Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-05-21
TRIAL OF CLUVERlUS.

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Laura Curtis testified that she knew Lillian
at school in King and Queen county. She
saw her in 1888 at her (witness'sl home IN
Richmond for about half an hour, but had
never seen her since. The Curtis" letter
was shown witness. She said it was not in
her handwriting 1t looked like Lillian's,
hut she would not swear to it, She had cor
responded with the deceased the year after
leaving scnool.
Harry Curtis, brother of the last wit
ness. was sworn. He became acquainted
with Lillian al school. He had never COR
responded with her. He left Richmond on
March "a last to go to st. Louis, but was
taken sick and stopped i'll Baltimore. lie
came back to Richmond with detective
Wren He saw Mr.. Meredith, of counsel
for the prosecution, who told him that ne
was not much like Cluverius. Witness ola
not ask for an explanation, but subsequent
" heard his own name connected byreports
with the murder of Miss Madison. He was
not at the American Hotel on March Is.
He had never made the deceased present.
His picture found in LlIllan's trunk was
given to her by his sister.
j. Dodson, clerk at the American hotel,
testified that he saw deceased at the hotel
on March Is. He turned over to Detective
Wren piece of paper which was originally
q letter. Having some suspicious, he had
opened and read it, and then torn it up ana
thrown the pieces into the waste basket.
The letter was brought down into the othce
by hotel waiter and handed to negro
boy, who was waiting for it. The boy
brought it back soon after, and it remained
there some time before he opened it. The
defense objected 10 every question PROFOUND
ed 10 this witness and TO all his answers.
Henry Hunt, colored Office boy at the
hotel, testified that on the morning OF the
18Th of March Mr. Dodson had given him a
note to take to room 81. He handed IN
the note and received an answer, which he
delivered to The messenger in waiting. Inc
messenger soon returned and said he could
not find the man, and left the note with MT.
Dodson.
w. H. Madison, the father of Lillian, after
looking at the name "F. L. Merton, Roa-
noke City" ON the Exchange Hotel register
said he had no doubt of its being his daugh
ter's writing. Hene examined the register
orthe American Hotel, where the same name
appeared, and said all but the letter M
seemed to be in his daughters writing. The
note mentioned in Dodson's and Hunts tes-
| timouy was shown the witness, and he said
| he had no doubt that his daughter wrote it.
| The Curtis letter was then closely examined
by the witness, who finally said he did
| not believe it was in his daughters hand
writing.
Henry Hunt was recalled, and the hotel
register was produced, when it was ascer-
tanned that "F. L. Merton" occupied room
81. Hunt said the occupant of room q left
the hotel about five minutes after he handed
her the note. That was about II. 80 a. m.
She wore black dress, black hat and red
shawl. He had identified the body at the
amshouse as that OF the same person who
occupied room 81 at the hotel. He had
been shown the watch key at The almshouse.
| Here the prosecution said this made the
witness witness for the defense. MIR.
Meredith claimed the right to cross.ques-
ton the witness, and moved the court 10
stop his evidence at this point.
his right to ascertain what was seen by the
witness at the almshouse belonging to the
deceased besides the clothing. The court
sustained Judge Crump.
Hunt, in reply to questions By the de-
tense, said be testified before the coroner's
Jury He was there shown a watchkey;
thought he had seen similar key on the
bureau in room 81.
George Wright testified that he was con
ductor on the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
road. He had as a passenger on his train,
March II, the woman whose body was
| found in the reservoir. In q conversation
| with her she gave her name as Lillian Madi-
| SOD. She said she expected some ladies to
| meet her at Richmond that night, or at the
American Hotel the next morning. On
cross. examination the witness stated that
| the lady had said, in speaking about the
| train running fast, that she wished it would
run off The track and kill her.
| William Martin testified that he was on
Belle Isle on March H. About noon he
met gentleman and lady on the bridge
! leading to the isle. He could not swear to
| the identity Of the man on the bridge with
| he prisoner The lady was dressed in black
and wore red shawl. Witness passed
close to the couple, and heard the lady say,
in response to some remark made by her
companion, "Why Cousin Tommie." The
prisoner resembed the man he had seen.
Several weeks had elapsed before he recall
ed the incident.
Mr.. Isaacs testified that on March Is he
saw lady and gentleman on the island.
Witness felt confident that the prisoner was
the man he saw. He noticed the lady par.
ticuarly, and thought that in her condition
ahs ought to be at home. He did not doubt
the identity of the lady OIL the island with
the body he subsequently, saw at the aims
house. The witness said he positively iden-
tilted the prisoner as the man he saw, but
thought be Thea had a small mustache. The
lady had red shawl around her or on her
arm.
FOREIGN NEWS