Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-31
THE TRIAL OF FRANK EANGsrON.
TeSfimOny for the Defense.

After THE STARS report of the trial of Frank
Langston, Indicted for the murder of James Spen-
Ger, was closed yesterday, Isaac F. Norman, col
ored. an eInploye OF the Treasury department,
testified that two three days after the shooting
Dennis Williams told him that he coming up
18th street and saw two men fighting. Williams
said at first he did not know it was LangstOn who
did the firing and that he was so close the powder
burned his face.
Howard Gordon testified that three or four days
after the shooting he met Dennis Williams, who
told him that he got into the trouble by trying to
part the men, and Langston told him to let them
alone. Williams said, what you got to do with
it?n and went toward Langstcn, when he pulled the
pistol and fired.
! Armstead Turner testified that after the court
adjourned last Monday he heard Williams say: ~
was going to tell the truth and hang Frank Lang
Capt o. S. B. Wall testified that the defendant
was his nephew and that he did all he could get
| the defendant out OF the country and keep him
there until his father came home. He would say,
TO LangstonS credit, that lie wished to remain and
John Johnson testified that he knew Spencer for
zen years, and saw him on the day he was killed
cNrsng and swearing. The witness thought he
NwaS under the influence of liquor.
The Testimony To-day.
| This morning, when the court opened, the pris-
/ on er seated with his mother and brother and
slterS, and number OF friends, male and female
The counsel being absent, Judge Macarthur sug-
gested that 1t was a good time to decide the case
| when there was to bother them.
The defense recalled W. II. Donn for further cross
examination by the government. lie testified that
he rode up in a 9th Street to the turn table.
when the driver got cut and he returned TO the car
stand, when lie spoke 10 the driver. After the
shooting ne met two young men, and told them he
knew nothing OF it,
ArmStead Turner was recalled and testified that
Lahgsto1's reputation was very high for peace and
| 6OOu order.
| THE PISTOL LANGsTcE BORROWED
| James Woods, private watc Gilman at Kicks park,
ifip1
from him several tim es and spoke to him about re-
! turning one On the Sunday night previous TO the
shooting. Witness identified the pistol as the one
he had then. Witness delivered the pistol TO the
officer on Wednesday, the 5th, having found it In
! the water closet OF the hotel on the fIoor Lang
ston was not regarded as quafrelsome.
Cross-examined:-I was in the habit of
stopping there OH his way home This pistol he
had had for some time, and when he loaned II last
there were no cartridges ill it. 1t was in the day
| cartridges for it, The barkeeper was present wien
he asked him to return 1t. 1t was between and
o'clock on March 9Th, when he found the pistol, and
/ he gave it To Lieutenant Pearson.
| John y. WhtiOw. barkeeper at the Park hotel,
testified tharhe had been employed there two
years; had known LangSton that long. He had Dor
roWSa reviewers there, and witness identified the
pistol one belonging to the house When he first
borrowed pistol he said that he had been run on
his way home. LangstOn had had this pistol for
little time and Mr.. Kicks asked hiia to bring 1t
back. He brought it back Monday morning, andhe
borrowed 1t again in the evening. Next saw it
/ about o'clock Tuesday evening. VIXEN Langston
put it the bar and LETT heard OF the shooting d.
rectiy after. Frank had been there about o'ciock
He was then engaged i'll the government printing
Office bndery. Witness put the pistol IN the water
closet because If the officers came ne did not want
them TO fu II in the house. Frank was there but
, q minute.
Cross-examined:-Witnes told the officers that
nc had not seen Frank after O'Clock that evening.
Did not think that IL was his business to tell them
he saw iisn after the shooting. They were playing
! pool IN The pooi-room sunday evening, when Woods
! asked LangSton TO return the pistol. frank was
/ not play ing.
! DENNIS WILLIAMS CHARACTER
! Ralph Wormey. residing at 800 Wilson street,
! testified that he had known Dennis Williams for
| twelve years over, and his reputation was that
/ OF Il QuarTeisome disOrferly man. Langston's rep
/ ut;lfion he had not heard discussed.
Thomas W. Chase. residing ut 1929 Il street, had
/ known Dennis Williams, whose reputation was not
| good; it was bad.
| Cross-examtnetl:-Witn was engaged on the
public works in 1871, and Williams would raise dis
I tUrDanceS among the men,
Powell Winslow testified that he lived on POM
eroy street. between Sd and AZ; Williams OF
! quarrelSOme disposition.
! George NJ. Arnold 1914 18th street, testified to
having seen Langston at the Bethel Literary asso-
CATION, ard That his reputation was good
TESTIMONY OF LANGsToN's AUNT
Mrs Sarah Fidler, aunt of the prisoner. testi-
fed that she had been stopping with Mrs. Lang
stOn since August. On the evening in question
Frank came home a ttls later than usual-about
haf-past five O'Clock; went down to dinner at six
| O'Clock and they spoke OF going to the Woman's
Rights convention and he said he was going to the
Literary society; heard him as he was leav-
| ing the house. There was nothing unusual In his
manner that evening. Witness and her sister and
/ Mrs. Holland started and when they reached Pom
eroy street heard that two men shot. and went
/ TO the hospital to make inquiries. and were told
! that two men were shot by a white man They
then went TO Lincoln hail. and during the evening
Mrs. Langston was called out, and she went with
her. Young Mr.. Reed conducted them to where
Frank was. She said, "Franky, hadn't you better
give yourself up? and his mother said "No" Frank
said, 'Manllna, just as you say
She was so uunerVed that she did not feel able
to take part in the interview.
Several witnesses testified to the mild disposition
and good character OF the prisoner.
solomon Phillips testified that Williams reputa-
tlon was that he was quarresOme when drinking.
MINISTER LANGsToN ON Tine STAND
Prof. j. NJ. LangstOn testified that he was ut his
post Port-au Prince, Hayti, when he heard OF this
casualty. Had read the newspaper account In THE
STAR of the testimony before the coroner AS soon
as he obtained leave he returned, arriving in New
York on May LIST. Came direct to this city, and
telegraphed as soon as he learned where his son
probably was. He desired TO have Frank here as
soon as possible When he arrived he had Mt
Rhodes with him to meet his son.
The defense here closed its case.
THE GOVERNMENT OPENS TIE REBUrTAL
The government called in rebuttal Eugene Sul-
van tbarkeeper at Sheehy's 1920 9TH streeD. Tes-
titled that Dennis Williams was there some time
before dark; remembered that he gave Williams a
beer; saw Dennis when he went out and he was
then sober; heard that Williams had been shot ten
or fifteen minutes after.
Patrick Sheehy testified that he had known VIII
Hams Tor twelve years; saw him before the shoot
Ing TOOK place; thought he sober then: from
| what he had heard the reputation OF Williams was
good.
VIM. Jones, cOored, testified he saw Dennis VIII
liams fifteen minutes before the shooting; Dennis
was not drunk.
Anrdew Sheakes recalled: There was no car which
went up TO the turn-tabe after his and before the
firing, and no person spoke to him; did not see Mr.
DOM anywhere about his car.
TESTIMONY AS TO CHARACTER.
After recess, Preston Harris, John Terry, Corne-
Illus Hatch. Philip Bird, VIM. ToIiyer Lewis Ed
munds ard others testified to the good character of
Dennis Williams.
Law Department Columbian Uniycr.
kity.
THE GRADUATING EXERCISES NEXT TUEspAY-A LIST
OF THE CANDIDATES.