National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-30
End Of the Evidence Relied Upon 10 Convict
Frank LangstOn Of Murder.
Self Defense to Be Urged to Excuse the
Shooting Of Williams.
A Pistol Creates Some Anxiety and a Few
Comments Ina Court.


When the court opened James Roland, car
driver, was tho first witness called. He tos-
titled to seeing the firing but was unable to
the man who did IL.
Mr.. Riddle, intending TO illustrate the po-
sition of the party ct the time of the firing,
picked up the pistol and pointed it toward
the jury.
Juror McDadc, lodging said, Don't point
IL this way"
81 believe there is some sensitivencss in
having pistol pointed at you" said Mr.. Rid
die
point il at the opposing COUNSEL" sug-
gested the Judge
"No: would not like to give tho chance
for the appointment of another district at
torney," replied Mr.. Riddle.
eve have something more powerful than
that" said MIR. Davis.
Andrew ]. Stewart also n car driver, testi-
fed TO seeing the two men scuilling, and n
man standing below them ON the plank
of him. He did not sec anybody else near
them. The man said Let EN- alone" The
woman said: Don't you interfere" or Don't
you bother with them" Then he saw the
fash and heard the report of pistol. The
woman had her hand up as if defending
herself.
Charles Peck, hostler testified that he was
night of the homicide. Tho first to attract
his attention was the little girl running out
of house crying Police" He went into
tho stable to get another horse, and when he
came out there was o crowd on the other side
Of the street. He saw Il man step from tho
crowd and start toward Ricltss park. He
then turned around and fred up the side.
walk. The witness could not see the crowd
because street car passed between him aud
them. After the shooting the man walked
brisEy toward tho park. He did not know
who the man was or whether he was white
or cOlored. blr. Morrison told the witness
that it was q colored man.
John Irving testified that he was on the
corner of Boundary and Seventh streets and
heard tho report of tho pistol, bat knew
nothing of the circumstances.
Charles Krender testified that he was COM
ing down Seventh street road tho night of
the shooting aud had got along by the car
stable when he saw crowd ON the opposite
side Of the road. There were over q dozen
persons there. He saw two fellows fall III the
gutter. but did not know who they were. 1t
was tolerably dark and he did not know
whether thoy were women or men in the
crowd. When he got down to tho ticket
office he heard the pistol reports, but they
were SO quick he could not tell whether
there We're three. four, or five shots. lie
could not tell who fired and could ouly tell
where the man STOOD Dy the HASn.
William IL. Lavender and John Widmyer
corroborated the preceding witness.
George West testified that he was in front
of the car sheds when tho shooting COM
menced. lie heard somebody over where
they were fighting say D 1t, that amt
fair" and then the shooting commenced. He
only heard three shots. Tho flash of the
pistol was below the crowd, toward Boundary.
The man seemed to have on o high dark hat.
xuhn
toward Boundary. He saw man run away
from the crowd with his hand to his side and
run around the corner OF Pomeroy street
toward the hospital. Somebody said that it
was Jimmy Spencer.
James III. Winslow, shoemaker, testified
that he was coming down toward the city
and had reached the gate opposite the medi-
cal department of the hospital, on Pomeroy
street, when he heard the pistol shots in the
direction OF Seventh street The first person
he met was Dennis Williams, and that
was near the watchman's box at the gate.
H. was hurt, aud walked with his left arm
in his right hand. lie asked what was the
matter and Williams said, 81 am shot,
Witness asked, "Who shot you 2? Williams
said, Frank Langston shot me-" Witness
asked, What was you doing to MIN 2" Will
Jams said, II was not doing anything to
him" Witness then said, ut is very strange
that Frank shot you. You must have been
doing something TO him"
Williams said, Il Was not doing anything
to him. was only parting two men fight
ing" and rs no went away he said, Eyes,
and no shot another man, too" The witness
then started ON toward Seventh street, aud
as he did SO he saw another man coming
toward him who proved to be Spencer.
He staggered and fell at tho gate. Tao wit.
ness went TO him and turned him over and
said, What is tho matter" Spencer said
Frank LangstOn shot me-" Witness asked
what he had been doing. Spencer said
Nothing" Witness said, ooh, you must
have done something Frank would not
have shot you for nothing" Spencer said
II did not do anything to him. ! was parting
some men fighting and Frank came up aud
shot me for nothing" The witness said that
| when they got inside Of the hospital gate
Spencer said, Frank Laugston shot me 10
/ nothing" and these were the last words hC
| spoke.
| The witness said, on DISCRIMINATION
! that he went home with Dennis Williams
| and helped put him to bed. Willisms's wifi,
| asked him what was tho matter, and he sale
! he was shot and Frank LangstUn did it. Ill
| told his wife that there wore two men fight
! ing; that no and Spencer went up 10 then
| the same time LangstOn did; LangstOn triet
| to pull Wilkins of from Anderson, aud h,
| (lNilliams) told Langston to lot thom alone
| Langston jumped up and said Now, yuu 10
them alone" and drew his pistol and fred
| The witness thought he smelled the fumes U
whisky on Williams. LanGsLons reputation
for peace and good order was excellent, Will
that of Williams, whom drinking, was not.
Wipslow further testified he had know
Williams for twelve years, and lived nea
him for the last five years. There were on
or two cases he know OF whore Williams haI
fuses, but did not know OF his fighting.
During tho recess Dennis Williams hat
said that tho witness did not tell the trutl
about him. but no threats were made.
"He said | was on the stand lying abou
him, but do not think l was. l was telling
the truth"
officer BENZ. u. Rhodes was about square
from the scene OF the homicide when he frs
heard of II. lie had known Langston oigh
or nine years, and went about the city hunt
ing for him that night, but failed to fint
him. He next saw him at the Baltimore ant
Potomac depot as no came in on the wester
train. His father told the witness no woul
be in on that train. On the cross examination
the witness said that Prof. Langston the da
after he arrived here told him that just s
soon as he could communicate with his SOL
aud find out whore ho was ho would lot tn
witness know. subsequently Mr.. Langsto
told him, and the witness went with him !
Mr.. Langston's carriage to tho depot an
met the son.
The witness said there was bad elomen
below whore Mr.. LangstOn resided, and i
the park parties had been sot upon. II
reputation for safety was bad IL was not S
bad as it was years ago, fbut it was ba
enough now. lie had known young LangstO
for nine years past. He had not seen q