Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-05-27
Trial of Thos. J. Cluverius Continued.
cHARG ED WITH THE MURDER OF FANNIE
LILLIAN MADISON.
Continued from first page.I
THURSDAY, MAY 21sT.

Continued from first page.I
THURSDAY, MAY 21sT.
The first witness examined Thursday
morning in the Cluverius murder trial was
D B. Morton, paying teller at the Planters
National Bank. He testified that the pris-
oner presented check at his bank on the
13th of March. William P. an employee on
Belle Isle, testified that he saw man and
a woman together on the island on the 18th
of March. He went to the Jail after the
prisoners arrest and identified him among
a number of other prisoners. The man he
saw on Belle Isle had a moustache and car
ried a carpet-sack. Jas. Thompson, col
ored fireman at the Belle Isle Works, also
testified that he saw the prisoner with a
| lady at the Belle Isle Works on March 10.
Joseph Perkins, a mailer in the Belle Isle
Works, testified that he saw the couple in
the works on the 18th of March. He no
ticed that the woman was in delicate con-
dition.
The prosecution here introduced a letter
written by L. j. Cluverius to Lillian Madi-
son in September last, in which he address
es her in kind terms, giving her general
news, and Gliding her for her delay in wri-
ting to him. The letter concludes by urg
ing her to mary ''that fellow as he (Clu-
verius) thought it the best thing she could
do The poem found in Lillian's trunk
was also offered in evidence, but owing to
| its vile character it was agreed by court and
counsel not to have it read in open court,
but that the jury should read it to them
selves. The paper was given to the jury
and the reading of it by twos was begun,
but before the first two had finished, the
i reading was suspended. At o'clock the
! court resumed it's session Before any one
outside of the jury, counsel, and Judge was
admitted the poem was read.
| Charles Madison, father of Lillian, was
recalled and testified that the prisoner had
been visiting his house for about two years.
the last time in July last. Concerning the
letters sent by the well-digger, Biggs, to his
daughter, witness said that Lillian burned
them and that he scolded her for so doing,
as he had been advised to get them and
keep them; Lillian then left the house and
went to her grandfather's; there was moth
ing criminal in the letters. Witness said
he never made the statement in church be-
the congregation that his daughter had left
home to attend school and not for improper
purposes he never had any trouble with
his daughter until she became intimate
with the prisoner; had looked upon them
as lovers about eighteen months or two
years.
FRIDAY, May 22nd.
w. A. James was the first witness in the
Cluverius trial Friday morning. He testi-
fed that he saw the prisoner three times
in Richmond Oh March 10. He came to
WITNESSES office to solicit business. He also
saw the prisoner on the same morning near
the American Hotel with Mr.. Pollard, one
Inf no To
again on the same day near the same place
with lady. A photograph of Miss Madi-
son, taken in 1889, was shown witness. He
said ho thought there was resemblance
between the photograph and the lady he
had seen. He was positive that it was
| Cluverius that was with her.
W. +. billiard, night clerk at the Ameri-
can Hotel, testified that a person he
thought was the prisoner called at the hotel
desk on the night of March 10 and asked
if the lady in No. 81 was in her room.
Witness was given card by the prisoner,
which was sent to No. 81, and the prisoner
was directed to the parlor.
William Tyler, coloIed night watch
man at the American Hotel testified that
on the night of March 10 he was called to
! take card to room No. 81, and to show a
| gentleman to the parlor. The prisoner
was that man. As witness went to the
parlor a lady and an old man came up the
steps and went into the parlor. The priso-
ner came out, saying the lady was not the
one he wanted to see. The old man asked
witness to show the lady to room, and he
took her to No. 81. The old man and the
| prisoner went out at the same time
| Fifteen minutes later the prisoner came
back into the hotel Witness told him
1 hot loHx inv No o ! E,l.o
wanted to see him. Witness escorted him
to the parlor, and notified the lady that he
was there. She went to the parlor and the
witness left them. The defense severely
cross examined the witness, and in cues
tioning him about his testimony before the
coroner brought out numerous contradic-
tory statements.
/ VIM. Tucker, colored driver of tug
horse on street railroad, testified that he
saw the prisoner on the night of March Is
on Main street near the American Hotel
He was with young lady. Witness
stopped car for them to get on. The
man wore gray overcoat and the lady had
a red shawl around her shoulders. The
man had small satchel in his hand.
! Thomas Williams, driver on the Main
street line, testified the prisoner looked
like the man who got in the car the night
of March 10 with lady. The man spoke
to him after getting off his car at Reser-
voir street, and asked him where Reser-
voir street was. Witness pointed the
street out to him. When the prisoner got
off the car he helped the lady out They
both went down Reservoir street. They
were the only persons on the car when it
stopped. Reservoir street is at the end of
the car route. The man had on light
overcoat and black SLOUGH hat. The lady
had no outside wrap on. A man and
woman got on the Car near Fifteenth street.
and he thought some other passengers got
on near the postofice.
Dr.. Thomas e. Stratton testified that on
the night of March Is he was on Reservoir
street, between and 10 O'Clock, and over
took lady and gentleman ON that street.
Walked behind them some little distance.
When he got near them the gentleman
turned round abruptly and asked him the
time. Told him it was quarter past nine.
| He thanked him, and the two went on. .
Heard him remark: 81 know that fellow,
but he don't know me.' The prisoner
! looks in figure like that man, who was
mufiied up SO that witness could not see
his face well. The man turned so sudden
| ly when he asked witness the time of night
that witnesses impression was that the man
thought he was being followed Is.
| Herman Joel, a jeweler, testified that he
had worked in King William county. He
had seen the prisoner before. To the best
of his recollection he had repaired watch
key for him. A key was here shown the
ws.sess, and he said it was very much like
the key he had repaired. He had done
something to the pipe. Witness saw the
prisoner in January las. He had delivered
a watch belonging to some one else to him
on an orler ON the 9Th or sixth of January.
Witness thought he had the name of the
prisoner in his book, but when he got the
book from King William, where he had
left it, some pages had been torn from it.
To the best of his recollection, however,
the prisoner was the man for whom he had
fixed the key.
SATURDAY, MAY 23rd.
at tho opening of tie Cluverius trial,
Saturday, Judge Atkins ruled that the
torn note found in waste basket at the
American Hotel, directed in the handwrit-
ing of Lillian Madison to r. J. Cluverius,
could not be received as evidence. Abra-
ham Watkins, colored, testified that he