National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-31
Evidence to Provo That Ho Was Assaulted
Before He Fired.
He Defended Himself When Struck,
Pushed, and Threatened
Attempt 10 Show That Government Witness Wanted
10 DO Bought OF.
Attacking the Character FOR Peace OF the
Two Men Shot,

upon tue DeuCu yesteIuay uOEHiAs tho
chamber was uncomfortably crowded, aud
remained so throughout the day. The trial
OF Frank Langston indicted for the murder
of james Spencer, was resumed, the defense
calling as their first witness Charles i. Reed,
who had known Langston for ten years. He
testified that no had made an engagement
with Laugston to go with him that night to
attend the Bethel Literary meeting, He had
heard Langston spoken of in tho highest
terms. He came to the house OF the with ess
and told him about tho trouble, aud he went
10 soe what harm had been done, He foun d
one man killed and another mortally
wounded. Next he saw Langston ct the
of the witnesses uncle, and aftor
that at the corner of Twelfth street and New
York avenue. The witness loft him ut
Tenth street and New York avenue aud went
to Lincoln hall for Mrs. Langston, and ar.
ranged TO meet him with her at Twelfth
street. The meeting was about o'clock.
He next saw Langston about 1920 o'clock at
hiss friends house, on New York avenue.
They left there little after o'clock in the
morning. went down Twelfth street to Penn
sylvania avenue.
Here they took cab and wont on Capitol
hill to the house of Mr.. Watson, where they
TOmulneu until IL OClOCK lub HCNb udNs
Langton at first did not know whether to
leave tho city or not, but his mother advised
him to do So
On cross-examination the witness said that
he did not know the officers were hunting for
Langston. They came out openly from the
house and went about the length of the
court room. OF course the witness thought
they might DO looking for Langston, and they
went out there TO get out of the way.
On redirect examination tho witness said
that when Langston told him to go out and
see who was shot, he did not designate any
number of men to inquire about
On REORGANIZATION the witness said
that he left the town in company with
Langston, crossed Bcnning's bridge,
stopped at Marlboro, and there
he took the cars and went of. There was
d lady won't with them named Eva Adams
but she came back to the city with the wit
ness.
William Brown, a laborer testified that he
was standing at the door of the eud OF the
row of frames on Seventh street talking with
Miss Dyson while the disturbance was going
on. The first he saw was a little girl run out
of house crying murder" and saying
man was beating her mother. She was called
in by Mrs. SChafer and then Anderson came
out and spoke to Wilkins, who stood short
distance away, and told him to go off, The
man refused, and said the street was public.
Anderson then walked in front of his door
and dared the man to come there. At this
lime Langston came down tho walk, passed
Anderson and then stopped. While he was
talking to Anderson two ladies came along
and asked what was the matter, and VIII kins
said: This dirty skunk wants mo to get off the
highway" Then Anderson run at him. and
they clinched and fell, and the colored man
got on top. Langston went TO him and took
hold of Wilkins. He heard a woman say it
of Eair In fUn white hn
coored man.
Dennis Williams came upand tried to take
hold of LaugstOn, who stepped back and
fired. langston then buttoned up his coat
and ran.
The witness on cross-examination' said
he did not sec the two women and one man
come up with basket of coal, although they
might have been within five feet of him. He
did not hear anything said to Langston or
threats made when he began firing. The
witness did not see q woman, and there was
not q soul between Langston and the witness
except Williams. He saw Spencer standing
some distance away; he neither said nor did
anything, and was merely looking on.
Mary Dyson resides ut No. 22OD Seventh
street, and was standing at her door talking
with VIM. Brown at the time the shooting
was going on. She saw the coming together
of Wilkins and Anderson. LanGston inter-
fered to part them. A woman rushed up and
told Langston TO lot them alone, and slapped
him in the face. LangstOn pushed her away.
Dennis Williams then came up aud said,
Don't you hit that woman" LangstOn
raised up aud backed away. Williams was
right close TO him when LangstOn pulled
the pistol and fired, bang, bang, bang just
as quick rs man could. Then he turned
and ran away.
MIS-. Ann Johnson. who at the time lived
at No. 252J Seventh street, testified Co seeing
- - DO.
and that the former WAS on top pounding the
latter pretty good. A woman went toward
them and said: Lot them have fair play"
and went for light man, who backed down.
A cOlOred man then came up and went toward
him, aud she thought the woman got hold of
| him. The man backed moro and then the
pistol was fred. There was first two shots
and then three, and then one man ran past
| her window.
| Carter Holmes testified that he remembered
the night Of the shooting, and knew Dennis
| Williams. He saw the latter at Shehey's
about an hour before it occurred. He told
tho witness he had been home helping his
wife wash. She had given him 8 cents and
he camo there to treat himself. He drank
| liquor twice aud part of a stOyepipe of beer.
After that the witness left ShehcyB and went
back of the hospital, remained about "a
hour, and thon came back AS he got in front
of tho railroad Office he heard tho child cry,
Murder" and then saw two men fighting
! When tho cOlored man was ON top both Of
them were in tho gutter and the witness on
the plank walk near enough to put his hand
on them. While they were in the gutter q
young white man came up and took hold Of
the coored man 10 take him of. A COlored
woman then came up and took hold of the
white fellow. Dennis Williams then came ny
and said, "What the hell you got TO do with
it" had one hand at the throat of tine young
| fellow. Tho young man raised up aud
backed quickly, and Williams followed hin
with one hand stretched out before him, ant
carrying the other behind him. The younl
man had gone back twenty-five or thirty
feet before no began firing. After the frs
shot the woman said, ooh, am shot, liz
did not soc any ono interfere with the two
men lighting, except the young white man
who was trying to part thom. lie did no
seem TO take any particular aim, but free
| right away. lie was excited at tho time ant
seemed 70 be frightened. He know Denni
Williams, and people spoke Of him as
quarrelsOmo man.
William ii. Dom testified that no was IL
the employ Of the Mutual District Messenge
company, aud was in the neighbOrhood whei
the shooting occurred. He won't up to thu
car stable TO SEQ driver, aud saw the mel
scuhing in tho gutter. Tho colored man WA
on top, and then they got parted, and Lang
ston told Anderson no had better 90 IN th
house. He refused, and the men got to fight
ing again. LaugstOn went up to them, AM
q colored woman grabbed him, Langstoi
told her TO go away, as he wanted to get til
men parted. Then the oolored man ran GU
and said Cd you, don't you bit tina
woman, If you do I'll hit you" Langsto