Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-10-30

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them we're armed with clubs and
: sticks which were loaded with lead
and iron. The defendant, Everett,
was in every way peaceable. Bowden
did not get up to where Mr.. Bryant
and Hill had been fighting.
William F. Price testified that he was
in the house at the polls with Mr..
Bowden when the fight commenced.
He said to my brother, who was also
present, "they are fighting out doors;
let us go out and see if we cannot stop
it'll" When Bowden reached the
crowd, he said to them "this
is no place to fight. Let us
vote, and go away in peace" The
witness then described the action
OF the crowd to be as the foregoing
witnesses had described it; and when
some one struck Bowden, witness
heard the cries of s'kill himl kill himl
If we can't get him now we will have
him tonight"
Angus Williams, colored, testified
that he saw Major Pope, colored,
strike Mr.. Bowden twice with a load
ed stick. The crowd was making OF
Mr.. Bowden, cursing, swearing and
yelling.
G. P. Duncan testified that he did
not see the beginning of the difficulty;
the first he saw of Bowden he was
giving back before crowd Of negroes
who were advancing upon him, with
clubs and sticks raised, cursing,
swearing and yelling. and crying "kill
| hinr"
Mr.. Chadwick testified that Bowden
did not reach the spot where Bryant
and Hill had been fighting, at oil. He
| knew that he should have seen him if
he had been there. I was between
Bryant and Hill at one part of the
difficulty, and Hill showed his pistol
against nly.. breast, and I know that
Bowden was not present. As to the
defendant. Everett, the witness stated
that the colored peace officer, Jordan,
saw Everett inside Gamberg's garden
with pistol in his hand, coming to-
wards the gate. Jordan said to Ever
ett, 'you cannot go out with that pis-
tol." Everett then offered to give the
pistol to Mr.. Beery who refused to
take it. Everett then gave the pistol
to Jordan, saying, "to show you I
mean no harm, you can take the pistol,
and go along VIII NO." The witness
saw the two walk off together, towards
the crowd. and afterwards saw Everett
take Bryant out of the crowd and car
~ him off.
Braswel Durham testified that he
saw Bryant strike Hill was the first
or second person to reach them; caught |
Hills stick to prevent his striking i
tried to separate them; saw no one
strike Hill except Bryant; testified
that Bowden did not strike Hill at that |
time. Soon after this he saw Bowden
retreating as before described.
James Durham testified that he saw
Everett there; that he had previously
seen him in the garden, when Sam Jor-
den and Sam Simpson said to him"y you
can't come out of there with that pis-
toll" Everett said he did not intend
to use the pistol except in elf-defence;
said he was for peace and gave his pis-
tol to Sam Jorden. After the fight
was over, he tried to get Bryant away
from the crowd. Everett and Bryant
disappeared inside Gamberg's yard.
S. s. Beery testified that he saw
Everett with the pistol, and heard
Jordan tell him that he could not go
into the crowd with it. Everett then |
offered the pistol to witness, who de-
clined to take it, and saw Jordan
take it.
Witness saw the defendant Wood |
with the gun, but he did not raise it |
to his shoulder, but held it down in |
his hands.
Mr.. Everitt Wood, father of defend
ant John E. Wood, testified that he saw
the gun in his house at dinner |
time. The gun belonged to McDon-
old, negro; told his son to carry the |
gun to the store, his object being to
keep any one from getting hold of it.
L. A. Claus testified that he saw the
defendant, John Wood, bring the gun
to the store; that he did not point it at
the crowd.
James B. Mcpherson, Esq, was
called on the part of the State, and
testified that he was a magistrate at
Rocky Point; that he saw Jesse
Bowden in the house at the time
the disturbance began; and saw Bow
den retreating before the crowd. |
While Bryant and Hill were fighting,
witness saw two blows struck, does not |
know by whom. Shortly after this, he
saw Bowden retreating.
The evidence for the prosecution and
defence was here closed.
At 2:30 o'clock, the argument was
commenced.
Hon. Geo. Davis, who opened for
the defence, made one of his most eff
fective argumentative efforts of near
an hours length.
Mr.. Solicitor Norment closed the !
discussion at near o'clock, in speech
which was replete with sound logic |
and cogent reasoning. He evinced the
character of the public officer who
comes squarely up to the honest dis
charge of duty, without favor, with
out affection. All of the defendants in
this case were the Solicitors political
friends.
His Honor gave the Jury q charge
of ten minutes duration, when they
retired, and very shortly thereafter re-
turned verdict of "Not Guilty" as to
all the defendants.
Fire Near DupIin X Roads and De-
tentiOn Of the Train.
The southern hound passen DER train