Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-10-16

oitt,d 10 JdH for Contempt If Court The
case of the Commonwealth against James
Gin, indicted for ,Oaliciously shooting hi,
wite. Molic Cliff on the 18th day of August
$50. with intent to MAIN Cisiigure, disable
and kill, was called i'll the Corporation Court
this morning. Mr.. Leonard Alarbury APP
pcarcd for the Commonwealth, and Mr.. x
&. Brent, assigned by the Court, for the pri-
-oncr. It will be remembered that Clitl, on
the day named, under the Wilkes street
railroad tunnel, deliberately, with Il small
ps.ol, shot his young wife five times three
OF the balls taking effect in the head, and
one in the arm and one in the hand. \
GOOD deal of time was consumed iii obtain
ing jury. Messrs. Henry Brcnglc aud J.
f. Cook, jr., and others had expressed an
we're relieved. Messrs W. W. Rock, II
+. Hcrklcy, Chas l.. Adam and \. F. Cox,
were stricken from the pannel by the de
fence, and the jury remained IL, follows:
John Harlow. Harrison Jacobs. K w. Bal
lcngcr. Joseph Kaufman. }. W. Baggott. j.
F. Cook, i. +. Nails. Joseph Lash, Robert
rHaycrs. Joseph Davis, Henry Hammill and
j. +. Lloyd. \ number of witnesses were
sworn including the wife of the prisoner,
who has entirely recovered from her iniu-
rirs. The first witness called by the Com
monweath was Mollir Gill, the prisoners
wife and upon whose testimony the prose
cutiUn relied for Il conviction. The Young
woman or rather girl, for she is not over
sixteen years Of age, took her seat in the
witness chair, near Commonwealth Attor-
ncy MarhuTy, who requested her 10 tell the
Jury what She knew about the shooting affair.
under the tunnel, on the 18th of August
The witness, who did not appear ut all en-
harrasscd, made no reply, but commenced
laughing. Mr.. Marhury repeated his re-
quest, and the witness responded she had
nothing 10 tell. Mr. Marbuly then asked
her if she was shot OH the 18th day of All-
gust. Mr. Brent objected 10 this, and also TO
several other questions, the witness mcan-
while maintaining 4 Stolid Indifference. To
every question asked her by the Common
wealth's Attorney she would, with a giggle
reply that she had nothing TO say. Mr.
Marbury appealed TO Court to compel the
witness to answer the questions. The Court
addressing himself to the witness, who sat
with her head bowed and her hand over her
face, said, very mildly that the witness must
answer the questions propounded 10 her !: it
was wcll-known that she occupied II very
embarrassing position. and all she would
have TO do vas to tell quietly what she
knew about the shooting. Mr. Mar
bury commenced his questioning again,
but all he conld get for his trouble was II
smile from the fair witness. The large
crowd in the Court room took lively in
lerest IN the proceedings, and commenced
to smile too. This smiling on the part Of
ii! hands, lead 10 some loud laughing, which
was promptly checked by Sergeant Smith
Some discussion arose between counsel on
question as to whether the witness had
been talked 10 in reference TO her evidence
Finally the question. in an amended form,
tending TO show that the witness had been
talked to with view TO influencing her on
the stand, was asked. The witness re-
sponded in IN almost inaudible tone. Yes"
but being requested 10 repeat her answer
she refused 10 make any response The
Court here informed the obstinate witness
that unless she answered the proper Qtlc:,.
tons he would bc compelled TO perform Il
very disa@ccablc duty and send her to Jail
tor contempt. is your name Mary CIli?"
qucrlcd the commemorative Attorney in
the hope of getting the haulky witness
started. \ faint Yes" came. Everybody
now coming freely. Now said Mr.
Marbury, in in his most pleasant manner
'Will you be SO kind as to tell the Jury
about the shooting The witness =
havn't anything to tell The people in
the court room, who had been standing, with
stretched necks and their hands TO their
ears, fell back disappointed. The Com
monwealth'S Attorney, who did not wish
his main witness to go TO Jail for contempt
tired every means at his command to get
the girl to talk, but failing, the Judge com.
mltted her to the custody of the CITY
Sergeant, and adjourned the court until >
o'clock this afternoon. Durin" the cxami-
nation of Mrs. Cliff, Mr. s c. Brent, counsel
for the prisoner, was put upon the stand,
and III response TO 4 question, stated that
he had had no compensation of any kind
with the witness.
Iron the rcasscmbling of the court this
afternoon, Mrs. Cliff, the obstinate witness,
VAS brought in and put upon the stand She was
requested Ia tell the Jury what she knew about
The shooting. The witness replied that she would
tell part, but not all. Being allowed to proceed,
She detailed i'll answer to questions all the partic-
MARS OF the affair, substantially heretofore pub
IIShcd in the GAZETTE. After the examination of
number of other witnesses and the arguments
Of Messrs Marbury and Brent. the latter for the
defence. setting up the plea Of transtory insanity,
The ury retired
PERsoNAI.-The Fairfax HcraId says -
aiilaA IL ABOUT 10 gam one POou cltlZcn
and lose another. General FitZ Lee has
rented Spring Bank, the residence of Mr..
George Mason, near Alexandria, and will
become citizen of Fairfax about the first
OF December Mr.. Mason moves TO Alex
'ndrla. Both these well known gentlemen
are great-grandsons of Col. George Mason,
OF Gunston Hall, the celebrated Revolutions
AIRY patriot, and author of the first constitu-
uon and bill of rights of Virginia. 4 lineal
descendant of two Of the most celebrated
men of the great days of-old,' General Lee
mas worthily won and wears in his own
right a national reputation as one of the
most distinguished Of the Southern soldiers
III The war between the States. His histor-
cal papers on Charlottesville and Gettys-
burg have conferred upon him the reputa-
lon of one of the most able and judicious
military critics who took part in the great
struggle. 1t is said that General Lee is now
writing the history Of the campaigns Of the
army of Northern Virginia, with which
inc great name OF his uncle is linked
IN lmperishable renown. Such work