National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-21
The Victim Was Staggering Drunk
When He Was Led Astray
B. Witness Who Had Bet Hat That Karcher Would
Be Hung
The Governments Case CIosed-Question
About the DEFENDANTS Marriage.

uncOmiOrtaOly CrOWuou III uuy yesVeTuay.
Some men stood tho entire day evidently
preferring to undergo that tedious task
rather than miss any of tho proceedings.
Judge Macarthur waslten minutes late in
opening the court aud few minutes moro
were lost before the counsel arrived and tho
trial went forward.
Lieut.. II. X. Roadway, night inspector o
he police force, the first witness called, ties
titled that no went to Karcher's cell in com
pany with 8 ergt. Daily and said: "You
man is dead. " Knrcher replied, well, tha
is tho way l want it. | shot him three times.
The witness then repo rted karcher's state
ment of his doings on the night of tho homi-
eide, which was tho same as testified to by
Sorgt. Mullhall.
On cross. examination tho witness said no
did not know the woman and had never
spoken to hor and information of her i'm
moral conduct reached him through the say
ings of others.
Officer John NJ. Smoot testified that no
visited Karcher's house and found the dead
man lying on the floor He had known Mrs.
Karchers for several years and had been on
speaking acquaintance with her.
Mr.. Mackoy interrupted tho witness and said
it was evident that testimony was about to be
offered showing the adulterous conduct Of
Mrs. Karcher, and he object ed unless they
showed that the husband knew of it.
District Attorney Worthington said he had
laid the foundation for this testimony by
proving by two witnesses that Karcher adj
mitted he knew Of his wife's infdelity. They
would further show that the woman stood at
the door of the house and in the bay window,
kissing her hand to men and soliciting them
to come into her; that she came homo on one
occasion near midnight, after having been
out with men, and her husband locked her out;
that when she begged and pleaded to be let
in he put his head out of the window and re-
fused, and told her to go and spend the rest
of the night whore she had been. She became
boisterous, and policeman took her to tho
station house. on another occasion he would
prove that when a man was visiting the pris-
oner he called his vito name which ex-
pressed his opinion that she had committed
adultery.
Mr. Mackey argued that even knowledge
was not sufficient, but the government must
show connivance and consent on the part of
the defendant He should at tho proper
time move to strike out all of this testimony
on the grounds he had stated.
Judge Macarthur said that it was impos-
sible for tho court at that stage of the case
to decide the testimony inadmissiblo. He
thought that tho question whether or not
Karcher knew of the immoral practices of
his wife should 60 to the jury to decide.
The witness, resuming his testimony, said
that he had seen men going in and coming
out of Karcher's house repeatedly in the day
time, and once he saw her beckon to n man
standing on the corner, who went to the house
and she let him in. Tho woman was spoken
of in the neighborhood as being very loose
On one occasion she called the witness to
como into the house and arrest Karcher, who,
hesaid, was drunk and abusin her. He went
in, and some conversation pa ssed in which
Karcher called her by an opprobrious name.
and told her he wanted her to get out of his
house, and said she was bringing men into
the house all hours of the day in his absence.
She said he YVES o liar.
On DISCRIMINATION the witness said he
did not know of lewd act committed by
the woman. and he never told her husband
of tho talk about her. He never saw men go
to the house at night. Officer Joseph Shell
ton testified to seeing man kiss Mrs. Kar-
cher once, near the market and he didn't
think it looked right. In February last, the
witness said, she came home about midnight
and tried to get in, but Karchor told her she
could not come in, and to 20 back to those with
whom she had been during the evening.
She became bosterous aud the witness took
her to the station house. Officer John II.
Howe testified that no had known Mrs Kar.
cher for several years, and that twelve years
ago she lived in houses of ill-fame
VIM. G. Clifford, a cousin of Grimes, testi-
fed to riding past the house Of Karcher tho
day before the shooting and saw Mrs. Karcher
kissing her hand to Grimes. lie was also
with Grimes the day of the homicide until )
O'clock in the evening, and whom he left him
Grimes was very drunk.
John q. Myers, who lived opposite
Karchcr's testified to seeing men going in
and out oil the house frequently in the day
time.
Scrgt. J. Z. Mulhall was recalled for cross
examination. lie denied saying on last
w atday or Thursday that If he was on
the Try ho would hang Karcher, and that hC
va, Sullty us hell.
George W. Rabbit testified that no had
known Grimes for two days, and was with
him the day he was killed. They were at
Beach's shop, on Fourteenth street southwest
both drinking, and they left there together
between 8 and o'clock in the evening, and
went TO Seventh and ID streets southeast
whore they saw u woman with her head out
of tho window. Grimes went under the
window, and the woman said: Hello. WHORE
have you been att" The witness shook
hands and left him. While he was standing
there the witness thought he sawa MANI
head in one of the openings of the bay
window. 1t was about $50 o p'k in the
evening when he left Grimes there, aud he
was staggering drunk,
on cross-eNEmination the witness said he
WAS on the opposite side of the street from
Karcher's house, when ho saw tho head o
the man in the room, and it was about fy,
feet back from the window. Ho would no
swear that there was man in the room nj
| the time Mrs. karcher was talking 70 Grim as
! He could not tell whether it was Mrs
| Karchers head or not. 1t was good, gra,
head.
Being pressed by counsel tho witness sai[
he would not swear ii was a head at all h
| saw, but no thought il was ono,
Andrew Van b. RObey testified that he wa
! in Karcher's house on ono occasion whom h
had been drinking and quarrcling with hi
wife. He called her by an opprobous nam
and offered her to the witness, but witnCs
declined to take her.
On cross.examination tho witness said tina
| he had never been arrested but once, an
| that was on the charge of embe2ZlC
ment growing out of the taking of postag
stamps which case he understood had beo
dismissed. Tho defendant had fed tho vii
ness family when he left them and went ava
10 Now York. He denied having made a
affidavit charging Geo. w, SmoOt with assault
ing him, and then writing letter saying
was untrue. He had nevor been confined /
tho New York Tombs on the charge OF la
ceny,
Jacob w. Lew, residing at 400 Sevent
street southeast testified that he had spoke
to Mr.. and Mrs. Karcher once each, and b
had seen men going in and coming out of u
house during tho day. The witness visite
the house of Karcher once, and tho latte
said, Come in. We are not married, bl
living together" Mrs. Karchor said, 20
no, we are not married, but we arc liyir
decent, and / am keeping house for him
IGo did not know whether they were jokif
: or not but to him it was strange expire
| giOn