The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-02-20

Il \
who waits In the house, was serving the tea at
the time OF the fire, and there was no one else
about the ssable except Hildrey, which was
| 80 guarded bv dogs that it could not be ap-
preached. he also said that his premises
were so well guarded that not even bis own
son could approach the house at nfzht with
| out giving q signal. It was impossible for
any one to have approached any of tie build.
iDgs without being
l. F. G. RUFFlN, yR., on TIE STAND.
Mr.. Frank Ruffin eorroborated the general
testimony given by bis father. On the 2etb
of July be knew that this boy (Hldrey) was
there when-he had no business TO be there
lHdeed, he had been told to keep away. Page
told witness that he was the first one tor
jump out of the window and save himself.
Witness remembered and repeated the names
of eight persons who were IN the barn the
night it was burned. The names are men
toned in the indictmentl These men had
slept in the barn ever since the hay was put
there. A man was also employed to keep
guard at the stable. Hildrey had no busi-
ness at the barn, though he said he carried
bis sister down that night, and that he re-
turned to the house with her.
Witness then described the burning of the
bare, already set forth in his kather's testi-
mony. He said it was very cloudy that
morning, and commenced raining before the
fire had been put out ut was in the night
so much so that be would not have called his
hands out 90 to work, although it was a
busy time and he wanted to. use all the time
he could. Could not approach or leave the
house without giving notice because the
dogs were so fierce. Had suspected Page
ever since the tarred rope was found at bis
mothers house. Witness thcn. exhibited
small bundle Of fagots Qightwood}, and de-
scrlbeG pine tree which he had cut down
in the spring to make hoe handles, the
heart of which was of lightwood. This
tree was cut up and hoe.handles made
of it. Page came to witness on one occasion
and asked fona new haude, saying that the
one be had Zone of those made from the
pine tree) was broken. A bundle Of fagots
was found at the house, and witness identl-
fed the pieces as being similar to the hoe
handle. Indeed, be was confident that tue
broken hoe-hande had sseen split up, and
that the fagots had been cut from the hoe
handle by the accused on account OF the
vein of lghtwood running through it.
Mr.. Ruffin described very graphically the
burning of the barn; the red light shining
upon the windows, and the attendant scenes.
He said it was viyidy impressed upon bis
mind. He had seen it all since the tre in
his sleep, aud could never forget it.
At this point q o'cock) the court took 4
recess for dinner.
Afternoon Session.
When the Court resumed its session Mr..
+. J. Sampson was examined. He. stated
that he was in Knox & Craddock's office on
Monday evening last when Page made some
admissions to him about the fire. Mr. Wren,
a coored boy. and Page were the only per-
sons in the room at the time. Mr.. Wren told
Page that he wanted him to tell witness all
about the fire.
The defence objected to this testimony un-
til Mr. Wren Was examined, and hoped that
the admissions of the accused made to'Samp-
son would not be entertained by the Court.
The Court: Mr.. Sampson, had this man
been arrested when he made admissions to
you!
Witness don't know, sir.
Mr.. Wise: Well, sir, did this man walk
out of the office when the questions were
answered:
Witness: J eS, sir.
Dir. Sampson here detailed the admissions
of Page; said that Page acknow ledged that
he burned the stable; that he stuck lighted
| match in the hay, and burned it in that way,
and that he did all the burning down there.
Mr.. Wise: Did he give any reason for it
Witness: He said he "just did it for so.'
Then he said he wanted his mother and
father to come away from there, and that be
didn't like Mr.. Ruffin anyway.
The prisoner also said he used lightWood
and Kerosene oil.
During the conversation at Craddock's
office the boy (Page) said he wanted to go
out minute. He went out, and as he did
not return immediately Wren went after
him. Witness had had no conversation with
him since his arrest. He went to Cfaddock's
office at the request Of Mr.. Rutfin. He met
Wren at the foot Of the steps, and they went
upstairs, where they found the boy waiting.
Witness never was at the office before, and
| never saw the boy before. The boy seemed
excited when he got upto go out, but he
was not excited when be tirst made his con-
| fessiou. The boy did not speak OF any in
duccmcnts that had been held out to him by
Wren or any one else to make this confes-
| sion.
MIR. Peter Clay, Mr.. Rutlin's orerseer, tes-
| tilted that he was at the farm sleeping with
MIR. Ruttiu, Jr., the night on which the barn
was burned. He heard haliooing, and ran
to the window. When he returned he said,
"Lord, Mr.. Ruiln, the barn Is on fire." He
ran down to the barn, and saw two OF the
negroes 40 had been sleeping IN the barn
iump out Of the window. One Of them left
| his shoe in the barn.
Uiso. con certain IL was IN the
night?
MIR. Clay Qaughing): Why, certainly.
Don't you think am old enough to know
when day breaks?
The witness then described lot OF feath-
ers and paper which had been STEPPED in
kerosene oil, and which dropped out of the
end of the soye-pipe which was taken out
of The chimney as it was being removed.
Mr.. Clay (continuing): Well, gentlemen,
as to tue barn-burDing, that is dead cock
in the pit. 1t was certainly set aire about
2 O'Clock, because | got down there about
O'Clock, and it had made too much headWay
not to have been set afre about = O'Clock.
[Laughter.l saw Gle )rge Preston and Car
| ter Booker get out. Preston left one SHOE
in there, and be went home without 1t.
| Silas Fowlks was the first one of the negroes
| be saw when be went out lie met him at
the pump. The witness gave one>of the
other hands the keys because be (wltness)
didn't have his shoes on and the negro could
| run faster. Saw the two men named jump
out of the window; and the other hands
we're around the barn when he got there
Witness thought that fire was put TO the barn
| through the iron bars on the lower story.
OTHER WITNESSES.
Wilson Cary, an intelisent.looking little
negro boy, was next sworn.