The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-29


Brain-Chnmpion Very Drunk and Flourish
ing a Pistol In Peoples Fnces-Conclusion
of the Jury that Death was the Result of
Blows Inflicted by Martin Fall.
In difficulty which occurred at Rock
etts Monday night between Martin Fall
and William II. Champion, the latter re-
ceived injuries from which he died Tues
day morning. Yesterday morning Coro-
ner Taylor made an examination OF the
body dying at 1903 Seventh street, Rock
etts( and came TO the conclusion that death
was caused by congestion Of the brain
from the effect OF a blow on the head, but
which did not fracture the skull. These
facts he reported to the jury when assem-
bled at later hour, and before whom the
following evidence was given:
TIE ENCOUNTER.
Jare Dice was sworn. and deposcd as
follows: / reside ut No. 500 Orleans street.
Annie EllysOn and | were together near
the corner Of Louisiana and Seventh
streets on night before last. Whilst stand
ing there Lizzie Martin came up. Then
Mr.. Champion came up, hourishing q
pistol. cursiug and saying he would shoot
every one OF us. / think he wa drinking.
Myself and the other girls ran across the
street. We had met Mr.. Martin Fall at the
corner. Mr.. Fall said that he did not want
10 hurt Mr.. Champion, but that he (Cham-
pion) had caught hold OF him. Lizzie Mar
tin went back TO Mr.. Fall and begged him
TO come away, and he (Nlr Fall did start,
but Mr.. Champion held him. l saw moth
ing Of the fight. do not think Mr.. Fan
was drinking.
THE FIGHT DESCRIBED.
Lizzie Martin was sworn. and deposed as
follows: | reside ut No. 505 Louisiana
street. On night before last just about
dusk / met Misses Jane Dice and Annie
Ellvson on the sidewalk near Mr.. Dillard's.
/ Mr. Fall was also in company. Whilst we
7 were standing there | heard Miss Mamie
Ellvson clv out that Mr.. Champion was
right behind me. and that he had a pistol
| in his hand. All the ladies ran. leaving
| Mr.. Fall standing on the walk. | then
went lack and begged Mr.. Fall TO come
away and not to trouble Mr.. Champion, and
| he said that he would not trouble him. Mr..
! Fall then started to come away, offering me
/ his arm as he did so, when Mr.. Champion
stopped him by catching hold OF his
arm, and at the same time flourish
/ ing the pistol in Mr.. Falls face,
saying, Martin Fail, l rW EW you."
/ Then Mr.. Fall knocked him down. He
did not strike with anything but his fist.
did not see any more blows, a. | then ran
away. After knocking Mr.. Champion
down Mr.. Fall pulled of his coat. When
Mr.. Champion first came up TO where we
were his face was covered with blood-so
much so that Mr.. Fall said that he did not
recognize him. l had seen him Cham
pion) about half-past in the afternoon
near the Williamsburg avenue, and his lace
was bloody and he had two cuts on both
cheeks champion was drunk them. lie
was then in company with Frank SOmerS
and his brother, Zack Champion. Later in
the evening he was in our store, and his
face was still bloody. lie was then having
a fuss with Sam Foster when my father put
him out.
THE PISTOL AND TIE LADIES,
Annie Elyson was then sworn. and de-
posed as follows: reside at 500 Orleans
street. Jane Dice and myself were stand
ing at the corner near Mr.. Dillard's in
company with Mr.. Martin Fall, when Mr..
Champion came up flourishing pistol,
saving, 81 will shoot every one OF YOU"
When he said that cried out and then ran
out into the road. | saw nothing OF the
fight.
ONE BLOW AND ONE KICK.
Willie Collins was sworn, and depOsed
as follows: | reside ut No. 1898 Seventh
street. was standing near Mr.. DillardS,
and saw Mr.. Champion on the corner near
where the Young ladies were, with pistol
in his hand, threatening to shoot any one
who crossed the street. | then saw Mr..
Fall pull of his coat and knock him Cham
ponj down, and then kick, or kick at, him.
lie only made one blow and one kick. |
then left.
FALL's STATEMENT AFTER THE AFFAIR.
Edward Lewis was sworn, and deposed
a, follows: | reside at 3709 Williamsburg
avenue. / saw Mr.. Fall at Mr.. Martins
that night after the fight, and heard Mr..
Fall say that he had beat man, and that
he did know who he was, but that he
thought il was Champion. He said that Mr..
Champion pointed 4 pistol in his face.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Nora Hundley was sworn, and deposed As
follows: | reside at the corner OF seventh
and Louisiana streets. | saw Mr.. Fall
standing at the corner crying, and when
Mrs. MORGAN asked him what was the mat
ter he said that he had nearly killed Willie
Champlon. and that. C. d him, he
wished he had killed him; that Champion
had drawn pistol on him three times; and
that he had knocked the pistol out Of his
hand and had then thrown him down. Mr..
Fall seemed TO be sober.
CHAMPION WAS VERY DRUNK.
Frank Somers was sworn, and deposed
rs follows: | reside on Centre street. |
was i'm company with Willie Champion all
of the afternoon OF the day on which he
was killed. lie was very drunk, and his
father and myself tried to get him TO 20
home. and i'm pulling away from us he fell
and skinned his face. This was on only
one side Of his face, which drew little
blood.
FALL VERY SORRY.
Robert Dillard wa, sworn, and depO,ed
as follows: / reside at the corner OF sey-
enth and Louisiana streets. After the fight
| saw Martin Fall standing on the corner
CRYING. and heard him say that he had
killed Willie Champion, and that he was
very sorry that it had happened; that he
had come up and showed the pistol in his
face. and that he did not know who it was
ne had struck at the time of the blow.
Champions father told me that Willie died
Yesterday morning about or o O'Clock.
When first saw Fall he was leaning over
Champion talking to him and trying to get
him up.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
The jury returned the following verdict
City Of Richmond, to Uh:
An inquisitiOn taken at 5000 Seventh
street. Rockets. in said city, on the 2Sth
dav OF December, 1881, before me, William
II TAYLOR. Coroner. upon the view OF the
bodv Of William J. Champion, there lying
dead. the Jurors sworn to inquire when,
~ ard L,- what means fhe said William