Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-12

HrNsRLF-A CASE OF crRcUxsrAxrIAL KvI-
DENck.
cfTHsEvxxrse STAR
KING GEORGE C. H, VA, Sept II, 1855.
A most interesting trial for murder has just
been dnished at this place. which, II IL had oc-
CURED In . large city, or In q more accessible
locality. would have attracted ~ much atten-
tion - did the noted Cuvsrius case In Rich
mond.
Upon the the 18th Of July two boys by the
name Of Dodd LEFT their homes early in the
morning their bodies were found In Machodock
creek, . small branch Of the Potomac. Their
boat, containing their clothing and nshing
lines, was found upon the shore OF the creek and
aHer curSofy examination by physician u
was believed that the boys had been drowned,
ana they were accordingly buried. Rumors,
hood thsI the boys had been murdered and then
tered, careful autopsy was held by the coroner
eno another physician, and the coroners jury
rendered Q verdict duplicating three small
jury, however, the boys were acquitted. and
the two persons, who admitted that they had
seen the boys within two hours Of the time
wnsn me murder Is supposed to have occurred,
The evidence was purely circumstantial, and
the conviction Of the only one OF the accused
circumstances and upon his conduct and sim
gulsr remarks made by him to various persons
smer the Occurrences and subsequently to the
A DAMAGING ADMISSION,
VIM 0rier and Carey Page, the persons in.
dicted, admitted that they had seen the boys
alive near small spring at 10 am. They re-
turned from the spring shortly after this hour
IN their boat TO the place at which IL was us
boys, one OF whom was Grier's own son, TO the
springs, ostensibly. to obtain some water
The boys found the boat with the
nothing Of 'n'a tie r Saaa o boys but A saM
9 time they returned and reported the fact OF
the Dodd boys. aithoash aSey n ad
their small dog near the boat, which was then
drawn partly upon the shore. Grier then re-
marked no. that the boys must have been drowned.
His wife was with him, and having a young
child at home had, he stated, complained
OF her breast and expressed a desire TO return
nome. After obtaining the water which was
said to be for her, the party returned home,
and, although she had been suffering pain, he
lay down TO rest and allowed her to unharness
Moreover, although he had suggested that the
boys were drowned, he did not go near the
house Of Dodd, who lived I'm his neighborhood,
TO inform him about the finding of the boat
and Its contents.
GRIERS SINGULAR REMARK.
In the course OF the coroner's investigation
suspicion was directed towards him and Page
and only the testimony of a colored woman,
that she had seen five boys bathing
near the spring, prevented his Indictment
at the outset These boys were supposed to be
the Dodd boys, and the three who were subse-
quently charged with the crime. These were
Hiram Peskridge. Alter these three bows were
imprisoned he remarked that "a great burden
had been lifted from his heart" This was
thought TO be q most singular expression for a
father whose SON had been Charged with
murder, murder: In the course OF the trial a
that it was better for these boys to bear the
charge than that it should be placed upon men
with families" that he felt at one time that
there were some things that they could not
stand, one Of which was being called "a
The persons implicated are very light mulaf,
toes probably octOroons), and the boys who
were killed were white. He also expressed
great anxiety lest he and Page should be sus-
pected OF the crime, because the latter followed
him SO closely, and after their indictment he
was afraid that Page would abscond, as they
were released on bail. While constantly pro-
testing his innocence, yet he also INQUIRED
whether Page could turn states evidence.
WHAT THE SON SAID.
He had several interviews with his son. tbs.
result of which was that the boy swore that
John Atwell and Hiram Peskridge ..had got
into fight with the Dodd boys in consequence
OF being called g. mulatto-," and that he
saw each of the boys struck, and that he never
saw them come up again after they went under
the water It is remarkable that al
though there is a wharf or landing
only two orthree hundred yards farther down
the creek than the Black Oak spring, at which
teen persons there at the time Of the traee e
no person witnessed the occurrence or heard
any cutlery. Had the accused not been SO gar
conscience led HIM to talk TO a number of per-
he would probably not have been detected,
for only his accomplish could have borne testi.
The case was argued in a most able manner NV
the opposing counsel, Mr.. John Mason, (the
COMMUNICATING attorney, and Mr.. Robert
H. Ashton and Mr. Thomas Bevens for defense
HOW THE BOYS WERE KILLED.
The autopsy revealed the fact that the older
boy, Reuben Dodd, had probably been killed
by blow, probably of an oar, which dislocated
the neck and fractured one or two of the Ger.
blow upon the chest The younger boy, Charles
Dodd, had apparently been drowned, as
was believed, to conceal the killing OF
when he saw the chain Of evidence Tightening
around him as the circumstances came out in
the testimony, for his counsel fought every step
to escape them, and for the reputation OF these
rival practitioners 1t is a matter of regret that
the very able speeches upon the law and the
evidence, both In the course of the trial
and at its close could not have been fully re-
ported and presented to a larger public than
gathered at small Virginia courthouse. Judge
+. c. s. Hunter, who presided, had some very
difficult points of law TO decide in reference TO
the admission of evidence, but his decisions
seemed to be very accurate and proper The
to the jury the case with the instructions
prayed for by the counsel on both sides.
GUILTY OF MURDER.
The jury retired at p. m. on Thursday, and
in halt an hour returned a verdict of guilty of
murder In the first degree The jury was polled.
and each man assented to the verdict They
were then discharged, and the prisoner was
led away to jail He did not seem TO
understand the verdict or to compre-
was explained to him by his counsel. Then for
the first time did he manifest any feeling or
seem to become aware OF his real situation, that
Of a condemned murderer. His counsel have
given notice OF o motion for q new trial and
they will be heard upon this motion to-day.
AN ELoPEMENr RESULTING IN A Triple
Atlanta, Ga, Wednesday Miss I.
Maxwell, . beautiful young lady, eluded the
vigilance OF her parents and met her lover.
John Shelton, and they were married The
young couple went to the residence of the
gr0omS mother, on Oliver street. Miss Max
wells father and brother armed themselves
with pistols and presented themselves at shell
toms house. The father threatened to shoot
Shelton, whereupon the latter picked 40 a
Ratchet Young Maxwell, to protect his father,
the head. Then old man Maxwell and Shelton
hred simultaneously at each other Shelton
was mortaily and Maxwell seriously wounded.
Great excitement followed, and only the prompt
calaboose prevented his being roughly handled.
1t IL thought that the three men will die.
How 10 GER RID OF TRAMps.-Muncie, Ind,
has followed the example set by the neighbor.
Ing town Of Anderson with regard to tramps.
w wednesday six tramps were released from jail
eno mace 70 run the gauntlet of nearly two