Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-06-18

The community was startled early
yesterday morning by the report that
a man had been murdered and that
his dead body was then lying on the
side walk at the corner of Market and
South Water streets. Crowds fiocked
to the scene, and the avenues
of approach were completely block
ed so eagerly did the multi
tude, white and colored, press
forward to the scene of horror. The
unfortunate victim was a colored man,
a well-known musician in this city, by
the name of Charles Jackson, who de-
pended on his musical efforts for a
support. Coroner Hewlett was soon
on the spot and by o'clock jury
had been empanneled and were ready
to enter upon their duties but because
of the pressure of the crowd it was
was deemed advisable that the
examination should take place else
where and the body of the
deceased was therefore removed
to his home on Chestnut, between
Eighth and Ninth streets, where the
deceased, who was married man,
but without children, lived with his
wife. At this point the inquest was
held, and the following jurymen
responded to their names:
d. E. Bunting, Foreman, David
Cowan, colored, James Anderson, col
ored, Alfred Willis, Thomas @. Moore.
Geo. W. Belts, colored, Sterling Sal
ling, G. r. Jones, colored, W. Sulli-
van, G. E. Borden, Richard Recosta,
colored, @. 81. STROBE.
A careful investigation was had
when the following facts were elected,
as transcribed from the written testl-
mony now in possession of the Coro-
ner. A few facts must, however, be
promised. as necessary to proper I'M
derstanding of this testimony. Ran
som Mcmillan, Albert Thompson
| and Charles Jackson, all colored, with
the former as leader, have composed a
string band who were often employed
for serenading purposes. They had
been out on the street on Thursday
night and between IL and II O'Clock
they began to play in front of Mr.. d.
J. Gilbert's saloon, on South Front
Street, where they found the two
white men, William Jackson alias
Caleb P. Snow, the night bar tender
at that establishment, and James Bur
CESS, and where the difficulty occur
red. What took place there is best
told in the words of the evidence,
which is as follows
Albert Thompson, colored, sworn.
Identified the body. Saw him last
coming out of Gi,bert's bar. Went in
there the first part of the night;
played some; was invited by the bar
keeper; took refreshments. After
taking drinks we went on a serenade
for his (Jackson's) benefit. Upon re-
turning, walked into the bar and
played. He treated us. Charles Jack
son and Burgess had a dispute; shook
fists at each other. The barkeeper got
| up and came in front of the bar and
collared Charles Jackson, the deceased.
They tusseled; deceased got towards
the door, pursued by both Burgess
| and the barkeeper, Jackson. He ran
| from the door towards Market street.
| In about two minutes heard a pistol
fire, after which Burgess and Jackson
| returned to the bar and found witness
and Ransom Mcmillan. Came out of
| the bar at the barkeeper's request and
found Charles Jackson lying in the
street dead. Accused Burgess or
Jackson of having committed the
deed. They denied it.
Ransom Mcmillan having been
sworn, identified the body and testified
| as follows Between IL and II O'Clock
| we went to Mr.. Gilbert's bar; we play
ed outside; were invited in by the bar
keeper; he asked us to drink, which
we did; after taking our drink we went
on a scramble for Mr.. Jackson's bene-
fit; came back to the bar, went in and
were invited by Mr.. Jackson to play
tune, after which Mr.. Burgess and the
deceased got into quarrel inside of
the room, each shaking fists at each
other. The barkeeper came from be-
hind the bar; he (Jackson) caught
Charles Jackson (deceaseO by the
throat. After Charley Jackson got
loose, he ran out of the bar room,
pursued by Burgess and Jackson, (the
barkeeper). In about two minutes,
heard the report of a pistol; Burgess
and Jackson returned; took our fd-
dies and started up street; found de-
ceased (Charles Jackson) in the gut
ter on the corner of Market and Water
streets; went back to bar; asked who
oh ~ laaaocoI. -
L then called for policeman.
Mr.. James M. Cowan also testified
that he heard the pistol shot while on
in that direction and found Mcmillan
and Thompson at the corner of the
alley near Gilbert's bar; that in reply
to an inquiry from them he thought
that the pistol shot was fired on Eagle
Island, opposite the city; that at the
request of Jackson, alias Snow, he had
removed Burgess from the house on
Jackson's assertion that he BUR
gess) was drunk; that he walked
with Burgess and the two colored mu-
sicians towards Market Dock, where
the body of jackson was found, life
less, but still warm. At this point
Burgess started off, but was arrested
few minutes afterwards near the
Market, and taken to the guard house,
where he is now confined.
Several policemen then went to Gill
bert's saloon, but Jackson Cor Snow
had fed.
DR.. d. M. Buie testified to the fact
that there were two shots on Jackson,
either of which was fatal. One of these
entered under the chin and ranging
upward was found, by the probe, to
have lodged il the superior portion
of the left lobe of the cerebellum; the
other shot penetrated about two in
ches below the right shoulder and
ranged across the body, passing
through the auracles of the heart and |
lodging between one of the ribs and |
the skin on the left side, from which |
it was extracted. There was very
little external hemorrhage, but the |
chest was filed with clotte6 blood.
The jury, after diligently inquiring
into the cause of the death of the said |
Charles Jackson, rendered the follow