Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-06

0torre Watson. Il sAlem county. he been
9ouud. The evidence which to-day wose, |
segupd ~ strand, rope around the neck |
- Howard sullivan, the negro driver |
a John ElweiFs tenn. e more likc a |
~ 81 romance taken from Gabcriau than 4 |
trtne nom Me IA Quiet jersey town |
hip. Prosecutor Slape and Sheriff Coles !
afe to-day Justly the proudest OF salem /
CounfS's of3cisis Their work shows de. |
Rrce o. detective ability rarely found In a |
rural disfr5ct. While quiet salem went |
Wild with enthusiasm over the reunion OF |
the Twelfth New Jersey Veteran voun.
tetn within her hcspitsble borders, while |
the inhabitants turned ont 10 q man TO
watch The hardy veterans march past be- |
hind big brass hand, no one dreamed that |
within lev steps, in The quiet OF sheriff /
Ccles's private Office in Salem Jan. the
MURDER oil pretty Ella Watson was slowly
hut surely being axed upon q man by the /
most ingenious but incontro,ertibIc pieces
Of evidence. Not even Sheriff Coles knew |
last night that the hearing would take place
tc-dsy.
Prosecutor slspc had several "points
to make this morning. sullivan wa, quiet
~ informed that he would baye hearing
before Justice CasperSon. Jones and
Henley. the other two accused negroes. were |
also brought to the shcrid's oGice. Less
than dozen persons were present. The
three prisoners we're given chsirs where
lighl from the low French window could
stream upon their faces. Behind table
directly opposite them sat Justice Casper.
son, iankcd by Prosecutor Shape and sheriff |
Coles. sullivan bad not the rcmotost idea |
that a3y clue that could possibly implicatc |
him bad been obtained. tie rather expect
ed sequitial. Jones and Henley appeared
anxious and troubled. Farmer Watson
was not present.
The first witness called was John Cole
man, n farmer, whose place il within
stones throw Of the murdered girls home. |
Coleman was among the first who saw Ella
Wafscn's body before IL was removed from |
tbe scene Of the murder. n was he who | ,
found the club lying In a spot midway be-
tween the girls body and the saplng from ,
which II had been hastily cut. lie assisted ,
the doctor In the examination OF the in
juries.
1.-THE frsf thing took notice Of" said
Colcmeb. was the tracks made by u man !,
that led up to The spot Of the attack. |
examined them. They led no further. | ,
From that examination and scrutiny Of ,
the shoes worn by Sullivan, am Ot the ,
opinion that those shoes made the tracks"
Coleman then gave minute description :
OF The girls wounds. During all this :
Sullivan scarcely moved q muscle Of bis ,,
a
doggedness. Had Prosecutor Shape, how /,
ever, regarded his right leg. which was =
thrown hegiigently over the left, be would !
have noticed that the mans right foot | n
showed a continued trcinor. HIS fear be- =
Rru 10 show Itself in the ire milling OF bis q
muscles
Coleman finished his testimony. which y
was mainly for the purpose Of placing on :
record the murder 81 the ciri. Sulliyan's :
trtmOr ssnished. He took more comfort /
ate position In his chair. He evidently h
thought The danger past. A look Of def !,
once seemed 10 creep into his heavy, sullen q
features. and when sheriff Coles was called -
TO testify the Young negro actually smiled. N
The story OF the murder WAS quickly re- :,
told. The shoe theory that fitted so many u
shoes was again trosted out. sullivan even | ~
looked pleased. lie comfortably recrossed -
his legs. ~
But there Is another thing" said -
Sheriff Coles, after an omlnOus pause. a
The prisoner stared motionless. .The ="
number and locality Of the nails in sulli- i,
vans boots are Identical with those Ia the a,
footprints. The heels had been worn on q, Il,
one side, exposing certain nails" =.
He held the shoes 10 view. They had -,
been reheelsd. The nails were peculiarly -
irregular. sullivan's almost imperceptible a
trtmor came back upon him. To all np- -,
pearances he was unmoyed. Sheriff Coles sr
was about 10 lake bis seat when Prosecutor -
Shape stood up and arrested him with o.
motion. lie negligently kept one hand in IN
his pocket. With sudden motion he ot,
held his hand aloif, saying at the same of
time: 10,
"sherin, do you recognize this kniic'" w. w.
