Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-02-03
THE Platter MyRnER.

rrs COMMENCEMENT AT cAKBRIDdE-HFFoRTs TO
POS lPoNK THE oAan-THK PRISONER HDIR5zRA
ENT, .r.j Is .H 40. IN. ..,l H-uu
Especial Correspondence Of the Commercially y
II ''' CAstBRIDoE, Md, Jan. 81.
On Wednesday morning the Court met TO try
John r. Platter, the alleged wife-murderer, Of
Easton, but, after considerable delay, It was
laid over until Thursday. to give the State time
to secure some important witnesses, still absent.
Yesterday it was found the witnesses still abb
sent could not be had, and the State agreed To-
go on with the trial but the defense now asked
for q poetponement on the ground that DIR,
Anderson, Of EAston, very important witness
was unable 20 attend from severe illness. The
Court, however, seemed inclined to urge the
trial when Plater's counsel prepared, by. order
Of Court paper in which was stated what they
can prove by said DIR. Anderson. i4 iaii'H'
After the reading Of this paper, the State
seemed unwilling to proceed unless their absent
witness could be had, -4-,,,e lt.ssu go. D. d.
The objections were ably urged by States At.
torney Howard and s. t. Milburne, Esq.,I and
ably opposed by Ex1Goysrnor Thomas and Hon.
d. M. Henry, for the defense. The State flnslly
agreed that . deputation Of reliable gentlemen
should at once go to Easton and take the depos-i
ties of DIR. Anderson, which was opposed by
Gov. Thomas on the ground that DR.. A. may,
from his illnesB, be Incompetent 70 gtfe thH tes-
timony. Court here took recess till A NJ,
this morning.
This morning, the affidavit prepared by the
counsel for the defence Of DR., Anderson, after q
few immaterial alterations, was allowed, and
then it was decided to proceed. In the p. M /,
the jurors were drawn, after which Coult took
a recess until tomorrow.
This promises to be very exciting taiaL The
Atty Gen'l (Syester) and Prof, Aiken are expect
cd by train.,. Platter is very ureoncerued-kept
Il Is said under the influence of liquor almost
constantly. The popular feeling is against him
II the charges are proved, he is terrible man.
A 1. Ln,,Na, ara ma ant IA
To-" SATURDAYS PRooEEDNas. a'2
The Jury having boen secured, the case was
opened on Saturday on the part of the State.
BY 8. T. Milbourne Esq. (appointed BY the
Court to assist the States Attorney, who
spoke for tive hours, detailing the facls
and circumstances which the State expectou
to prove, and upon which the .conViction
D.. NJ. Henry made 8 short statement on
behalf OF the prisoner. The examination Of
the witnesses for the prosecution then began.
The marriage of the prisoner with the deceased
was first proved, then the dead body found near
Plater's dwelling was proved TO be that Of his
wife, after which testimony was taken as to his
treatment of the deceased, his failure 10 support
her, &c. At two P. NJ, the Court adjourned till
Monday. glgu "J
correspondent of the Baltimore Sun, speak
Ing Of Platter says sa.
He has been three times married, the last
W1fe DollR y Oh Jhulbn W VI
Buchanan, Botetourt county Virginia. This la
dy, of whose murder he stands charged. he met
In the spring OF 1865, while hsw an officer in
the Confederate army. r." 15,
During the summer OF that year they were
married and removed TO Lynchburg, Va, whore
they remained together about . month, and Pla-
ter then visited Baltimore alone in search Of en-
| ployment as he alleged. In the course of sever
| al months he returned, and after remaining :
short while. again departed. A year or more
rolled around, and the anxious wifi. heard moth
| ing OF her husbands whereabouts.
Finnally an advertisement Of inquiry was pub
| lished in the Baltimore papers which gave the
deserted wife clue to her husbands Whereabouts
She went, IS soon ~ possible, to hie residence,
where ahe remained until hisAcruei treatment
drove her swsy-in July, 1871. In the movem-
ber following, she was decoyed again to PlAter'l
homeby representations OF sickness and de-
sire for her presence, but when she reache I
there he cruelty left her, and hthe same mig, .
| she was found dead under circumstances whion
led to the trial now in progress.