The daily gazette., 1881-11-04
ARRASTs ON THE srANp,


~"Ies II II Guilt.
I'll kToS, Nd, Nov. 2.-Tbe trial O
WIN. >. Arrants, charg ed with The
murder of Nicholas Voelc ker. in EIls
Neck ON the 9th Of Scpte mber last
was continued here TODAY h.r ~
Judges Stump and Wickes. The aan
eral interest In the case continues NJ
abated, the court room being crowd al
as on previous days with a mot ,en
throng of white and colored snecta
tors. Po'''
The testimony of the State closed
with Few unimp ortant witnesses
and the defense opened. Sheriff Logan
testified to Arrants' good character
and said he heard Arrants saw thu
marks on his person were made by The
bites of bugs. - 'A'
After some unimp ortant testimony
ArrAnts was sworn, and in a quiet.
decisive tone of voice proceeded To
describe his move ments both before
and after the night OF the murder.
pfefacing his testimony by an emphatic
denial OF any knowledge of the mur-
derer OF Nicholas Voelcker. Witness
last saw Voelcker early Monday morn.
ing. The same morning he went to a
store and from there TO see about his
oxen, which had been depredating a
neighbours corn.
About noon he went home, and spent
the afternoon picking peaches, some Of
which were taken from the trees thai
Voelcker told him not TO touch. Saw
nothing OF Voelcker that evening and re.
Tired early. He Che prlsonef) rose OF:
tuesday morning at 4 o'clock, prepared
his breakfast himself, his wife being III.
and shortly after sunrise started for
wilmington. AT the gate he met Harris,
the thrasher, paid him some money and
gave him drink of whisky. In reply
to question,prlsoner said that he heard
some one calling as he was putting his
horses TO the wagon, but paid no atten.
ton to IL. He had made no agreement
TO go TO Wilmington market with Bry.
son, but overlook him on the road and
Grove Into Wilmington with him. The
| prisoner sold his peaches during Wed.
| nesday morning and started for home ct
O'Clock that afternoon. He stopped,
he testified, two miles from Wilmington
and changed his shirt,patting on clean
one which he had purchased in Will
| mington, and throwing the soiled one
In the bottom of his wagon. lie ex.
planned the blood stains on the shir. ty
saying they were received butchering
sheep the Friday before. When he drove
into Elkton Mr.. Drcnner, who was on
his peace bond for the assault, told him
OF the peoples suspicious, and that ho
would have to give him up. Witness
then went to the jaIl.
The prisoner stouIly denied UlIery y
statement that he had made threats
| against Veolcker, aud made the counter
charge that Uilsrs was respousib BILE for
the charges himself. The marks ON his
shoulder, he said, were from the bites OF
spider he had never said they were
caused by bugs
| IN the cross-ex ami uation, which was
very searching the prisoner hesitated
ana contradicted himself several times
| which, however, did not materia III
| change bis testimony. His manner
throughout was very calm and collected
| Many of his replies to questions created
laughter. He is very lliitsrate.
| John i. Briekiey, Ephraim Grace.
samuel Burns and Chas. Bayard ali
pore evidence TO the prisoners good
In rebnttal the State called DIR. lamar
VINO testihed that the prisoner had said
the marks on bis shoulder were made by
ougs, aud that he said nothing at ali
ABOUT spiders. The prisoner had volun-
teeIsd the explanation, witness said.
The defense rested Its case here. AT.
ter argument by M. Warburtou for the
State, and Hon. Alex. Evans, for the
defense, Court adjourned.