Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-06-03
Trial of Thos. J.. Cluverius Continued.
CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF FANNIE
LILLIAN MADISON.
[Continued from last aoeek. ]

the witness who had testified to repairing a
watch-key for the prisoner, should be al
lowed to take the key to pieces for the pur-
pose of identifying it. The defense stated
that they wished to introduce witnesses
whose testimony would necessitate the in
PRODUCTION of the key, and it was decided
that the key should not be taken to pieces
The defense then opened their case by in
Producing Mrs. Jane F. Tunstall as their
first witness. She testified that the prison.
er was her nephew and Lillian Madison her
grand-niece. The prisoner had resided at
her house from 1876 until the time of his
arrest except when he was at school. Soon
after her husbands death she gave the
prisoner watch and a key. Witness was
shown the key found at the reservoir, and
she said she had never seen it before, nor
one like it. She had known Lillian all her
life, and had paid a portion of her school
expenses. Lillian and the prisoner had cor
responded, although both had been forbid
den to do so by Lillian's father. Witness
had received three letters from Lillian short
| ly before her death. The last one was dated
March 18th. 1t was evidently misdated as
it was one day after Lillian's death. Wit
ness stated that she always answered Lii
| lian's letters, and the prisoner almost al
ways directed them for her as she did not
write very well. Witness thought Lillian
knew it was reported that the prisoner was
engaged to Miss Bray. Lillian was at wit
ness's house about two years. She stole
away from homeland spent week with her.
Lillian was not allowed to visit the witness
nor her grand parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Walk
er. An undated letter which witness said
was written to her by Lillian two years ago,
when her parents refused to let her go to
school another session from Mrs. Tunstall's S
house, speaks of her Lillian's) great suffer-
ing, her despair and anguish, and her pray
er for death. In it she said: eff suicide
were not sin, how soon the lingering spark
| of my life would vanish: but | will wait
| Gods own time. | know He is just, and
will see that you and I, too, shall be right
ed.'
| Lillian was separated from her family
two months the first time and nine months
the next time, during which she was at wit
ness's house. 1t did not occur to witness
that the education she was giving Lillian
fitted her for higher station in Ii ife and
was calculated to make her dissatisfied with
her humble home. She had heard Lillian
talk about suicide, and advised her not to
talk so. Witness was asked numerous
questions by the prosecution as to her rela-
tions with the Madison family, the estrange-
ment existing between them, &C.
The Rev. Jno w Rvland of Niddlasax
county. testified that SO far as he lrnew tbe
nrisoner was q vonno man of snotlase char
acter, and he bore that reputation IN the
community in which he lived. Witness
baptized the prisoner, who was member
his church. Jas. ]. Adkins, living near
Little Plymouth, King and Queen county,
testified that the prisoner on March 18th
|
nositive he had no monstacbe. his rennta-
tion was always GOOD 60 far as witness
knew. did not notice the prisoner narticn.
larly to see if he had a mustache. bnt was
sure he had none.
| Jos. Dodson. clerk at the American Hotel.
was recalled bv the defense to show that he
had said that Le never saw tho man and
onlv saw tbe woman when she came 10 tbe
hotel. She registered as F. T. Merton,
boy came TO the hotel with a note for her
| which witness took to bar and r. vas at
once answered. The ladv went ont almost
Immediately afterwards She came hack to
dinner between / 80 and O'Clock. The
note was first brought TO the hotel by bow
at 10 O'Clock. He took the answer away.
| but returned in five minutes and Gave the
note to witness, saving he could not find
the man. She left the hotel. and the next
dav. when he found she was pone and had
not paid her bill, he opened the note. read
it, and then tore it no and threw the pieces
inthe waste basket.
| Coroner Taylor was recalled to verify the
1csoiiiony Vi i1uhIel huht oeiore Ine jury
of tho+ rrit,,as tho+ ho IA W eno otoh S,o
Ill +Go o,,o sIor,,, III, 81 49, ;rn,,ost -,
tbe bnroo,, i, roor, NJ 81 TIC ;rros Un
sion made on Dr TavIor,s ,,;nd y,as tbot
HINT ca;d ba did coz = Lev o1, tbo hnrea,,
Int not T tba identical one shown hi hin, Co
w Minter Who acted 90 cIerL of tho coron'
er,s inrv testified to tba ancnracv @ Of Of his va
mort of HINTS evidence Tn that renort
| HINT is ouoted as SAVING that tha kew shown
hin, bv the coroner yyas exactIv lilo the ono
he saw an the hnreaI, in roona No 81
IN tbis tr;ol H. +estiGod 4bo+ bo or
rot ao,tn;, l." -, -, d. -, ~ "''
En1matt R;cbardson R test;f;aJ M TO com;,o
p, DioIn,o,5 ~, MI, 1o4b :, ,,,,
1o;tI, tba I,r;so,,a. 80 LII 1,in, ~ h.,
w. a,n', Pa hn ~ ' aI,od. "-o IL. - ~ ID '
nastaoPa snp '' Tho i5ow fo-nd ~ +bo rasarunr G
inG my iounS 1V 'ne ESQ 4,l ~.
ba I'D Jo,-or soo,, tbo 80. on, Ill
II - '-'0 r ''''-
Dr Rorl-or Of sto fford oo,,+,, +octifod
| +bot 40 ,,r;,nro, ,rae an in+;,,,+a ooi1ono
r,ato of X o,,d co e. as ,,,;toss I-,,o -
raoroi and r;o,1s no,,p~ non W;,nosS ",sS
had neve~ VISITED T Tn;, % %Waod ,rard With him. hin,
baJ hoen aaont town ritb hin, b',t to No
inn ;n,nronar oIacs
P0
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9TH.
After eighteen days Of trial of the Cluve
rius murder case in the contracted court
room of the Hastings Court. Col. Evans, of
counsel for defense moved Wednesday
morning that the place of holding court be
changed. The Governor had signiied his
willincness to permit the use of the House
of Deiegates. and the counsel hoped the
court would order the change. No obiec-
tion was made by the prosecution to such
a change and the court said If would look
into the law and decide.
A written statement of Miss Bray was
offered in evidence to the effect that she
and the prisoner had been engaged for the
two years previous to his arrest; that Lii
ian Madison knew of such engagement up
to June, 1884, and that she had received
two letters from her since that time. but in
neither of them did she mention it.