Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-21

HER FATHER IDENTIFIES 1T ON
THE HOTEL REGISTER.

| MISS curtis Denies writing the Letter
Calling Lillian to Richmond and Says
it Looks Like the Dead Girls PEN
manship-TestlmOny of Harry Curtis
Who Was Once Under Suspicion.
RICHMOND, VA, May 20.-In the Clu-
verius trial this morning the court ruled
that tit would exclude the evidence of Mrs.
Dickinson and little Willie Dickinson as
to the superscription on the envelope con-
tanning the letter received by Lillian, in
which she was asked to come to Richmond,
on the ground that the witnesses were not
experts. The court also stated that the
letter itself could be admitted as testi-
mony but not as an Independent fact
apart from the visit to Richmond, and that
the contents of the postal cards received
| by Mrs. Dickinson on March IL, which
she had burned, could not be taken as
evidence. There was some discussion
over admitting the dates of the postal
cards, the defense holding that there was
no rule known by which the cards could be
admitted. They were not part of the res
gestG Of the case.
The prosecution stated what il hoped to
prove by the admission of the postal cards
or their dates.
RULED OUT BY THE COURT.
The court ruled that they could not be
accepted as evidence.
At this juncture Mrs. Dickinson was
recalled. When Lillian brought the let
ter to the witness, saying that there was
always something to bother her and that
she had come to Richmond, she gave no
other reason for the trip. There was
note enclosed In the letter which Lillian
di0 not show the witness. She said that
the note was from Mr.. Curtis, Of Rich
4 e.
| were 1nterposed iE this re-eXaminatton.
W. II. Madison, a cousin Of the deceased,
testified that Lillian did not spend the
night of Jan. 6 at his residence. The
last time he saw her was when she was
on her way to Bath county. The de-
ceased was in Richmond about nine years
ago, The witness accompanied her home
on that occasion. She was again in Rich
mond four years ago and was taken home
by her father. He did not know if Lillian
ever visited the Dunstans.
NOT WRITTEN BY MISS CURTIS.
Miss Laura Curtis testified that she
knew Lillian at school in King and Queen
county. She saw her In 1888 at her the
witness') home in Richmond for about
half an hour but had never seen her since.
The letter before mentioned was shown TO
the witness. She said that 1t was not in
her handwriting. 1t looked like Lillian's
but she would not swear to 1t. She had
cOrrespOnded with the deceased for year
after leaving school.
Henry Gusts, a brother Of the last wit
ness, was sworn. He knew Lillian. He
became acquainted with her at school.
He had never cOrrespOnded with her. He
left Richmond on March "a last to go to
st. Louis, but was taken sick and stopped
in Baltimore. He came back to Richmond
with Detective Wren. He went to the de-
antf frrafl off att1g nNty nl
counsel for the prosecution, who told him
that he was not much like CluVerius.
SUSPECTED OF THE CRIME.
The witness did not ask for an explana-
tion, but subsequently heard his own
name connected by reports with the mur-
der of Miss Madison. He had heard that
it. was reported in King and Queen and
King William counties that he was the
murderer Of Miss Madison. He was not
at the American Hotel on March l3. On
the night of that day he was visiting
young lady. He had never made the de-
ceased present Of his picture found in
Lillian's trunk. 1t was given to her by
his sister. He did not know that Lillian
had his picture until recently.
j. DOdsOn, clerk in the American HO-
tel, testified that he saw the body Of the
deceased at the almshouse. He saw the
deceased at the hotel on March 10. He
turned over TO Detective Wren piece Of
paper.
THE OPENED LETTER.
The paper was here exhibited TO the
| witness and Identified. The witness said
that it was originally a letter. Having
some suspicious he had opened and read
it, and then tore it up and threw the
| pieces into the waste basket. the letter
was brought down into the Office by a
hotel waiter, and handed TO negro boy
who was waiting for it. The boy brought
it back soon after, and 1t remained there
some time before he opened il.
The defense objected successiYely %
every question pr0pounded TO this witness
and 10 all his answers.
Henry Hunt (cOOred), an Office boy at
the American Hotel, testified that
on the morning of March 10 Mr..
Dodson had given him note TO
take to room No. 81. He did so and
found young lady eating breakfast. He
handed her the note and received an an
swer which be delivered TO messenger
in waiting. The messenger soon returned
/ and said that he could not II d the man,
and he left the note with Mr.. DOdsOn. He
saw the occupant OF room No. 2l leave
the hotel during the day. The witness
was told to stand aside until the hotel
register could be sent for for the purpose
OF ascertaining the name OF the occupant
of room No. q.
LILLIAN's FATHER ON THE STAND.
II. w. Madison, the father OF Lillian,
was sworn. He said that he thought that
he could recognize his daughters writing.
AfLer looking at the name +. l.. Merton,
Roanoke City, on the Exchange Hotel
register, he said that nc had no doubt OF
its being his daughters writing. He
next examined the register Of the Ameri-
can Hotel. where the same name appears.
and said that all but the letter NJ seemed
in his daughters writing. The note
mentioned in Messrs. DOdsOn and Hunts
testimony was shown the witness aud he
said that be had no doubt that his daugh-
ter wrote H.. The Curtis letter was then
closely examined by the witness, who
finally said that he did not believe that
it was In his daughters hand writing.
Henry Hunt was recalled aQd the
American Hotel register was produced.
When II was ascertained that "F. l..
Merton" occupied room No. u. Hunt
said that the occupant OF room No. u LETT
the hotel about five minutes after he
handed her the note. That was about
II $50 o'clock In the morning.
HOW SHE WAS DRESSED.
She wore a black dress, a black hat and
red shawl. He had identified the body
at the almshouse as that of the same per-