Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-05-27

letter before the officer. 1t informed Mrs.
Tunstall that she (Lillian) was going to
give up her school at Millboro' and go to
Old Point Comfort to remain for two
months with an invalid lady. When the
officers and prisoner reached Richmond,
and the witness went to search the priso-
ner in the station-house the charm chain
had disappeared. Witness asked the
prisoner what had become of it, and he
said he had none. The witness insisted
that he had, and then the prisoner said he
had given it to his brother. The witness
examined the articles found in the priso-
ner's pockets, including the watch. He
was handed the watch key found at the
reservoir and fitted it to the watch.
While changing his clothing the priso-
ner asked of Mr.. Robins: 1'What evil
dence have you? 1 would like to know
what line of defense to prepare"
Mr.. Pierce, of King and Queen county,
heard the prisoners father ask him if he
got to Richmond in time to see Mr.. Pol
lard. His father also asked him how he
hurt his hand, and hs told him in getting
on the train.
Mr.. Meredith, of the prosecution,
moved that the court grant re-hearing of
the question of the admissibility of the
torn note as evidence. The court granted
the motion, and the question will be heard
Monday morning.
MONDAY, MAY 25th.
The court met Monday morning shortly
before 10 O'Clock. Judge Atkins having
granted, at the instance Of the prosecution,
| "a re hearing upon the question relating to
the admissibility as evidence of the note
found at the American Hotel addressed to
T. J. Cluverius, and in the handwriting of
Miss Madison, argument on both sides was
| heard The Court excluded the note Sat-
urday upon the ground of insufficient
identity.
The note reads as follows:
81 will be there as soon as possible. So
do wait for me-"
| take the matter under consideration, as it
was not necessary that the point should be
decided right away.
The jury was then brought into court
and the hearing of evidence was begun.
| The first witness called was Mr.. X. z.
billiard. He said: 81 am a commercial
traveller for Philadelphia firm. l reside
in Essex county. I am acquainted with
the prisoner. I met him several times. l
saw him once at Jail ON March %. told
Mr.. Cluverius that I regretted very much
seeing him there charged with such a
crime, and that I hoped he would prove
his innocence. He replied that he would
be able to give an account of himself for
all the time that he was in Richmond.
Capt. Bagby went down to the Jail with
me. Capt. Bagby asked him if he (the
prisoner) had the scratches or scars on his
hand when he went down from Richmond
with him (Bagby) Saturday morning Cthe
morning after the tragedy to West Point.
His reply was, ''No, did not" Capt.
Bagby asked, ''How did you get them?'
He (the prisoner) said 81 struck my hand
against the railing at Centreville.
He went to the Jail as a sympathizing
friend of the prisoner
Logan S. Robins of the police force, who
went to arrest the prisoner, was next call
ed. The first time he saw the prisoner
after bis arrest was in the dining room,
| when the prisoner asked him, "what are
the circumstances" saying he wanted to
know in order to make his defense.
Robins's testimony corroborated the
statement made by Capt. Epps as to the
prisoners watch-chain and the remarks
made by Mrs. Tunstall relative to the letter
| from Lii ian dated March 18th.
| Robins said: GAS we passed out of the
hall Capt. Epps remarked to the prisoner,
ARE you going without hat?' He 1.-THE
prisoner) then reached out and took his
brothers hat and put it on his head, re-
marking that his hat had hole in it. At
ter the prisoner had put on his hat and
overcoat we stepped out on the porch. At
| first the prisoner did not agree to put on
his red scarf, but afterwards he consented
to do so. After we had gotten we'll started
on our way home the conversation was
about the roads we had to travel over.
The prisoner remarked that he had left
Richmond last Saturday; that he came
| down on the York river railroad. Capt.
Epps promptly asked him: Did you see
Lillian when in Richmond?' The prisoner
remarked, 4 no more saw Lillian in Rich
mond than saw Mr.. Oliver Ia county
officer who was with Capt. Epps and Off
Ger Robins. -
could have done her (Lillian) any harm;
that he thought too much of her; that
somebody was personating him here, and
that he would employ detectives in Chica-
go and st. Louis to clear the matter up.
| The prisoner said he was at the Dime
Museum the night of the 18th and retired
at II o'clock.
Mr.. John Oliver, the King William Off
Ger who was with Capt. Epps and Officer
| Robins when the arrest was made was
next called. He thinks it was after sup
per that remarks were made about the
letter from Lillian to Mrs. Tunstal
After supper he (the prisoner) asked to
be allowed to change his clothes, and they
(AIessrs. Epps and Robins) went up
stairs with him. After we got to KIM
and Queen Courthouse, Capt. Epps called
my attention to piece of chain hans ing
to the prisoners watch-chain, and l think
| saw piece of h-chain about an inch
long.
The witness in reply to questions asked
by Mr.. Meredith, corroborated the testi-
mony given by officers Epps and Robins
in relation to the letter written by Lillian
and dated March 18th.
In addition to what officers Epps and
Robins testified, Mr.. Oliver said 'sThe
prisoner put something in his aunt's hand
and whispered to her while they (Cluverius
and Mrs. Tunstall) were standing near the
fireplace.
was key to his desk that he put in her
hands.
Mr.. j. r. Vaughn was next called. He
said: live in King and Queen; was there
March 14th at Centerville, saw the prisoner
at the postoffice: conversed with him in the
porch at Mr.. Martin store. Mr. ]. s. Bland
was present, and we were talking together.
Mr.. Cluverius came across the road and be-
gan to stick up notice. He turned around
facing US, and Mr.. Bland asked him what
was the matter with him. .Have you had
chill % laughed and said, ''I'll tell you
what's the matter with him. He has been
in love; he has had some love scrape." He
said ono, haven't" and laughed, jok.
ingly, and said, ''Then you have seen old
man Sam Crittenden or some one like him."
He said, ono, missed the train in Rich
mond last night and had to get up to take
the 5 o'clock train this morning, and did
not get much Sleep" l said, "That ex-
plains it; it always knocks me up to lose a
nights Sleep" He then went off, and 1
afterwards met him coming out of DR..
Courtney's Office with his satchel in his
hand, and he remarked, 81 am not feeling
very well and am going home to lie down."
Mr. j. s. Bland was next called, He said
he lived in King and Queen, near Center
vile. l saw MIR. Cluverius when he came
in, and | remarked to Mr.. Vaughn, "What
is the matter with Mr.. Cluverius He looks