Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-10-21
The BerryyIIIe Tragedy.

TRIAL OF LGCURGUs LITTLE FOR BILLING HIS
BROTHER CLINTON.
The trial of Lycurgus Little, who is charged
jointly with Oscar Little with the murder Of
their brother Clinton, on the 9Th of Jaly last,
was resumed at BerTyville, Va, yesterday.
The circumstances of the case as developed at
the cOroner's inquest and since. are set newly
forth by correspondent of the Baltimore Sun.
as follows Mr.. Franklin Lit e, a former resi-
dent of Washington, and canal commissioner
under Mayor Towers, removed with his family
to Clarke county, Va, just prior TO the breaking
out of the war, and settled on fine farm near
the Opequon, stream separating Clarke and
Frederick counties. OF his family At that time
there are now living his wife, a daughter, and
five sons, Columbus, Gilbert, Wallace, Oscar,
and Lycurgus.
THE FATAL SHOOTING.
On the morning Of the 9Th of last July they
were all once more gathered beneath the family
roof tree. MIR. Little, the father, was absent IN
Washington, but there was present in his stead
three ladies, the wife of Columbus Little, and
Misses Prchard and Nliwig, visitors from Win
chester. The young ladies of the party break
tasted and left the room before the young men
entered, leaving at the table Mrs. Franklin Lit
tie and Mrs Columbus Lutte. While the two
latter, with Columbus, Gilbert, Clinton, and
Wallace were at breakfast, a. charged by mem
bers of the family at the corOner's inquest,
Oscar and Lycurgus entered the room,
armed with pistols, and after directing
the other members OF the family not to inter-
feTe commenced to fire upon Clinton. The
firing resulted in the mortal wOUsding OF Clin-
ton and the painful wOunding of his mOtheg,
The guilty parties then attempted to escape, IS
was depCsed to by Gilbert, when he seized a
rifle and arrested the further progress OF Oscar
by bullet in the leg. LycurgUs stopped to as
sist Oscar and bOth parties were caught up
with and seized.
THE INDICTMENT AND TRIAL.
The alleged hOmicides were guarded by CO.
lnmbus and Gilbert until late in the evening,
when they were conveyed to the Clarke county
Jail. grand jury found n true bill against
them, and they were indicted jointly, but have
elected to be tried separately. Since the occur
renee the feeling OF the other members of the
family against the prisoners has been mOllided,
and they have employed counsel and are endea-
vOring to shield the accused from punishment.
by the plea that the shooting was accidental.
None of the Littles, the only eye witnesses to
the tragedy, have been placed on the witness
stand. Lycurgus, the prisoner on trial, is fully
SIX feet high, of line physical proportions, with
He sits near his counsel, with whom and his
mother he occasionally cOnverses, and is re-
markedly attentive TO all that is said.
The proceedings of Saturday were given in
Yesterdays STAR, namely: the testimony of
james ID. Bitter, giving the dying declaration
of Clinton
"THEY KILLED ME WITHOUT CAUSE"
the testimony of WIN. G.. Everhart, a tenant OF
Mr.. Little, indicating that one of the motives
for the homicide WAS disapprOval of ClIntons
attentions to his (Everhart's) daughter; the ties.
tImony of James Milton, the jailor, viz: that
Lycurgus, without any inducement to confess
said to him at the jail, 81 killed nv brother
Clinton" without saying why or with what, and
on the pistol belonging to Lycurgus witness saw
blood stains. The cross examination was con-
tinued at great length, and was very searching,
the defence seeking TO break down the teSti-
mOny of Milton, which was damaging to the
traverser. The witness adhered TO his first state
ment throughout, and in conclusion declared
that "Lycurgus said what was narrated, and he
would stick 10 it if he was going to the eternal
world