The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-05-16
JESSIE BDCKNER.
The Chief Witness for the Defense In
the Thompson Trial.
Her Statement of the scene In the Cincin'
natl Hotel, which Caused the Tragedy
The story OF Her Life as Told
on the Stand.

odsburg. Saturday. Her evidence and
otions. as briefly published in the Sunday
entinel, are given in full below:
1t was past II O'Clock when Miss Jessie Buck
Ier the leading figure In the great trial. was es
sorted into the Court room by Hon. Joe BLACK
burn The throng opened q passege-wsy fOI
them, and she took her seat in the witness cnalr'
She was atured in plaid suit with a big black
hat on her head. She had on apair OF IonR
walking gloves and held in her hand small
satchel She wore no ornaments except pair q
gold earrings and at her throat was plain
hls"t bow. She was sworn and tesnhed as ioi
oHs: oo.,
November On Monday afternoon, November
%, / dined with Mr.. and Mrs. PM thompson a.
the Burnett House. Mr.. Thompson went on 70
Washington that night. Mrs.. Ihomp son stetd
with me At the st. Clair on Monday night. On
Tuesday we met Mrs. Owen and later MT. Iavis
-oeonsintarcas OF ours. We met Mr.. Davis
about noon at the corner of Four and Race
] asked him where &c came rom, ana ne salo
Harrodsburg. He asked where we were
stopping. told him at the ST. Clair Hotel. ano
he SAID he would call upon us IL the afternoon
Shortly after We returned 10 the hotel ana took
luncn. As we walked out from the dining room
Isaw Walter Davis sitting In the Office. Colonel
Thompson and his wife were there, and we In
vited Walter DAVIS to the reception room wnen
Mr. and Mrs Thompson departed. L laid the
kew of nv room on the table and went down
stairs TO the drug store to get some medicine To-
my sick headache, and when l returned M
Davis aud Mrs. Thompson had gone 10 my room
found them there she was seated at the piano
playing and he sat by her side Mrs. Thompson
spoke aoout going 10 the telegraph ONCE 70 seno
q dispatch aud Walter Davis said he would &C
company her. objected, but Davis Insisted, and
they went. About $50 they returned. She was
drunk so drunk that she fell prostrate on the
floor. When she revived she stated that they hao
been 10 the ST. Nicholas and Walter Davis had
treated 10 wine aud oysters
AT this point in the proceedings great exclte,
ment was caused by the entrance OF Walter Davis
wife, mother and sister aItired In deep mourn
ing. Their faces were hidden By heavy black
wells, but the wife of the slain Was soooing hard
Miss Buckner did not change countenance but
after the interruption she continued: Il placed
Mrs. thompson on the sofa after she Tell on the
floor. She became very sick, and retired to the
floor, which put away. Mr.. Davis came into the
room again, aud said that he was stopping az our
hotel l expressed my surprise, because ne told
me he wa stopping at the Emery. When went
down to dinner left Mrs. Thompson IN my room
with Davis. When l returned Mrs. thompson
was standing before the glass poWdering her face
She asked me If didn't want TO go to the theater
with them, and l said n. went as lar as the
door with them. The next saw of her was when
she was brought to my room by Mrs Roth. she
was very drunk, aud fell on the floor. !
put her to bed. She went home the next
morning. 1 protested against her going to
the theater, because If any one from Har-
report IL at home. told Walter Davis not to give
her any LIQUOR. | was az the ST. Clair Hotel until
the ON Of January and then went 70 the Gibson
House after short visit. l saw Thompson hrst
after the occurrence the evening before he re-
turned. Mrs. Roth and 1 had no conversation
about the matter in the hotel the morning alter
II happened took supper with him at the Bur
net, HOus told him Ia my room that had
written To him all intended to saw in regard to
the conduct Ct lis wife. didn't care 10 tell MIN,
but at last related to him everything that Mrs.
Roth told me. Mrs. Roth had asked me IL had
noticed anything pecu lar ab5u Mrs Thompson;
that she had spent the night IN Davis room sno
was very drunk; that they remained from S:45
uuCil 10 O'Clock; that Mrs. Thompson waited 10
enter my room, but Walter Davis led her to bis
own. All these things / told Phil
the Tuesday evening he spentin Cincinnati before
be came nome to Harrodsburg. Mr.. Thompson's
D aft he didn't speak to me and seemed very un- |
happy. Finally he remarked: Jessie, | have
little nervous spell" left him at IL O'Clock. i
iidn't see Mr.. thompson again. did write let |
ers 70 Mr.. Davis Mrs Thompson anc Phil |
III Ompson. / informed Mr.. Davis that knew OF |
IFS conduct the night before. These letters were
III written the morning after the occurrence In
he MOTEL.
