Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-06-05
THE WEST MURDER TRIAL.
Progress of the Case, Yesterd y,

Our own letter from Do er being detained un-
til late hour, by the railroad accident, we print
the following synopsis of yesterdays proceed
ings, as given in the Baltimore papers: ..
Witnesses who were present when Vests loor
was forced described the position and appear
anoe of the corpse, and corroborated Vests con-
fession 80 far as it related to the dead body and
appointments of the room Employees oil the
train by which he left Dover at O'Clock on
Thursday morning, testified that he was muifled
up 80 as not to be recognizable. He claimed to
be from Little Creek Landing, on his way to
Norfolk, Va West went far as Delmar, and
returned to Harrington Friday he came to the
depot at that place looking like an intirm man
Of sixty, with his face blacked and leaning on
stick he was partially recognized by Reese Mer-
ritt, former pupil, and on being closely scruti-
nized admitted he was the fugitive DIR. West.
As there was no constable near, West was put in
charge OF the conductor and brought to Dover.
On the way up he confessed the homicide but
asserted the killing was in self-defense He said
he had set fire to his office to destroy all evil
dence of the deed.
DR., Jump examined the body of Cooch Turner !;
it was headless. handless and footless; the uody
was skinned and the bones ehattere the left
lung was almost consumed by fire.
Other witnesses testified to the finding of the
head and hands in the places designated by
West The nose, lips and ears were cut from
the face
Samuel Hargadine ex-sheriff arrested West
at Dover and found on his person the penknife
with which he stabbed Turner. West returned
to Dover of his own accord. He was IN the care
but not in the custody of the conductor.
George Dickson recognized the head of the
corpse as that of Coosh Turner He testified that
West carried life insurance policies to the
amount of 5000 annual premiums which was
much more than his income warranted.
! Frederick Wntolph testified that West ascer-
| tanned that they were of the same weight and
measurement aud then invited him to his olicei
| the honest old reuton is possessed with the idea
that West wished TO murder him
Mrs. Kerbin heard West say before the muir
| der he was going TO make a move that would
, make or break him the day of the murder West
asked Wesley Henry, colored, if Oooch Turner
| was not fond Of drink.
| Vim, s. Kellum testified that the hammer
| found in Vests office was his property and was
| abstracted from him without his consent
! John Cullen testified that West declined to let
| him enter his office Monday, the day of the muir
der. assigning as reason that his gas applra-
| tus taken down.
blood spot on his pants the day OF the murder.
] West said it came from his nose
The State here closed and Senator Salisbury
| in his opening statement for the prisoner made
an attack on the press for its alleged misrepre-
! sentations Of this affair. He said il the State
| could prove Turner was dead otherwise than by
| Vests declaration, the defense could set up two
pleas first of self-defence and second of insani-
| ty.
| Mrs West mother of the prisoner, was the
| first witness called by the defense and testified
that West father was subject 10 fits of melan-
| choy and depression of spirits. and that West
| himself was a strange boy, and had done many
upaccountable things since his majority. Since
| 1863 his family have suspected his intellect was
| impaired. The court adjourned at six o'clock
| -----.--------
Jim Brown, the negro charged with the muir
| der of Mrs Jones and Miss Dozier in Suffolk
J county, Va, was captured on Tuesday night.
| He confessed his crime and is now in Jail. 1t il
/ thought he will be lynched.
Washington Donaldson, who made balloon as.
tensions from Allentown, on Monday and Tues
| day. has gone to Boston to assist Professor Wise
in preparing for balloon trip across the Attain
| tic on July 4th,
| john Radly, an engineer on the Mississippi and
| Tennessee railroad, was murdered at fernando,
Miss on Tuesday, by j. q. Salter, road master
of the road. Salter was arrested.
In the New Jerusalem Conference at Cincin-
natl yesterday Rev. W. H. Hincklev, of New
i Orleans read papers upon the most efficient
mode of propagating the doctrines of the New
| Church. and upon the conduct of ministers OF
the New Church towards those of other denomi
| nations.
One hundred and sixty coal and iron men
from New York. Philadelphia and the Eastern
States, arrived in Pottsville last evening, and
were given banquet by the Reading coal and
| Iron Company. After viewing the collierief
around Pottsville to-day, they will set down to
another banquet this evening.
4 4 Fl TF ii s. d