The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-03-12
HIS LIFE AT STAKE,
lanes Queen Being fried for shoot.
ing His brother.

Ing HIS BrOther.
James Queen, colored, was placed on trial
in the Criminal Court to-day on the charge
of granddaughter in killing his brother,
benjamin Queen, by shooting him at
house near Stanton, d. g., on the 27th Of
october last, Messrs, A. A. Birney and
Woodbury. Wheeler appeared for tho ac-
cused and Assistant District Attorney Coyle
for the Government
There was no trouble in securing jury
and the trial was Immediately entered
upon
Samuel Bruce testified that on the night
in question he went TO an entertainment at
Mrs. Tillie Ann slwood's. As he entered
the room the witness asked them why they
were making so much noise, and the do
lendant said, 81 will shoot somebody in
here directly" Tho witness put his hand
on him and told him to keep quiet. He
moved away and shortly after said, Look
out, am going to shoot
Tho witness moved back, and as he did
so the pistol went Of, and II mau in front
Tell He proved to be Benjamin Queen.
When James Queen was told he had killed
his brother, he said, Now, / got to stretch
for my brother" and tried to get kuile to
cut his own throat. Queen did not go
away, and was arrested ut the place where
tho shooting took place, about an hour
later.
On oross-examination tho wi tness said he
heard the pistol fired twice that night be-
fore he went to the entertainments He
did not know, but was told that the pistol
belonged to Ferguson. When Queen tried to
get knife he wanted to cut his own throat
because he had killed his brother.
Henry Simms, another witness, was at
Mrs. Ellwood's and saw the shooting. He
did not hear anything happen before that.
Bruce came in fifteen minutes after the
witness did, and not long after he aud
Queen were talking together.
As they had always been friends tho wit
ness paid no attention to them until he
heard Queen say, "You think l won't
shoot" and then he looked aud saw Queen
with pistol in his hand. Bruce said mo
| you won't shoot" and Queen said, "You
say won't shoot" and right after that the
pistol went off, and few minutes later
| Benjamin Queen fell across the witness and
he told James that he had killed his
| brother.
He said, my God, have / killed my
brother !" he then knelt down on the
| floor, kissed his brother, and then left the
| room. Some time after he came back and
remained until he was arrested.
On cross. eXamination the witness said
that Ferguson was as near James Queen
as he could get when the shoot
l
| like the one Ferguson carried,
After the shooting James Queen did not
want them to 90 to the trouble of sending
| for an officer, but wished to walk down to
| tho station and give himself up. There was
| no quarrel Of any kind and all of the par-
ties were the best of friends.
VIM. Ferguson identified the pistol as one
belonging to his brother James He went
| to the dance with his brother and James
| Oman WbnO Oupnn pNa intO tha
he carried the pistol in his hand. Bruce
said, "Go away with that pistol" Queen
said, Don't you think | would shoot2 !"
| and Bruce said, "No. you would
| not shoot anybody" Just then the
| pistol went of, and Benjamin Queen, who
was standing in front of Bruce, fell to the
| floor. Queen said, "My God have ] got
to have my neck stretched for killing my
brother 2" and then walked out Of the
/ room.
| With this testimony the Government
rested. The defense opened by the intro
duction OF testimony TO show the previous
good character Of the defendant for peace.
Mrs. Elenore Hutton testified that there
was only ono shot fred in the house and
that there was no fuss. She heard three
shots fired outside the house before the
parties came in. James Queen and his
brother had always been very loving
toward each other. Iu fact, the one killed
was favorite of the family.
Hester Queen sister of the defendant and
deceased, testified to being in the room
where the trouble occurred. There were
good many other people in the room, and
the brothers were about ten feet apart.
She was standing close to her brother at
the time the shot was fired, and heard no
words.
Mrs. Simons the mother of the Queen
boys, testified to the attachment existing
between the brothers and James denying
on the night of the homicide any inten-
tion to shoot his brother.
This testimony closed the evidence in the
case, and after brief arguments and the
charge of tho Judge, it was given to tie
jury.
They returned at 1;i6 p. M. and had not
agreed ON a verdict when this report
closed
Al -. q.