Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-08-11

anything like this" l says, "its mean trick. D
4 made him pretty mad, and expressed my
opinion of what l thought of that kind of
man. He said, ''loot here, George, don't
want YOU to bother me, or l will kill you.
Bill Downing caught me by the arm and drag
ged me away. | talked to Wilkins; was Civ
ing Sterl the devil. / talked about the case
and going round Finks, and parties would sym
pathize with me, and say l should go and kill
the man, and then would make'idle threats to
everybody pretended to be my friends. This
Taylor boy used to be one of the great sympa-
thizers. Didn't make any threats after l en-
ployed Danofrd as counsel. Don't think that
| Pete Taylor was in that crowd at Fink's that
day; didn't make threats he testified to. went
to the barber shop to see Downing to get my
| revolver to shoot at target.
Witness was cross-examined at length by
the attorney for the State.
NINTH DAY-WEDNESDAT.
The prisoner was brought in at the hour to
which the court was adjourned, and the taking
of testimony on behalf of the accused was re-
sumed as follows:
| VIM. E. Downing-I have resided in this
town 8 or 10 years. I remember l was in my
house at killing; an evening or two after burn
| ing of wilkins barn saw two parties standing
in front of our house; Riggs at mouth of
Fink's alley, which is between brick and frame
part of Fink's house on Marietta St. he came
from Fink's corner; Riggs came along and
stopped and said, "There's the General again;
he gave ME away to old Bob Wilkins, and il
the d--son of b. don't step, | will ix'him;
he pulled that thing out on me again. if he does
it again he will have to use quick" This is all
that was said at that time. Before that time
at the preliminary examination at the Mayors
Office, the parties were bound over; on evening
of same day Weir and went to Riggs house
on rear end of Fink's lot; We vent down to see
what Sterl done this for he had testified against
Weir and myself at preliminary examination
this is all can remember was then said. Goo
asked what he put up this job for; he said ''it
is nothing more than you tried to put up on me
George" Both parties were angry; when w
started Sterl called to me and told me to com'
back, wanted to see me. Don't remember an,
threats at time. Didn't intimate what he want
ed me for. | went back afterward, same day
he told me he would never appear against M
in this case Don't remember that he salt
anything about Weir. After / got that inform
J alton from Riggs decided that we would have
separate trial, in accordance with the PROPOSE
tion of Riggs that he would not appear agains
me. Don't know when | saw Weir after con
versation at mouth of alley; believe told Wei
of it, he had knowledge of it from the party VIII
was present when | heard this from Riggs
Remember of Riggs going away from town an!
time Of his return, which was before the arrest
Riggs was present when / called Weir's atten
: ton TO the fact that Riggs was going to turl
. States evidence, on burnt corner. Riggs sal
it was lie, and wanted to know who told him
5 Weir told him, and Riggs said he would see tn
< fellow. Saw Riggs on evening of his retur
; after his absence; it was after dark in Fink
| yard. Don't remember seeing Riggs next eve
g ming on my fathers side steps. Don't remem
[ Der that there was anything said about the ar
I rest when l seen him. Don't remember a
any time that there was any conversation o.
the unfriendliness between the parties.
Cross-examination by Kennon-Didn't knoI
the parties standing over by our house-wa
: too dark to distinguish them. After that
l plead guilty to larceny of wool. QuestiOn-
: Was you not arrested for being an accomplic
!, in this murder? Defence objected to the ques
1 ton, and objection sustained by the court.
t Had Weir's pistol, gave it to him between
D and 1Io'clock that day; never was arOun
t Riggs house at night; went around Fink
2 house frequently, both of US. [Question-HoN
1 many times did you hear George threaten t
: kill Riggs? Objected to by defense, and oh
4 lection sustained.
7 Re-examination-Nevers saw Riggs and Wei
? together after the arrest for burglary. See
o the parties in same room at my fathers hOus'
= together.