A DRAMATIC SCENE. be
In the sharp food Of light streaming In liy
the open window, distinctly outlined with ID
the ,iyidness OF asilhoutte picture. he held lie
TO view q knife--an ordinary jick-kniie. pl
Before sheriff Coles could answer a word su
the prisoner had Jumped 10 his feet. lie ca
shook with fear. DO
alt amt nv knife. Fore God. never ace
seen H." he shouted. Then he sank back wa
into his seat. The climax had wi
been reached. Prosecutor Shapes great CHI
Effort bad been rewarded. The prisoner the
bad with HE own hands tied the baugman's tai
knot ut his throat. He recognized as his tho
The fatal knife with which the muderous nil
club had been cut. TIL
The whole scene occupied but few sec OF
,nds. but IL was fully minute before any YES
me spoke. The two negro suspects. Jones Ten
md Henley, exchanged pleased and know bot
Bg looks with each other. Jones's counte- lie
.ance ightencd up as IL a life burden had his
ust been removed from his shoulders. vii
'ullivans form appeared TO collapse in Pc
liter despair. The horrible truth that he us.
rad betrayed bisnself seemed to dawn upon OF
he sluggish mind. The prosecuting attor- tiol
ney whispered 10 his assistant John W. tiol
Acton. and he continued the inquiry. haI
Sheriff Coles told the story of the tell.tale II
knife. That knife belonged to Howard 12t
Sullivan" he said. "untl two days after the
The murder. On that day there was an ex- 80
rursion from Woodstowp 10 Atlantic City sol
md Sullivan went John Elwell saw him nat
there, ash ha. testified, spending money Gu
freely. Among the exeursionists that day was anC
Geofge Barton, Jr.. young son OF George Co
Barton. OF Woodstown. He knew Sullivan Tn
md spoke 20 him. After they bad talked thr
while the negro asked him II ne did not wish rui
% buy pocket-tnile. IL have one will sell mol
Iou cheap said sullivan. taking the knife pas
rom his pocket. The boy offered him ten. fou
tnts and became owner 81 the knife. III din
: no use TO me- said the negro. The next OF
lay young Barton showed his bargain 10 ent
BE father and told him OF whom he had wei
purchased II. That is not 80 much OF hoc
barrain,' said Barton, sr. look at the Gag
wo great hicks In the blade'- the
NEAT EIr OF DETECTIVE WORK. 10
Among other possible clues Sheriff Coles , .A.
studied the club found near the murdered o w
fuPs body. AS its outlines became NOR, I D.p
md more familiar TO him he began 10 "a
notice the popularity Of the cutting. Run a.
ring Ike two bands through the length OF -,
'hch distinct cut were two curious lines. 80
Al length the cause dawned upon the ~
'ficiaps mind. The lines were caused CO.
y two Jagged hicks In the blade a ara'
II the instrument with which tho a.
Hub had been cut Therefore, when one . aeo
lay George Barton mentioned that his Ia
ION had purchased q knife from Sulli- t 49,.
ran the sherin's fret inquiry was "Wbat V,,
lind Of blade has itir "Ouly common w,
,ne. with couple Of hicks In IT, was the 80
answer. Within fifteen minutes. seated mi ~
bfhind ms feet roadster. Sheriff Coles was s,,
,n his way 70 the discovery Of the impor- s soa
ant clue. lie paid young Baton lust ten , no,
pents for The knife. To-day Prosecutor ~,
5lspe took BIT OF branch aud cut II with ns,
The fpife. Then, under powerful magni. wa'
Der The murderous club and the branch W. az
were examiued. The lines Of the Jagged ues
dents 10 both were Identical ,n .,,
Alter Sheriff Coles had identified the s sui'
knife ard told bis story, Constable vii. T rye
Ham Carney added 20 1t. lie had carefully I'M
examined the footprints visible near the se's
BODY, and bad measured them. Sulliysnl 70.
boots were Of the same measure ment. The 'es ca.