Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-09-09
The M'ESl:air Homicide.
Reportcd for the Baltimore Sun. |


| S, lS73.-The trial Of Charles NJ. McBlair,
charged with the murder Of Alfred Martin, by
shooting him in the head with a pistol, near
Melrose station, 10 this county, seven miles
southeast Of Warrenton, on the night OF the
Goth Of last August, was commenced this morn.
ing before the Circuit Court Of Fauquer couu-
ty, Judge Keith presiding.
The prisoner is represented by General W..
II. Payne and Hon. Thomas Smith, the pre-
sent judge of the Fauquier County Court. Ma
Tor John Scott, States attol ucy for Fauquler
county, appears alone for the State
The circumstances Of the case, were fore
shudowcd at the coroner's inquest, and again
when, owing to an informally in the commit
ment. REORGANIZATION Of witnesses was had
and the body of the alleged murdered man was
exhumcd and the head dissected by DR.. Ward,
at the request of the prisoner, with the pur-
pose of showing by the course the ball took
that the deceased could have shot himself, as
the defense will clatm he did,
The case has called forth considerable inter
est in this community, AMI the court room con-
tanned plumber of spectators when the prison
or was brought in about eleven o'cfock this
morning The prisoner took seat behind his
counsel. The jury panel were sworn on the
voir dire, and the four following were discarded
by peremptory challenge from the prisoner, 5
counsel; Barry Gains, Vim. Scaton, H. a..
Rust Henry Wine
The jury obtained consists of Bradford Jones'
J. NJ. Clotterback, Bushrod Thompson, +. d.
Schackcford, J. I. Mogcoth. Geo. y. Waller,
w. NJ. Roge, Thomas Bergman, Harry
Hatcher, R G. Slower, t. Gordon Payne and
Edward ShackIelt.
Major Scott, States attorney opened for the
State in a review OF the circumstances Of the
alleged crime claiming that the facts demon
strate that murder was committed, and point
with unerring certainty to the accused as the
guilty party.
Gen. w. II. Payne followed for the defense
in an argument of several hours length. going
to show that Martins wound was scli-iutilctcd
and accidental.
The witnesses for the prosecution were ex
amincd. The testimony of Wm. IL. ebSter,
G. e. Simms, and Harriet McChcsuey was a
literal repetition of the evidence already pub
lished. The defense admitted that McBlair
was armed with pistol when he left McIrosc
station. They account for the length of time
between the shooting and Informing Webster
of the fact, by the supposition that McBlalr
lost his way in attempting to reach the house
of Webster by short cut.
The Efforts Of the defense are directed to
showing by the course Of the ball that the
wound was scf:inhictcd. The theory which
the State endeavors to establish Is that as
Martin was whiting plug to faslen loose
sngle-tree he was shot by McBlalr. This
view is somewhat confirmed by the finding OF
green plug at the scene of the tragedy
REMARKABLE CASE. Mr. John \. kerncy,
the young Cumberland merchant, whose mys-
terous disappearance FROM New York IN the
early part of last month has been the subject
OF much remark in this city, arrived home on
the seven o clock train from the West yester-
day morning.
Mr.. Kerney states that he was drugged in
New York by some parties upknown aud abb
Quoted to Chicago by railway. lie remembers
nothing of it, he says, except being LED or drag
ged across q depot platform aud into a car.
On the way, or after arriving at Chicago he was
robbed of nearly all the money upon his person
(about 81 ,O00)-a small amount Of cash and q
draft of over $1,000 escaping the notice or
search of his abductorS. At Chicago before
he had time to recover from the effects of the
stupefcaton he was redrugged and taken
thence by rail and water to the Rio Grande
region, where he found himself, one morning,
to his great astonshment engaged in hcrdiug
cattle He left there at once and made his
way to Fort Union. from which point he wrote
aud tcegraphed home. Before leaving Fort
Union he anxously awaited the receipt ola
telegram from home, but, strange to state, the
dispatch sent by Mrs. Kcrncy did not reach
him, through failure Of communication perhaps.
He waited reasonable time, and then started
for Cumberland, coming through as rapidly as
the iron horse could bring him. Cumberland
NearS
LARGE PURCHASE OF Coal LANDS.-We
understand that some capitalists of Baltimore
and Washington have recently purchased over
twenty-five hundred acres Of the uinc-toot vein
of coal located west of Fairmont, West Virgin
la, and fronting over TWO miles on the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad, and have organized
company called the West Virginia Coal and
Coke Company to work it on an extensive scale,
shipping their coal and coke not ouly east and
west by rail, but also By water down the OHIO
and Mississippi Rivers, from Wheeling to New
nrlo,n. - Tu,uJc,I,uI Mrs