The examination of Miss Buckner was con.
luded at II O'Clock, and her eross-examination i
The Young woman was escorted to the witnss,
eat by Mr.. John Thompson, and the cross exami
iaitOn wa commenced. During the entire after
lance of the handsome woman, but a. times she I
)ecame piQued a1d disturbed. The lady said: /
N a native Of Mississippi. but used to live here
lut left HzrrOdSburg when was six years old. i |
I'm now twenty five. Have spent much time In |
Lived in Louisville from 1876 to 1879
Went to Cleveland, o., Canada, and then to the |
asst September. Was In Boston for year or two. |
lad SEQ uaintAnces IN Boston, but no relatives
absesS in nO BOSTON,, wh ,be Esst and Gin
cnnsu. In the latter city I stopped
first at the Palace Hotel. then went to the st.
Clair. but left u account of this occurrence
because IL cast reflection upon me. Paid 500 a
month at the st. Clair Hotel Ny income is very
limited. have made statement that my patn
mony was dtssipateo by my husband. Have had
nothing 10 do with my own business matters.
Don't know what my clothing cost never keep
P6S mope want from
get It from Mr.. Thompson. Had not heard the
occurrence discussed AT the hotel Another reason
for leaving the hotel was because my past married
life was talked about there.
Question Who Is familiar with your married
hfef A Everybody In the United States, l sup
=. Then did Mr.. Roth speak to you about leav-
tngf A Yes he did, In very pleasant manner,
on account OF the sensation in the hotel i re-
manned one week at Harrodsburg after left the
St Clair. Governor Bishop made arrangements
for me TO 20 70 the Gibson HOuse. While was
absent from home In Boston and Cincinnati my
mother was living at her home in Mississippi.
q. How long have you known Walter Davis7
A. Since was sixteen years old.
Q. How did you happen TO see Mrs. Thompson
In CINCINNATI A.; she sent me note to call ON
q. Who registered Mrs. Thompson's name at
the st. Clair3 A. did.
The witness gave the conversation with Walter
Davis as she mad done ON former occasions The
lady was INTERCEPTED In detail as 10 the circum-
stances of Davis visit to the st. Clair Tuesday
afts-n IN AMI night but her story WAS substsn-
ally the same ss given In the morning. Every
rsOvSIa1ea4t Mis-. thompson on that unfortunate
occasion was asked for BY Mr.. Robbins, and not
one point which had any bearing upon the
knowledge Miss buckner possessed as TO the &C
tons of Davis and the Congressman's wife was
brought ont but still the testimony of the witness
remained un3haken in any material particular.
She had h-fofmed Mrs. Thompson IN the letter
husband of bis wtfe's drunkenness in the
hotel, but did not mention Walter Davis name,
Miss Buckner stated the contents of her letter 10
Walter II know of your conduct last night and
brv" ---f',sn TO Phil You may expect to hear
rom him."
IUz :. AZ reason she had for sending the letter
90 Ms Thompson was to let her know that she
was aware of her conduct. which she ascertained
from Mrs. Roth The witness acknowledged that
the questionable conduct OF herself had alienated
and estrzDged some former friends from her. She
did not remember that MIS-. Walter Davis had
ever mubbed her. She denied that she ever said
when Walter Davis and his wife refused TO speak
TO her at the depot, 81 viii make them sorry fer
this and have my revenge" The witness
rendered very angry By some of the questions of
Mr. Robbins
A nies mule row occurred whsn the contents OF
Thompson. in which she threatened punish
her for passing through Cincinnati from Wash
ington without stopping TO see her. direct
threat was proved To have been made against Mrs
JhonpSon, ai,u tne P,osecuoon naoe the pest
pOint In Miss Buckner's examination, when they
unfortunate wife The case now began to be
very interesting. and the young woman's testf-
mony wasn't 20 high In the estimation Of those
n the Court room.
Sne asked the quez ton: sis this the first
time that you have been instrumental, directly
ss.f4f nnff In hrQa II