National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-06-03
On Trial for Murder.

The trial of George Lee, indicted for the
murder of Francis Williams ut the corner of
Eleventh and 2 streets northwest on last new
years eve, was resumed in the criminal court,
before Justice James, yesterday morning. AS
sstant DistrictAttorney r. r. Perry repre-
sents the government aud Mcssrs. Cook aud
Falls the defendant.
At 1880 o'clock William Wagner was
ceptcd rs the twelfth juror, completing the
panel. Some delay was occasioncd by waiting
for an absent iuryman, and it was 1 o'clock
before any testimony was presented.
After tho opening by the assistant District
attorney Robert Smallwood testified On now
years eve night the witness met Francis
Williams, Ben Boyd, Robert Maxwell Charles
Carroll Tom Bruner, Will Bruce, Frank Gross
and Sam Bray at the corner Of Eleventh aud
streets northwest; they went into George
Lees place, corner of Tenth and p streets, on
the west side, toward boundary; Maxwell
called for pint of whisky; Lee told
him that it was worth twenty-five cents n
pint; then Maxwell told Lee TO give him q
quart, and the latter poured the whisky out,
but said lie would not let il go until he re-
coived the money for it; Sam Bray and Max
well told Lee that he need not be afraid about
getting his money; Lee put the whisky back
behind the counter; Bray then asked Lee if he
could go up stairs, so did Bruce and Williams;
they all went up stairs except tho witness,
Boyd and Gross; he heard q kind OF noise
up stairs, and tho witness started TO 70 up;
he got to the third step from the bottom,
aud then the crowd was on their way coming
down stairs; Leo then told II colored woman
down stairs to so back into the kitchen and
bring him the keys; by this time the crowd
had all got down stairs; Ice was then behind
the bar; the witness was behind tho counter
near the door that opens from the street; tho
woman brought the keys and gave them to
Lee; he unlocked little drawer behind tho
4 Ia; II. 1,.t
door to bo opened; Charles Carroll
opened 1t; after that Leo said: Every
s. Of n b. of you get outsidc;" Lee
then commenced shooting; he shot Will
lams first; ho had his back toward Leo going
out Of the door whom he was shot; Williams
fell on the floor and did not say anything; Leo
then shot viii Bruce through the arm; Bruce
threw UP his arm to ward the ball from off his
head, aud caught it in the arm; the ball went
through Bruces arm and lodged in Boyd's
shoulder; both these men were facing Leo
when they were shot; as tho witness was pass
ing out the door, Lee fired a shot over his
head and another near the bottom of tho door;
the witness went on out the door followed by
the crowd; Lee aud the woman that got tho
keys took Williams aud laid him out on the
pavement; Lee went hack into tho house and
closed all the doors and windows; tho witness,
Bruce aud Bray carried the body of Williams
to tho drug store, corner fTcnth Ii aud streets;
MlllluLIlS WAS nOt NDlC W speak, anu was SnOU
through the back part of bis head; he WAS af-
terward taken 10 the Freedmans hospital;
tho witness did not sec any boy in
the crowd have a pistol that night, and
the only one that Le saw Lee had;
after tho body was put out of the house Lee
said: "If any moro OF them s. of BIS
comes here any moro tonight l will kill some
more Of them"
Cross.cxamined by Mr. Cook He did not
know what time it was when lie met tho
crowd but supposed that it was between Q and
10 o'clock; he had not been with them before
that night; they asked him 10 take II walk
down to Lees place, but did not tell him what
they were going for; from tho noise tho wit
moss heard up stairs in Lees place hc thought
they must be quarrelug; while the woman
was out getting the keys Lee, Maxwell and
Williams wero cnrsing aud using vulgar talk;
it lasted between five and ten minutes.
Tom Bruner testified to meeting the party
OF boys on tho night of last new years eve at
Brooks church at a wstch-mccting and went
with them to Reeds restaurant and afterward
to Lees place.
His testimony of what occurred at Lees
saloon corroborated that of the previous wit
ness.
| Before finishing Brunor's evidence tho court
adjourned until this morning, and the jury
was sent TO the National hotel to spend the
night.