mr.. Cotton had
retired and did not see him, but sent him word
after getting message by his (Colton's) son,
a youth IA years of age, to go to Mr.. smoot.
| DR.. B. A. Jameson testified as to the charac-
ter of the wound; it was on the left side, i'm
mediately over the heart; made by ordinary
bird shot, and must have produced instant
death.
Thomas A. Jones, Esq, testified as to the To-
cation of the road and position of the house.
George Dent, Esq, testified that Frank Con-
tees reputation for truth and veracity is bad,
and added--'Gt is very bad, Think
Lemuel Smoot, Esq, constable, being sworn,
stated that the prisoner came to his house the
next morning after the homicide and gave
himself up to be taken before the proper au-
thorities. Mr.. Smoot lives about five miles
from Aliens Fresh.
Newman came to this county from Virginia,
some two or three years since, accompanied by
his wife and a small child. When he first
reached the county he took shelter with his
family in shed on the fishing shore of Mr..
Pearson Chapman. He was in most destitute
condition at the time and excited the sympathy
and charity of the neighborhood. After living
in that part of the county sometime the house
he occupied was burned down. We next hear
of him living near Pope's Creek, where the
homicide took place. By persons who knew
him previous to the unfortunate occurrence
Newman was looked upon as harmless char
acter-somewhat eccentric, and but little dis
posed to labor for living. His wife is still in
the county with two children, one an infant
and they are really in pitiable condition.
Case of Winnie Jones, Alfred Dent and
i William Dent.
These parties, indicted by the Grand Jury
at the late term of the Circuit Court, were
charged with the murder of Alfred Jones, (the
husband of Winnie, on the night oflast Christ
mas eve, at his residence, near Middletown.-
The parties are all colored. The trial of the
case took place on Monday last before Judge
Ford. The following report we believe to con
tain the most important parts of the evidence
in the case:
Mary Mathews, the first witness examined
identified the prisoner; knew Winnie as the
wife of Alfred Jones; they lived not over hun
dred yards from me was called up on Christ
mas eve night about midnight by Winnie; sh'
wanted me to go and stay with her for compa
ny, said that Alfred had stabbed himself;
went, saw Alfred when l got there lying upor
the floor groaning; she said he had stabbed
himself with pocket knife; | took up the
knife, saw no blood upon it, did not look fol
any wound there was no one else about the
premises that day or night; Alfred was lying
on his back on the floor, across the fireplace
he was speechless when got there.
/ Cross examination-I live at Mr.. Richard
McDaniers; Alfred was a drinking man l sup
pose all the harm he did was to himsef-ht
was a drunkard; it was an hour or so of day
l reckon, when Winnie called me up; said she
wanted me for company; told her first to take
the knife up; she was afraid to take it up, anc
l took it up; saw no blood on it, l am certain
of that; looked at it good, it was open.
DR.. R. K. Compton examined-l was attend
ing physician at the inquest over the body O.
Alfred Jones and made the examination of the
body; found a wound on the left side OF the
head-a fracture with depression of the bone
thinks the wound must have caused instant
death the bone was driven into the substance